Abstract

Tomás Nevinson is the last novel by Javier Marías. The themes of betrayal, deceit, and doubt that are apparent in his other works continue here as well. The meandering and philosophical narration guides the reader through Tomás' quest for self-discovery. This article uses literary onomastics (the study of names, their meanings and origins) to peel back the layers of the various characters in order to reveal the archetypes they represent. Through analyzing the names in Tomás Nevinson, the reader may come to recognize the archetypes associated with the novel's characters while also recognizing how Tomás interacts with archetypal others in a quest to understand his own identity. As he interacts with his shadow, Centurión, he comes to understand the darkness that exists within himself. In his experiences with the trickster, Bertram Tupra, he faces the questions that exist because of his past experiences. Through the various representations of his anima, the fragments of Tomás' Self are revealed in mirror-like fashion. As he faces each of these archetypes, Tomás learns more about his Self and is able to pull together the various fragments of his Self to form a more unified whole.

Degree

College and Department

Humanities; Spanish and Portuguese

Rights

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