Topografía E Hipotiposis: Dos Tipos De ‘Rebeldía Descriptiva’ Con Un propósito conjunto en nada De Carmen Laforet

Abstract

The hermeneutics of description in Nada (1945) enables the deciphering of the semantic inner structure of the novel. This is achieved by means of an intentional characterization of both space and characters. The narrative mechanism of description is constructed primarily along two dimensions: ‘topography,’ or a description of places, and ‘hypotyposis,’ a vivid description of objects and characters through the use of sensorial imagery. The presence of both types of description in the novel allows the reader to better comprehend the psychology of Andrea, the protagonist. At the same time, Carmen Laforet’s use of detailed description provides a revealing and critical portrait of Spanish society under Franco’s regime. While Andrea never exteriorizes any opposition to prevailing norms, we maintain that by means of the aforementioned rhetorical techniques, the novel represents a defiant response to the social archetypes of the period. For this reason, our reading of the novel lays claim to the relevance of the description process internalized with the reader.