OBJECTUAL DIMENSION AND INVENTORIES IN EDUARDA MANSILLA’S RECUERDOS DE VIAJE (1882)

Abstract

This paper studies the literary strategies employed by Eduarda Mansilla in her book, Recuerdos de viaje, with a keen focus on the imprint of material culture in her narrative. The analytical framework centers on tangible elements as a pivotal facet of her rhetorical strategy. This strategy not only enhances the verisimilitude of the travel narrative but also bolsters the authority of the narrative voice. Navigating the realms of luxury and comfort, the seasoned traveler lays bare her preferences and confrontations during her forerunning expedition across North America. Unveiling both enthralling discoveries and aversions, she intricately weaves her narrative with objects, practices, and reflections that mirror her ambivalent stance towards capitalist modernization. Mansilla’s text presages forthcoming transformations and uncertainties, offering in-sights into how technology, burgeoning consumption, and cultural preferences shape the nuanced perception of taste within nineteenth-century society.