The Feast of the Goat

Style and Technique

In "The Feast of the Goat," Mario Vargas Llosa emerges as a master of complex narrative architecture, constructing the novel as a polyphonic tapestry where past and present are woven into a single dramatic fabric. The language is rich in precise, sometimes harsh details that convey the atmosphere of fear and oppression under dictatorship, yet it is not without subtle psychological nuance. The author skillfully employs interior monologues, allowing the reader to penetrate the most intimate corners of the characters' souls, while the alternation of different time layers and perspectives creates a sense of inexorable tragedy. Llosa masterfully uses techniques of retrospection, contrast, and parallelism, building the narrative as a complex labyrinth where each episode echoes in the destinies of the characters. The structure of the novel resembles a musical fugue: themes and motifs intertwine, heightening the drama and tension, while the language, saturated with metaphors and vivid imagery, transforms the chronicle of political horror into a profound exploration of human nature and power.