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Abstract
This paper examines Octavio Paz’s work The Labyrinth of Solitude, focusing on his critical exploration of how Mexican identity is formed through historical trauma and perpetuated through national myths. Tracing key historical events in Mexico, it contextualizes Paz’s argument that Mexican identity has been shaped by deep psychological wounds. The paper analyses three themes identified by Paz, the use of masks as both individual and collective defense mechanisms, the experience of existential solitude of a Mexican, and the prevalence of rituals as both moments of release and instruments of superficial unity. It further explores language as a site where historical trauma, power structures, and cultural memory are encoded, highlighting the role of the symbolic lexicon, indirectness, and silence in sustaining these patterns. Through this analysis, the paper highlights Paz’s critique of nationalism for reinforcing conformity and masking genuine diversity, ultimately arguing for the necessity of authentic self-exploration in the pursuit of a more inclusive and honest national identity.
"What is called the "genius of a people"
is only a set of reactions to a given stimulus.” (Paz, 1961, p.9)
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