Introduction

Summary

Notwithstanding the many studies of the post-war period carried out since the transition to democracy in order to ‘recover’ Spain's past, there are still a number of aspects that have not yet been subject to adequate scrutiny. Alberto Reig Tapia lists some of them: ‘[A]ún faltan estudios sobre los aparatos del poder, la represión, la corrupción, las actitudes y mentalidades que generó el franquismo y sus bases sociales de apoyo, cuya influencia en la España democrática está aún por desvelar’ (There is still a need to study the organs of power, the repression, the corruption, the attitudes and mentalities that directly resulted from Francoism and its support networks in post-war society. The effects of this influence on democratic Spain have yet to be considered). Censorship and control of newspapers, the media and public discourse during the dictatorship years invalidate a vital source of reference for the reconstruction of this period. While the arts were also subject to censorship control, creative writers found ways to circumvent the censor in order to depict the reality of daily life under Franco. Shirley Mangini describes creative literature as an essential source for reconstructing Spain's past:

Sin embargo, en la literatura creativa escrita sobre aquella época sí se puede percibir la situación sociopolítica de aquellos crueles tiempos. Veremos una y otra vez que si queremos reconstruir el cuadro sociopolítico de la guerra y el franquismo, es necesario recurrir a la literatura de creación.