“Salvar el fuego”, by Guilhermo Arriaga

A novel of violence in contemporary Mexico

Abstract

: In this article, we seek to analyze the novel “Salvar el fuego”, by the writer Guilhermo Arriaga, from the perspective of the sociology of the novel and considering the work as an example of the novel of violence, observing correlations between the form of the narrative and the complexity of the social phenomenon. The novel takes place in Mexico in the 2020s and brings different narratives about violence and inequalities in this country. It is also interesting to analyze the main characters - Marina Longines, José Cauthemoc and Francisco Cuitláhuac - as problematic heroes, the importance of literature, dance and love in the midst of the prison context, as well as the possibility of redemption for the characters.