THE CONFLICT BETWEEN PRIMITIVISM AND CIVILIZATION IN KATHERINE ANNE PORTER’S CHARACTERS MARÍA CONCEPCIÓN AND VIOLETA

Abstract

Modernist writers such as Katherine Anne Porter were preoccupied with primitivism as opposed to the technological achievements of contemporary society. The deep fascination of the modernists with primitivist tendencies relies mainly on the relationship between art and everyday life, as well as on their desire to escape modern civilization and become one with nature. Aesthetic primitivism based on the artistic expression of the Mexican Indians captured Porter’s attention during her literary career. This article explores the idea of primitivism and civilization in the short stories “María Concepción” and “Virgin Violeta” by Porter. It also traces the influence of Mexico on both the author’s artistic development and her comprehension of the concepts of the primitive and the modern. Focusing on two protagonists, María Concepción and Violeta, as the characters who approach the old and the new in different ways, the article argues that the effects that modern civilization exerts on the human mind can be dramatic. Both heroines seek refuge from the problems in their innermost selves, but only María Concepción embraces primitivism as a way of life. Porter’s emphasis on primitivism can be interpreted as either a means of self-distancing from the prescribed standards of behavior or of following natural instincts.