O Borges de Piglia:

leituras, diálogos e teoria na construção de um legado literário

Abstract

This essay examines the intellectual relationship between Ricardo Piglia and Jorge Luis Borges, exploring how Piglia’s critical reading of Borges’ work influenced his own literary and theoretical output. Through three key sources — The Diaries of Emilio Renzi (Piglia’s alter ego), a public lecture broadcast on Argentine TV, and political/theoretical reflections — the study demonstrates that Borges was not only an obsessive presence in Piglia’s writings but also a structural model for his "Theses on the Short Story". Piglia interprets Borges as the creator of "speculative fiction", whose narrative technique (based on the duality between apparent and hidden stories) redefined the genre. Additionally, the essay discusses Borges’ political ambiguity, from early populism to later conservatism, emphasizing Piglia’s nuanced reading of these contradictions. The conclusion asserts that Piglia’s reception of Borges is essential to understanding both 20th-century Argentine literature and contemporary short story theory.