Reading Lezama’s Paradiso

This book focuses on the novel Paradiso of Cuban author José Lezama Lima (1910-1976), and in particular, on the protagonist José Cemí. Lezama declared that Cemí’s development throughout the novel can be viewed in three distinct phases: the first being the ‘placentario’ world of family protection, the second being Cemí’s awakening to the exterior world and the subsequent friendships made, and the third being his eventual encounters with Oppiano Licario. Cemí’s progression, and his growing ability to interpret and create texts, is investigated as analogous to the reader’s progression to the symbolic dimension of the novel. In a similar fashion, the connection between Cemí’s ‘guide’ Licario, and the author Lezama is investigated.