Delia Del Carril, Neruda (2016)

There is a lot to The character Delia Del Carril in Neruda (2016). She proves to be a significant character, serving a purpose in the movie, and is certainly not a lifeless, flat character; however, she can still be easily identified as a minor character in a number of ways. In the “Introduction” part of the “Small Parts, Small Players” dossier of Screen, the reader will come to understand that minor characters may often be reduced down to just “fleeting moments or undeveloped functions within films,” and that “ small players raise the question of social identity in its simplest form – stereotypification. It is usually difficult to know what else to say about them” (Straw 78). Fleeting moments and undeveloped functions refer to the lack of screen time occupied by our minor character, and the lack of depth or development of their role. These help outline that the character is not central to the narrative and may not have detailed backstories or character arcs. Delia Del Carril proves to be more of a supportive character to Pablo Neruda in Neruda (2016) as she is his wife in the movie. She plays an emotionally supportive role as Neruda’s wife as she understands him and his political stances. She remains on his side and also helps him at the point in the movie that she is paid a visit by Oscar Pleuchoneau. She challenges Oscar’s sense of reality and identity, therefore unsettling him and possibly throwing him off his game. By doing this, she demonstrates her loyalty to Neruda, which she does multiple other times throughout the film as well. She is a very intelligent, witty, and caring character but the movie only utilizes these attributes by having her assist Neruda in a number of ways. Although she can be recognized with a level of depth to her character, being a caring, spontaneous, loyal, even funny character, she does not have a character arc in the movie as her purpose is mainly as a supportive character to Pablo Neruda, and not to evolve as an individual at all.

Works Cited

Neruda. Directed by Pablo Larrain, 2016. Kanopy.

Straw, Will. “The Small Parts, Small Players Dossier [Special Section].” Screen, vol. 52, no. 1, 2011, pp. 78–127. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.ezproxy.tru.ca/10.1093/screen/hjq057.