Vol. 5, Issue 9, Part C (2019)

Abstract
With an aesthetic effectiveness Chatwin presents an elevated dramatic experience in his writings like In Patagonia and The Songlines. Chatwin’s In Patagonia is an amazing amalgamation of historical as well as travel writing. The book is set in Argentina and is a unique form of travel writing as it crosses the boundaries of a strictly fictional work to create an imaginative journey for the readers. There is an exquisite description of actual places as well as symbolic ones. The place is described as situated on the maps between the lush pampas with high plains and semi-arid areas stretching to almost one thousand miles. The book presents a delightful panoramic view with a playfulness portraying the Welsh settlers, and comments on the culture of the region. The paper analyses how the book is structured to mix fiction with non-fiction, history with myth, facts with imagination, truth with lies. The narrative discusses the nomadic life of the inhabitants and their wanderings. Chatwin took a month’s long trip to Patagonia, inspired by a piece of skin his grandmother had which she described as a part of a brontosaurus which lived in Patagonia, an area including regions of Chile and Argentina. His journey starts from Buenos Aires and ends at Punta Arenas blending myth and memory. The book is autobiographical as well as fantastical. As an extraordinary artist Bruce Chatwin has carved his name amongst the best travel writers in the literary field.