“The one who does not invent does not live” was the motto of life of Ana María Matute (Barcelona, 1925 – 2014), an idea that defines all his work and that represents the philosophy that has always characterized the writer. The phrase, taken from a verse from San Juan de la Cruz that says that “who does not love is dead,” had adapted it because, for her, everything was invention and literature was not only fiction, but a way to discover itself same and to build a world to take refuge. That world turns 100 this 2025 and travels magical elements, feminism and a lot of class awareness.
Recognized as one of the most important figures of Spanish literature, Ana María Matute has stopped legacy a work that remains as relevant as in the years in which he broke out strongly into the literary landscape. His centenary is the perfect opportunity to reflect on a bibliography marked by the imagination, the defense of the marginalized and a deeply worked pen. Hence, the exhibition on Matute carried out at the Cervantes Institute of Madrid, and curated by the editor, philologist and friend of the author María Paz Ortinño Ortín, has supposed a nostalgic approach and also necessary to the “best known writer in Spain in the 60 ”. With more than 26,400 visitors, it has become the It shows more seen Since 2010 in that institution, which reaffirms the interest and validity of their work.
However, if something impresses about the fame and acclamation that Matute has caught over time, it is precisely to have achieved it despite all the prejudices that revolved around her for being a woman. As María Paz Ortuño says throughout a guided tour of her exposure to which Eldiario.es has been able to go, the writer had to fight for much of her career for the use of the label of “Children She did not consider it “child” at all: “It is not that she writes for children, but that children and adolescents are the ones in her work.”
The children’s literature label is controversial. Not because the literature for boys and girls is less literature than the one written for adults, but because the inclusion of a work in that category when the characters are of the age is largely related to the author of the author of the construction site. As the Chilean fantasist writer Paula Rivera Donoso explains to Read women“The problem of the inevitable association between women’s writing and youth literature has sexist roots.”
This labeling, which María Paz Ortuño confesses that “he pissed and drove Matute, is full of prejudices because he relegates women to be with children, to write for them for being women. In fact, an analysis prepared by Newtral It reveals that FNAC Generalist bookstores and the book’s house prioritize men in fantasy novel sections while the authors of the genre relegate them to the youth books. Although Matute has been an author who “has written about children”, the curator emphasizes that she has done it “for a completely adult audience.”
Such was Ana María Matute’s discontent with this matter that, when he published The silly children (1956), was forced to include a girdle that warned that “this is not a book for children.” The work is considered one of the most important of the writer and collects several micro -stories, but is not aimed at young readers. Since they tried to label her as a child writer, Matute was convinced that there would be parents who would like to buy the book from her children, which “worried her” because she knew that the children were not going to “understand anything” and surely stop reading If they believed that “that was literature.”
Although writing about children in children as an artist for society’s prejudices, she never stopped doing it. In fact, it was something I felt vital. María Paz Ortuño affirms that the writer has always put “himself on the part of the weak, of the poor, of the defenseless, of the helpless” because she said that “she knew them better”, while “the rich” “knew less “And” they were not interested. ” That is why most of their characters do not have a mother or, if they have it, it is bad. Although most thought that this was inspired by the “fairy tales”, where there are stepmother or parents have died, she commented that it was because the mother serves as “protection”, while she was attracted to the young “totally unprotected ” “I
His great interest towards unprotected can be explained by his childhood, marked by the Civil War. To all the children who did not understand what was happening would later be called “generation of the astonished children”, in which she herself included herself. They did not understand why the whole order had been destroyed at home, why things were requisitioned or could not go out if they were not accompanied by their parents or grandparents. There is an image that he saw and never erased from his head: that of a man who had been shot, killed on the floor and with a piece of bread with an ounce of chocolate in his hand. It was an encounter with the death that was fixed forever because in that bread with chocolate he saw all the hope and everyone lost to that man.
His literature has been characterized since then by dealing with “eternal issues.” Silvia Sesé, current director of the Anagrama publishing house, was an editor of Ana María Matute when she worked at destination, the seal that has published all her works, and highlights Eldiaria.es that in her novels “fear” is present, “the goodness “,” Evil “and” loneliness “, issues that,” although you place them in different contexts, are always important for all human beings. ” However, although Franco could not stop his creative freedom, he did directly acted censoring his books.
One of the great censures that Ana María Matute faced went to that of her work Fireflies. The novel, set in Barcelona during the Civil War, would be the only book by the author that recreates this era. Although he was used to other novels censoring bad words or a kiss, they had never completely censored him a book. “She didn’t want to throw it because they had mutilated it,” says María Paz Ortuño. However, her husband at that time, Ramón Eugenio de Goicoechea, pressed her to do so and she finally agreed for “economic issues”, publishing it under the title In this earth (1955) in a decision that “was always ashamed.” Until 1993 the non -censor version would not go to the market.
The truth is that Ana María Matute lived a stormy marriage with the writer Ramón Eugenio de Goicoechea, a charismatic but irresponsible man, who left her in ruin while she wrote to survive and raise her son. “He was a very good lover, but very bad husband,” says Ortuño. When separating, Matute lost the custody of his son due to the laws of the time and could only see him secret until, after years of struggle, he recovered it and took him to the United States. His work, marked by loneliness and helplessness, reflects this pain. Years later, the author rebuilt her life with Julio Brocard, but suffered a long creative block until her triumphant return to literature.
María Paz Ortuño tells this newspaper that, although Matute’s books are not autobiographical, “readers can find a feeling, a mood” that brings them closer to the writer. Working in the exhibition has been “a gift” for the curator because she has allowed her to “again” meet her, “establish a dialogue” with Matute. Even during the years that the author had to give priority to her mental health, her literature called her, she drove the writer to return when she was prepared. The result was Forgotten King Gudúconsidered his masterpiece and the last big blow on the table of an author who would obtain the Cervantes Prize in 2010.
Reissue batch for your centenary
From Ediciones Destination they prepare a series of releases to celebrate in this 2025 the author’s 100 years. Emili Rosales, editorial director of the seal, tells eldiario.es that it is necessary to continue claiming a woman who “assumed the risk of literature writing from a radical freedom.” Rosales mentions Matute’s struggle to “make her voice heard” in a “time where there is no priority towards female voices” and highlights her conviction to write “outside fashions and norms.”
Emili Rosales believes that Ana María Matute is one of the pioneers of the Romantasygender that combines romance and fantasy and that is razing right now in bookstores with phenomena such as Blood wings of Rebecca Yarros. Matute in 96 had already published Forgotten King Gudúnovel that Emili Rosales labels under said genre and that will be reissued on March 19 in a unique edition with tinted songs and in a hardcover. Also, in May the complete and unpublished edition of The silly childrenwhich includes two stories unknown to the public.
Ana María Matute’s literature will continue to reach future generations thanks to “the persistence, energy and talent” that the writer showed “at a time when the public social role of women in Spain was reduced”, as Emili Rosales affirms. But not only his literature, but the literature of all the authors who marked an era. “It is important that you get value and that young people read Ana María Matute, Carmen Martín Gaite, Esther Tusquets …”, says Silvia Sesé, who says that “you can read today in a totally current way, live and necessary ”.
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