The Legacy and Influence of Juan Rulfo

This article explores the life and writings of a reclusive giant in twentieth century literature, Juan Rulfo. While authoring only one novel, _Pedro Páramo_, and one short story collection , _El llano en llamas_, Rulfo achieved extreme fame and admiration from other writers such as Jorge Luis Borges and established himself as a pivotal influence on Gabriel García Márquez. This text will address and analyze the basic plot and themes of Rulfo's work, and educate readers on a lesser known great Mexican author.

Aspects of Rulflo’s Pedro Paramo to consider,
The:

1.)environment where the story takes place. A brief overview of Mexican geography, culture, literary history, Catholicism/purgatory, and the Day of the Dead.

2.)disjointed and fragmentary nature of time which adds to the dreamlike quality of the novel.

3.) lack of chapters and signifiers of who is speaking, forcing the reader to fill in the missing information on their own.

While reading the novel, you will probably see how all of these themes intersect and amplify each other.

Regarding the influence of Rulfo on García Márquez, it would be good to look into what García Márquez himself said about Rulfo and his writings. There are also parallels that can be drawn between Rulfo’s town of Comala and Marquez’ town Mercado.
These are just recommendations and are by no means definitive guidelines. It would be best for you to use your own discretion and aesthetic discrimination while exploring and contemplating these great texts.