 Latin American cultural theorist Carlos J. Alonso , drawing on Freudian theory , argues that the novel is essentially a therapeutic device , designed to help move Latin America past its problematic experience of modernity . He compares this to the way the healing state of mourning replaces grief in the process of recovering from a death . Both activities are mechanisms for dealing with loss . Alonso believes that The General in his Labyrinth , by almost entirely centering the novel on the General 's death , forces the reader to confront the horror of this process . In Alonso 's view , the reader is meant to pass from " a melancholy relationship vis @-@ a @-@ vis the figure of Bolívar to a relationship that has the therapeutic qualities of mourning instead " . 
 Latin American cultural theorist Carlos J. Alonso , drawing on Freudian theory , <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>argues</mark></a> that the novel is essentially a therapeutic device , designed to help move Latin America past its problematic experience of modernity . He <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>compares</mark></a> this to the way the healing state of mourning <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>replaces</mark></a> grief in the process of recovering from a death . Both activities <a href='drop_aux' title='4'><mark>are</mark></a>mechanisms for dealing with loss . Alonso <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>believes</mark></a> that The General in his Labyrinth , by almost entirely centering the novel on the General <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>death , <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>forces</mark></a> the reader to confront the horror of this process . In Alonso <a href='null_genetive' title='8'><mark>'s</mark></a>view , the reader is meant to pass from " a melancholy relationship vis @-@ a @-@ vis the figure of Bolívar to a relationship <a href='null_relcl' title='9'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='got' title='10'><mark>has</mark></a> the therapeutic qualities of mourning instead " . 
Latin American cultural theorist Carlos J. Alonso , drawing on Freudian theory , argue that the novel is essentially a therapeutic device , designed to help move Latin America past its problematic experience of modernity . He compare this to the way da healing state of mourning replace grief in tdaprocess of recovering from a death . Both activities mechanisms fa dealing with loss . Alonso believe that The General in his Labyrinth , by almost entirely centering thdaovel on the General  death , force the reader to confront the horror of this process . In Alonso  view , the reader is meant to pass from " a melancholy relationship vis @-@ a @-@ vis the figure of Bolívar to a relationship got thedaerapeutic qualities of mourning instead " .