In this pastiche, I imitated the style of the soap serials in the novel Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter (AJ). I rewrote the "love story" of Mario and Aunt Julia in the narrative as the later soap serial written by Pedro Camacho,

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A Pastiche of the Soap Serials: the rewriting of the “love story” of Mario and Aunt Julia in the narratives into a soap serial

Statement of Intent

In this pastiche, I imitated the style of the soap serials in the novel Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter (AJ). I rewrote the “love story” of Mario and Aunt Julia in the narrative as the later soap serial written by Pedro Camacho, mainly characterized confusion due to Camacho’s failing mental state.

One of the traits I incorporated was introductory characterization of the protagonist, Mario. I used the phrases “broad forehead…of rectitude” and “a man…his age” because they are continually mentioned when describing the protagonist of the actual soap serials. However, I changed the “prime of his age” from fifties to late teens to suit Mario.

Second trait I incorporated is the third person limited narrator. Although the point-of-view of the soap serials seems to be omniscient third person, the narrator never seems to think outside the main character. For example, I described thoughts using “Mario thought…” or “Mario was…” but not using phrases such as “Aunt Julia thought…”

Third trait I incorporated is the confusion from the soap serials. I took characters from the soap serials and the narrative in AJ then mixed their names and profession. I also added many parentheses that add extra information or ask a question throughout the pastiche as an emphasis to Pedro Camacho’s failure at coherent writing in the later soap serials from AJ.

The final trait I used was questions. In the soap serials, the serial is cut off at the climax. Pedro Camacho never finishes the story, but gives possible endings for the story in different questions. In the pastiche, I deviated from the actual narrative plot line to make the story more sensationalistic and more soap serial-like. I ended at the point where Aunt Julia becomes pregnant, and she is uncertain about what her next steps should be. I gave five questions that were possible endings. By doing so, reader’s attention stays with the story, and the readers want to find out what happens next.

By rewriting the narrative love story into the form of a sensationalistic soap serial, I was trying to show that narrative was not that far apart from the soap serial stories. Although I did deviate from the actual story plot line, the deviation was not great. Furthermore even though the soap serials seem more wacky and exciting when reading the novel, I felt that it was only because of the different styles of writing. Because the soap serials contained more descriptions and characterizations, the narrative plot of AJ seemed dull in comparison. However, by rewriting the narrative plot as a soap ...

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Mario sat in front of his desk reminiscing about Aunt Julia. Mario – broad forehead, aquiline nose, penetrating gaze, the very soul of rectitude – had disliked his encounter with Aunt Julia, his uncle’s (Uncle Concha? Uncle Alberto?) sister-in-law from Bolivia (she’s really come to look for another husband, for during her first week at Lima, she had gone out with four different suitors already). Aunt Julia had called him Marito (he detested the name Marito because it made him feel like a baby), and he wanted revenge on Aunt Julia badly.

Mario found the perfect opportunity at his uncle Concha’s weekly lunch. One of Aunt Julia’s suitor, Uncle Lituma (Mario’s elderly relative) was also there courting Aunt Julia. He was wearing a hopelessly old-fashioned suit, bow tie, and carnation boutonniere (looking immensely ridiculous), and he walked with his feet spread wide apart. Overcome with joy, Mario leaned over to kiss Aunt Julia then whispered sardonically, “What a fine conquest, Julia.” Aunt Julia did not seem annoyed by Mario’s ironic remark (which bothered Mario greatly).

“Julia, on Thursday evening the Felipe Pinglo Association meets at the Victoria, the heart of Peruvianism, and I was wondering if you would like to hear a little genuine indigenous music?” said Uncle Lituma. She immediately replied “What a pity – I would go, but Mario’s already invited me out,” (Movies? Dinner? Dancing?).

When Mario went out to the movies with Aunt Julia that night (Mario slightly astonished and greatly irritated since he had never even thought to ask Aunt Julia), he and Aunt Julia struck up quite a conversation. “The worst thing about being a divorcée is that there is no romance. Men don’t flirt with you, whisper sweet nothings in your ear. They just openly (and in the most vulgar way possible) tell you what they want. That really puts me off. That’s why I would rather go out for a movie with you than go dancing with that man,” said Aunt Julia

“Indeed, I am honored,” Mario retorted (he really didn’t care).

“They’re so stupid they think that every divorcée’s a streetwalker,” Aunt Julia rambled on not noticing Mario’s sarcasm. “And what’s more, all they think about is doing things with you. Even though that’s not the best part – the best part’s falling in love with each other, don’t you think so?”

Mario, wanting to disagree with Aunt Julia (deep down, Mario wanted to impress her), began explaining a theory (Evolution theory? Feminist theory?) of the non-existence of love, and how all “crystal-clear outpouring of emotion expressed in fluffy words” is merely instinctive desire of cats in heat hidden beneath the poetic words.

“Do you honestly believe such baloney?” Aunt Julia inquired curiously.

“Without a doubt, I’m also against marriage.” He said in the most solemn tone of voice he could muster (which was still not very convincing). “I believe in free love, or its more honest term, free copulation.”

Aunt Julia simply laughed and that was the end of the conversation. Throughout the whole movie, Mario silently thought about Aunt Julia (though he hated her, he could not get her out of his mind). After the movie, Mario asked Aunt Julia out to dinner (he wanted to find out why Aunt Julia was constantly on her mind) at a fancy restaurant? (Grolvar Brill? Bolívar Grill?). Aunt Julia accepted Mario’s invitation, and the two of them silently walked to the restaurant.

At Bolívar Grill, Mario dragged Aunt Julia out to the dance floor, even though it was his first time dancing. Thankfully, the floor soon was crowded and in the crush and darkness, no one noticed. The next song was a blues, and Mario quietly confessed his lack of skills as a dancer. He turned out to be a decent partner, not once stepping on her foot. They danced for couple more numbers when Aunt Julia stepped away from Mario. Mario pulled her back to his arms and planted a kiss on her cheeks close to her lips. She stared up at Mario wide-eyed and Mario gave into his urge and planted another kiss square on the mouth like a full-grown man.

Surprised, Aunt Julia stuttered, “Marito…” Mario interrupted, “No, no more Marito – I’m not a kid. I’m a full-grown man.” Aunt Julia stared at Mario in disbelief, “I AM a full-grown man. I’m eighteen years old, and I lost my virginity five whole years ago.”

“Well, what does that make me then, if I’m thirty-two, and lost my virginity fifteen whole years ago?” Aunt Julia laughed, “a feeble old lady! Look, here Marito, I’ve done many crazy things in my life, but this one…this one I’m not going to do, no matter what. Me, seducing a kid? Never in my life!”

Mario ignored Aunt Julia and started to kiss her passionately on the dance floor. Aunt Julia tried to resist, but Mario was too strong for her to overpower. Soon they were walking out of Bolívar Grill, when they passed a motel and the bard of Lima, Don Frederico Téllez Unzátegui. Don Frederico (who was neither male nor female since he castrated himself at a court trial) was ardently singing his famous song, “Fátima is the Virgin of Fátima”. Aunt Julia and Mario smiled to themselves and entered the motel.

The next day Aunt Julia came looking for Mario frantically. She had just visited her gynecologist (Alberto de Quinteros? Lucho Abril Marroquín?), and she was in panic over her results.

“What is it, Aunt Julia? What’s wrong?”

“Mario…”Aunt Julia stuttered, “I…I’m pregnant…”

What will happen when the family finds out? Will they get married? Will they be able to keep their baby? Would they run off to a deserted island to live by themselves? Or will they be separated from each other forever by irate family members?

Word Count 1405 words