Topophilia and spaceness in Lanzarote

Saramago’s epiphanic experience

Abstract

Published in 2022 by Pilar del Río, “A intuição da ilha: os dias de José Saramago em Lanzarote” constitutes a unique and highly sensitive book. Positioned among the genres of biography, chronicle, and diary, amidst events experienced in the Casa – as spelled by the author – the narrative encompasses the writing of several novels, many critically acclaimed, the explorations of the volcanic island, culminating in encounters with renowned writers such as Carlos Fuentes and Ernesto Sábado, as well as figures like Sebastião Salgado. The work vividly and skillfully recounts the last 18 years of Saramago, precisely from 1992 to 2010, in Tías, in the southern part of the island, near Morocco’s coast. The objective of this investigation is to bring forth Saramago’s affective experience through the eyes of his partner and constant companion, exploring how his topophilic relationship with Lanzarote influenced the writing of several of his novels and how the freedom acquired on the island – its expansiveness – allowed for the attainment of epiphanic moments. The theoretical framework for this study will draw on the Humanistic Cultural Geography, based on phenomenology, with contributions from Bachelard (2008), Tuan (2012; 2013), Dardel (2011), and Relph (2012), as well as specific reflections on Saramago’s production found in the works of Reis (1998) and Aguilera (2008).