Roberto Arlt (April 26, 1900 – July 26, 1942) was an Argentine novelist, storyteller, playwright, journalist and inventor.
He was born Roberto Godofredo Christophersen Arlt in Buenos Aires on April 26, 1900. His parents were both immigrants. His father, Karl Arlt, was from Posen (now Poznań in present-day Poland) and his mother was Ekatherine Lobstraibitzer, born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a native of Trieste and Italian speaking. German was the language commonly used at their home. His relationship with his father was stressful, as Karl Arlt was a very severe and austere man, by Arlt’s own account. The memory of his oppressive father would appear in several of his writings.
His first novel, El juguete rabioso (1926) (Mad Toy), was the semi-autobiographical story of Silvio, a dropout who goes through a series of adventures trying to be “somebody.” Narrated by Silvio’s older self, the novel reflects the energy and chaos of the early 20th century in Buenos Aires. The narrator’s literary and sometimes poetic language contrasts sharply with the street-level slang of Mad Toy’s many colorful characters.
Worn out and exhausted after a lifetime of hardships, he died from a stroke on July 26, 1942. His coffin was lowered from his apartment by an operated crane, an ironic end, considering his bizarre stories.
(Wikipedia)
Arlt on Picaresque Betrayal and Rebirth
Arlt steals from the literary tradition, as with his theft of elements of the picaresque, but he also turns his back on it, betrays it, gives it a figurative middle finger, by opening up his text to the cacophonous demotic of the Buenos Aires streets.
- Arlt, Roberto. Mad Toy. Trans. Michele McKay Aynesworth. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2002.
El juguete rabioso (1984 movie)
EL JUGUETE RABIOSO – Pelicula Completa:
Arlt Videos
The importance of Roberto Arlt:
- Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. Revised ed. London: Verso, 2006.
- Bollig, Ben. “One or Several Betrayals? or, When is Betrayal Treason? Genet, Arlt and the Argentine Liberal Project.” Bulletin of Latin American Research 22.4 (2003): 401-419.
- Fernández de Lizardi, José Joaquín. The Mangy Parrot: The Life and Times of Periquillo Sarniento, Written by Himself for His Children. Trans. David Frye. Indianapolis: Hackett, 2004.
- The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes. Trans. W. S. Merwin. New York: NYRB Classic, 2004.
- Mount, Ian. The Vineyard at the End of the World: Maverick Winemakers and the Rebirth of Malbec. New York: Norton, 2012.
- Piglia, Ricardo. “Roberto Arlt, una crítica de la economía literaria.” Los Libros 29 (April, 1973): 22-27.
- -----. Artificial Respiration. Trans. Daniel Balderston. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1994.
- Sieber, Harry. The Picaresque. London: Routledge, 2018.
At one point, just over half-way through the book, Silvio is offered a vermouth, but he politely declines: “Thank you very much, but no, Señor. I don’t drink” (92). Indeed, almost every time that the narrator describes himself as “drunk,” it is a metaphorical intoxication: he works up a “drunken exuberance” from “a conviviality cool as a glass of wine” (82); elsewhere he is “drunk with anguish” (111); when he finally makes a sale as a paper salesman he is left “quivering with joy [. . .] wander[ing] the streets in a daze” in a “drunkenness” of “astonishing Dionysian joy” that he compares to that of his literary heroes, drawn from the Italian poet, Gabriele D’Annunzio (117). For Silvio, literary inebriation is perhaps better than the real thing. But that should not stop us from drinking a glass of Argentine wine. The “obscure” and “humble” Malbec, originally simply one of the half dozen grape varieties that go into a Bordeaux blend, has come into its own with its transplantation to the New World. In Argentina, which wine-writer Ian Mount calls the “vineyard at the end of the world,” it has become an icon of national identity.
Arlt Questions
- Is Silvio Astier a likeable figure? Should he be?
- Why does Silvio decide to break the law (not once, but repeatedly)?
- What is his attitude to the world of work?
- Why does Silvio betray Rengo?
- What, if anything, does Silvio learn over the course of the book?
- How, if at all, does his character and personality change?
- What does this book tell us about 1920s Buenos Aires?
- What is the role of language (and accent, dialect) in the book?
- What is the role of reading, and books?
- To what do you think the title, “Mad Toy,” could refer?
The following questions are taken from your blog posts…
Silvio Astier
What did you think of Silvio as the main character? Do you think you would change your perspective about him if he didn’t come from a background of poverty?
If you were in Silvio’s shoes, would you have done anything differently?
If you were Silvio, do you think you could change your life?
Why does Silvio specifically want to be an inventor, instead of something that would make him more money or even more well known?
Did you have any “wild” experiences or a rebellious phase as a teenager? If so, did you connect with Silvio or did your experiences made you not sympathize with him at all?
why do you think Silvio betrayed Rengo? Silvio used to find joy in theft, so why the sudden change of heart?
How does Silvio’s character evolve throughout the novel and what are the key events that contribute to his personal growth?
Silvio reaches a pivotal moment when he declares, “I don’t have to die, but I have to kill myself.” What do you think Silvio means by this statement? How does this moment contribute to his character development?
If Silvo made different choices, would he have been successful or is he already successful? (because the novel was left slightly open ended)
What did you make of Silvio’s character at the end of the novel? Were you still rooting for him as the protagonist, and what did you feel when Silvio betrayed his friend?
How does Silvio’s tranquillity toward the end reveal his outlook on life?
Other Characters
Why did Senor Souza (the occult doctor) not give Silvio a job? Why did he call him “mad” (surmenage)?
Why did Silvio hate Lucio so much when they were younger? Is it just youthful annoyance, or do you think it’s something deeper?
What was the purpose of the scene with Silvio’s interaction with the man at the hotel? Was it to show the different lives of outcasts in Buenos Aries?
What was the purpose of Enrique’s character? He was shown in part 1 but never makes an appearance again, other than in the conversation between Lucio and Silvio.
Identity and Character
How do we define ourselves by our successes and failures?
In dark times, what do you do to keep yourselves mentally sound? And how would you define ultimately yourself as a person?
Title
The main question I would love to know more about is why the book is called Mad Toy. So I’ll ask all of you! Does anyone have any inklings or ideas?
Does anyone know where the name Mad Toy comes from in this book? Hahaha
Why is this book called Mad Toy?
Plot
In chapter three, Silvio was fired from his new position as an apprentice airplane mechanic, but what was the reason behind it? The school director stated, “We don’t need smart people here, just dumb brutes who can work (p. 99),” so was Silvio simply too smart to stay in the army? That doesn’t make sense to me as I thought that the Military School was looking for youth who wanted to study and had an interest in engineering to build engines and repair planes. Even Silvio was confused, “They threw me out of the army for no reason (p. 100).” Another question I have is whether Silvio’s previous life in crime influenced his decision to turn in Rengo to the police, what was the pivoting point when he made his decision? Why did he decide to turn Rengo in and was this another turning point in finding his identity and morals?
Did you think the ending message stayed thematic with the rest of the book?
What are your thoughts on Silvio’s betrayal of The Crip? Do you agree with it? Should Silvio have tried to dissuade The Crip from committing the robbery first?
At the end of the novel, Silvio states his reasoning for turning Rengo in is that ‘There are times in life when we need to be pigs, to wallow in filth till it seeps inside us, to do some vile deed, I don’t know . . . to destroy a man’s life forever . . . and having done that, we can go calmly on our way’’. Do you think Silvio really turned Rengo in order to ruin his life? Or did he have another reason for doing so?
What moments stood out to you the most when looking at growth, how does Arlt portray that moment? Can you think of any ways where the characters’ imagination serves as a positive coping mechanism? Are there instances where it leads to negative consequences?
Life
Why do you think questioning the meaning of life is a part of growing up? Do you think that this happens for everyone or do some people live their entire lives without ever pondering something deeper about their life?
How do you see the concept of “Darwin’s struggle for life” playing out in this novel?
Do you think a person’s life is destined from the moment he is born?
How closely connected do you think the phrase “That’s life” is within the story? Did the story bring about any sad emotions for you too?
Comparisons
Although Swann’s Way and Mad Toy are very different in terms of plot, what parallels can be drawn between Marcel’s and Silvio’s development as young boys, in terms of discovering what it means to grow up?
Other
Whenever Silvio said someone with a higher status than him looked at him with “part curiosity, part mockery” what do you think he meant by this? Do you think it was because he’s poor? young?
Did you think that it was justified for the “thieves club” to steal as they had also worked hard like any other person who earns money?
What elements of Roberto Arlt’s use of language and narrative style influence your understanding and perception of the characters and settings in “Mad Toy”? Do you think they help serve to make the themes of searching for identity in one’s youth universally resonant?
How hard do you think it is to break up from a friend group you grew up in? And how does it affect an individual mentally?
If you’re from Vancouver, how has this novel changed or impacted your perception of the population in Vancouver that is in poverty? If you are not from Vancouver, are there a lot of individuals in poverty from back home? How has this novel impacted your perception of that population in poverty?
What is the main theme the author wanted to convey through the portrayal of Silvio’s life filled with struggles, and adversities, but some hope and opportunities?
Within the book Silvio often references different authors/figures some of which he looks up to. Is there any fictional or non-fictional character that had or continues to have that sort of impact on you?
So there are times when he mentions what he hears “The tower’s under guard” Do you think there is an underlying message here? What is the message behind Silvio’s connection with the books he refers to?
How did the depiction of Silvio’s growth and maturity in “Mad Toy” resonate with your own experiences or challenge your views on personal development? Do you prefer this structured style of writing with a clear timeline compared to last week’s reading – where it is more jumbled up without a “real” plot?
If you were in an abandoned house, would you first take the lamp, the book, or the watch?
How would you define your own friendships and do you think Silvio would have eventually been arrested if he had not spoken up?
