Institution and Monstrosity in the Narrative of Fernando Contreras Castro

This thesis examines the ways in which the rapid economic changes, as portrayed in two Costa Rican novels, Única mirando al mar (1993) and Los Peor (1995) by Fernando Contreras Castro, serve as solid foundation for laying out the deep-rooted economic and political challenges that have profoundly affected not only Costa Rican society but many of the national institutions. It focuses on revealing the uprising unfertile relationship between the residents and the governmental institutions, whose monstrous model of behavior are incompatible with the Costa Rican Constitution and thus, generating a systematic shift in the social norms. It explores the historical and literary Costa Rican context demonstrating how the narrative shade considerable light on the complex system of governance and its fragility in a democratic society.