Borges and I

In this short story (poem), Borges struggles with a loss of identity. He separates himself

from Borges the writer, and creates a real person, who is the author known in his social identity.

Borges creates the person "I", a person who is closest to his real self, and may be one of the

many roles he plays in life. This "I" is confused and desperate because the "writer Borges" is

taking all he has and putting it into literature that does not relate to him. "I" knows that his real

self will never be able to be revealed in his work because an identity and "goodness" is

unexplainable.

APPLIED SLO-Read

The poem shows a lot of imagery within the story, it begins with a walk through the

streets of Buenos Aires while the narrator recounts what he sees the arch of an entrance hall and

the grillwork on the gate. The attention to architectural detail engages the reader's sense of sight.

The narrator next lists a number of items that both he and Borges like, including the taste of

coffee.