THE NARRATOR AND JOSÉ SARAMAGO:

THE IMPLIED AUTHOR IN THE SHORT STORY CENTAURO

Abstract

The present study proposes an analysis, grounded in narratology, of the conceptions of narrator and author, using as its object of study the short story “Centaur” by José Saramago. The objective is to investigate the representative instances within the narrative, highlighting the roles of the author, the narrator, and the implied (or implicated) author, who manifests through the reconstruction of the authorial figure as perceived within the text. To this end, the research is based on the theories of Wayne Booth and José Ángel García Landa, which offer insights into the relationships between author, narrator, and reader in the construction of textual meaning. The concepts of textual narrator and implied author are explored in order to elucidate some of the statements made by Saramago regarding his authorship and the role of his narrator. The analysis seeks not only to understand Saramago’s conception of his own role in the writing process, but also to identify indications of the author’s presence in the text and to examine how he, as a textual entity, can be reconstructed by the reader. By unfolding the nuances of this relationship, the study reveals the complexities of Saramaguian narrative and the layers of meaning that permeate it. Through an investigation of the narrative strategies employed by Saramago in “Centaur”, the research aims to unveil the formal aspects of the narrative and to interpret subtexts and possible authorial intentions, thereby enriching the reader’s understanding of the authorial dynamics present in José Saramago’s work.