MVM, NARRATOR OF CHANGES

 

In this post we are going to show some fragments extracted from “El pianista” that describe some parts of the promenade that we propose. Our will is that you get close to his literature and his way of writing because in the posts where we are going to describe the significant places we will introduce them through the vision and description made by Montalbán.

 

An example of what we are talking about can be seen in the fragment that we will show. In this fragment we will see how he describes the beginning of Las Ramblas; it is not a physical description but a social description. What he is doing is explaining how Barcelona has evolved describing just a few meters of one of the most characteristics streets of the city:

 

“Empezaríamos por la hamburguesería que han abierto en el viejo Canaletas. Podríamos hacer allí una reflexión sobre la degeneración de la gastronomía y la penetración cultural imperial norteamericana a través de la hamburguesa. A dos pasos están los corrillos de culés y podríamos meditar amargamente sobre la pérdida de señas de identidad de un club como el Barcelona, en otro tiempo vanguardia épica de la Catalunya resistente.”

 

What we can see in that extract is how the city has changed through the description of a new burger restaurant (McDonald’s or Burger King, both of them are in the corner that he is describing). Right after that, he mentions a part of Las Ramblas where the supporters of FC Barcelona –Montalbán’s football team– usually go to celebrate their victories. Through the mention of that football team he analyses how the entire society has changed. This change will be seen in all the future posts because what we will do is show the society that Montalbán describes in front of the present society. Actually his social criticism comes from his leftist ideology –he was a member of PSUC, a left party–.

Finally during our promenade we will recommend a few restaurants around the Raval according to Montalbán’s preferences. Because, it is important to remain the he was a very important gastronomic critic.

 

We hope that you enjoy the promenade!