Notes about Chromatic Lexicon in Otra vez el mar, by Reinaldo Arenas (Cuba)

Abstract

This work presents an analysis of the performance of the chromatic lexical paradigm in the novel ‘’Otra vez el mar’’, by Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas. The paper focuses on the First Day from Part 1 of the novel, exclusively narrated by the female character, Héctor’s wife, Hector being the main male character in Part 2. The following elements emerge from the chromatic lexical analysis of the literary texts: the extensive use of repetitions and synonyms within chromatic lexical units; the chromatic lexical paradigm expressed through an object bearing the color; a chromatic paradigm, in a broad sense, articulating lexical units connected with a color; nominal or adjectival syntagms where the nucleus or complements are colors; nominal syntagms that express luminosity or its counterpart, darkness; nominal syntagms that express sound or its counterpart, silence; finally, achromatisms and chromatic images. The novel is a symphony of colors. Arenas masterfully combines colors, light and sounds. The core is Caribbean culture itself.