History, Civilization, & Time Are Our Subjects, Like It or Not

Obvious statement: Carlos Fuentes is masterful and spellbinding. That out of the way, I'm lost and immersed in his humongous Terra Nostra, which he described as his attempt to write and account for a new history of Spain and South America, and a couple passages (a lot of passages) have struck out at me with some pretty aggressive immediacy, which passages I will gladly drop below.

"'You continue to believe that the world culminates in you, do not deny it; you continue to believe that you, you yourself, poor señor caballero, are the privilege and the sum of all creation. That is the first thing I want to advise you: abandon that pretense.'"

"'You look at me with scorn; you believe I am mad. You know how to measure time. I do not. Originally because I felt I was the same; later because I felt I was different. But between before and after, time was forever lost to me. Those only measure time who can remember nothing and who know how to imagine nothing. I say before and after, but I am speaking of that unique instant which is always before and after because it is forever, a forever in perfect union, amorous union.'"

"'One lifetime is not sufficient to reconcile two bodies born of antagonistic mothers; one must force reality, subject it to his imagination, extend it beyond its ridiculous limits.'"