By Night in Chile

Early one morning, Urrutia’s maid informs him that Mr. Etah and Mr. Raef are in his living room. The men have another proposal for Urrutia that requires his utmost discretion, an offer they say he must accept. They quiz him on his knowledge of Marxism; terrified, Urrutia stammers that despite his knowledge of the topic, he’s not a communist. Calming him, the men tell Urrutia that he is to give 10 classes on Marxism to Pinochet and his junta.

Urrutia claims he cannot remember what he said to this proposal; however, a week later, a car takes him to a secret location outside of Santiago. He wears his cassock, though he’s unsure why he has done so. At the location, a darkened house, Urrutia’s military guide tells him that there are hidden, armed guards. In the classroom, Urrutia suspects he’s being watched; he tries to quell his anxiety and maintain a calm demeanor.

The entire junta enters, appearing two-dimensional in their uniforms. Urrutia teaches the first class on Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’s partnership. The second class sees worse attendance than the first. One of the admirals asks whether Marta Harnecker, a Chilean Marxist intellectual whose work Urrutia has assigned, is attractive. In the third class, Pinochet falls asleep.

Before the third or fourth class (Urrutia can’t remember which), Pinochet asks Urrutia whether he thinks Allende was an intellectual. Urrutia remains silent. Pinochet explains that Allende, reputedly an intellectual, read only magazines. Pinochet notes the paltry reading habits of other past presidents before quizzing Urrutia on how many books he (Pinochet) has written. Terrified, Urrutia again remains silent. Without any help, Pinochet has written three military books and published dozens of articles in journals worldwide. Pinochet explains that he wants to learn about Marxism to better defend Chile from its enemies and that he’s told Urrutia about his writing to prove that he is a serious student. He asserts that neither Allende nor any other Chilean president demonstrated his studious dedication to his country.

In the fifth class, Pinochet is very amiable. After a general falls asleep, Pinochet invites Urrutia outside for a walk. Almost instantaneously, decorative lights illuminate the enchanting gardens of the house. Urrutia tells Pinochet about Engels, and the general asks relevant questions. Inspired by the moon, Urrutia mentions two poems by the famous 19th-century Italian poet Giacomo Leopardi, and recites one from memory; Pinochet is unmoved.

During the sixth class, the entire junta returns. They ask primarily about Marta Harnecker’s life, giving Urrutia an idea for a poem about a degenerate woman. In the following three classes, Urrutia continues his curriculum while the generals continue to ask about Harnecker. At the 10th and final class, Pinochet is the only attendee; he and Urrutia discuss religion. When it ends, Pinochet gives Urrutia a gift and goodbye on behalf of the junta, both of which are more impersonal than Urrutia expected. Pinochet assures Urrutia that he has done a fine job and can leave with a clear conscience, knowing he has served his country.

Urrutia returns to the rhythms of Santiago and its curfew. He agonizes over whether he was a good teacher, whether his literary friends would approve of his teaching, and whether it’s possible to always know what’s moral. Breaking into sobs, he blames Mr. Raef and Mr. Etah for his misfortune, then falls asleep.

That week, while at dinner with Farewell, Urrutia divulges the entire story of his classes. Initially curious, Farewell’s expression becomes inscrutable; Urrutia senses that his mentor is both shocked by and envious of his brush with power. Farewell presses the reluctant Urrutia to remember a defining feature of Pinochet. Finally, Urrutia relates the story of the dictator quizzing him before the third or fourth class on the intellect of Chile’s former presidents.

When Urrutia finishes his story, Farewell continues to stare at him, “his half closed eyes like empty bear traps ruined by time and rain and freezing cold. It was as if Chile’s great twentieth-century critic were dead” (92). In a whisper, Urrutia asks whether he did the right thing, whether he did his duty or exceeded it (92). Farewell asks whether the classes were necessary or unnecessary; Urrutia responds that they were necessary. This answer satisfies Farewell, and also Urrutia—though only at the time. Urrutia implores Farewell to keep his secret.

A week later, a rumor spreads through Santiago about Urrutia’s lessons. Urrutia is convinced Farewell is the source, despite his denial. Urrutia awaits Mr. Etah and Mr. Raef’s wrath, but hears nothing. Finally, he realizes that no one cares: “The country was populated by hieratic figures, heading implacably towards an unfamiliar, gray horizon, where one could barely glimpse a few rays of light, flashes of lightning and clouds of smoke” (93). Of this hazy new land, Urrutia knows one thing definitively: Sordello doesn’t dwell there.

Urrutia downplays the severity of Pinochet’s dictatorship, arguing that life in Chile at the time of his deathbed apologia (under a socialist president) is no different from life under Pinochet. There is no true difference between right and left, he argues, because they are unified by art and literature. Under Pinochet, everyone was understanding about the “necessary” things done by their compatriots under that regime (94)—everyone except the wizened youth.

Despite his fears of being ostracized from the literary community for his classes, Urrutia reenters the literary sphere without criticism and resumes teaching and publishing. After vacationing in Europe, Urrutia returns to Chile and, in his newspaper articles, exhorts Chileans to read the Western canon. Despite believing that few understand his writing, Urrutia contents himself that a select few do.