The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares book summary, review and plot. Character analysis and book summary of The Invention of Morel
The Invention of Morel
“The Invention of Morel” is a novel by Argentine writer Adolfo Bioy Casares. It was first published in 1940 and has been translated into numerous languages.
Summary
The story is set on a mysterious island where the narrator, a fugitive, has come to hide. He soon discovers that the island is inhabited by a group of people who seem to be living in a time loop, reliving the same events over and over again. The narrator becomes fascinated by one of the inhabitants, a beautiful woman named Faustine, and begins to investigate the strange occurrences on the island.
As the narrator delves deeper into the mystery, he discovers that the island’s inhabitants are actually projections created by a scientist named Morel, who has invented a machine that can record and reproduce the physical and mental states of a person. Morel has used the machine to record the personalities and actions of the island’s inhabitants, creating a virtual reality that they are trapped in.
The narrator becomes obsessed with Faustine and decides to use Morel’s machine to escape the time loop and be with her forever. However, his plans are complicated when Morel’s machine begins to malfunction and the projections start to break down. The narrator is forced to confront the reality of his situation and the moral implications of his actions.
“The Invention of Morel” is a classic work of science fiction that explores themes of identity, love, and the consequences of technological advancement.
Characters
There are several main characters in “The Invention of Morel”:
- The narrator: The protagonist of the story, he is a fugitive who comes to the island to hide. He is intelligent and curious, and becomes fascinated by the strange occurrences on the island.
- Faustine: The beautiful woman whom the narrator becomes infatuated with. She is one of the projections created by Morel’s machine and is trapped in the time loop on the island.
- Morel: A scientist who has invented a machine that can record and reproduce the physical and mental states of a person. He is the creator of the virtual reality on the island and the projections of the island’s inhabitants.
- The other projections: The other inhabitants of the island who are also trapped in the time loop. They include a painter, a poet, and a journalist, among others.
- The Frenchwoman: A mysterious woman who appears on the island and is also a projection. She is jealous of the narrator’s obsession with Faustine and tries to sabotage his plans to be with her.
- The black man: A projection who is a friend of the narrator and helps him try to understand the situation on the island.
