Julián

Julián is the main character of the novel. In the narrative present, Julián is 30 years old. He works as an instructor of literature “at four universities in Santiago” (21). His classes span everything from “U.S. literature” to “Latin American literature and even Italian poetry” (21). Upon turning 30, Julián begins to wonder if “should have been a dentist or geologist or meteorologist” instead (20). While he spends the majority of his time teaching, Julián is also “a writer on Sundays” (22). He has spent the past several years working on a “very short book” that he recently completed (22). Although the book is finished and although he labored over it for some time, Julián feels perpetually dissatisfied with the novel. Indeed, throughout Part I, “Greenhouse,” Julián is constantly questioning the story that he did write. He even curses himself for having been so obsessed with the...