Consider the theme of youth in the novella. Overall, with what tone does the author treat the idea of youthfulness? How does the desire to be youthful connect with the larger theme of staying in the past? Does the desire to be youthful in contemporary society reflect any similarities? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: Above all else, Señora Llorente desires to remain youthful. Although there are signs throughout the novella, Felipe discovers this when reading her memoirs, which end with her husband’s recollection of Señora Llorente stating, “I’m going toward my youth, and my youth is coming toward me.” Furthermore, Señora Llorente is aware that her aging appearance contributes to her loneliness; in order to keep a man like Felipe in the house, she must present as a youthful version of herself, whom the reader discovers is Aura. The passage of Time is inevitable and Señora Llorente’s aging body is in tandem with her preserved youthful self; Aura reflects the older woman’s actions. Despite even the intervention of supernatural powers and mysticism, however, the ability to stay young is not complete or consistent; the novel concludes with Felipe’s immersion into the widow’s obsession. Students might work in small groups to find and cite specific pieces of evidence in the text and to brainstorm examples of contemporary society’s infatuation with youthfulness prior to discussion.