A Sound Analysis of the Environment in Selected Works of Horacio Quiroga

• In Event: Asia, Oceania and the Americas: Cultural and Artistic Crosscurrents

Abstract

Much in the same manner that a spectrogram produces a visual representation of sound in the field of soundscape ecology, literature can also be analyzed as a sonic representation of the environment. I exemplify this approach by demonstrating how to “hear” the environment in selected short stories of Horacio Quiroga, some of which being “Anaconda,” “La guerra de los yacarés,” and “Los cazadores de ratas.” As such, it becomes possible to then read environmental awareness through various soundscapes of 20th century South America. This novel approach of using soundscape ecology and literature as a combined interdisciplinary tool provides a unique method to decenter humans. This decentralization process becomes increasingly important during the onset of the Anthropocene epoch, which is categorized by mankind’s impact on climate and environmental degradation.
By not only borrowing graphical tools from soundscape ecology, such as the aforementioned spectrogram, but also theoretical ones, the natural world of Quiroga is vastly broadened and deepened. Consequently, I provide a conference reading that includes sounds, spectrograms, and soundscape ecology terminology in such a way that my literary analysis of Quiroga’s stories reveals a use of sound that is closely connected to the environmental well-being of the landscape.
The well-being of the planet is a global issue that affects all living creatures. Using the present analysis of the environment and sound in Quiroga’s literary works offers opportunities to (re)think the literary canons of Oceania and Asia to better understand how we can be better citizens of Earth.

Author

• Andrew M Ray, Ohio University