How Does 'El Túnel' Explore Obsession?

The way 'El túnel' digs into obsession is nothing short of haunting. Ernesto Sabato crafts this suffocating atmosphere where the protagonist, Juan Pablo Castel, isn’t just fixated on María—he’s consumed by her, to the point where his entire world narrows down to her existence. It’s not love; it’s possession. Sabato doesn’t romanticize it either. Castel’s obsession is ugly, relentless, and self-destructive. Every interaction with María is dissected, every glance overanalyzed. The tunnel itself becomes this perfect metaphor for his psyche: dark, claustrophobic, with no exit in sight. What chills me is how Sabato shows obsession as a one-way street. Castel projects his ideals onto María, but she’s never what he imagines. Her ambiguity fuels his paranoia, and instead of questioning himself, he spirals deeper. The murder isn’t a climax—it’s an inevitability. Sabato forces you to sit in Castel’s mind, and by the end, you’re just as trapped as he is. It’s brutal, but brilliant.

What makes 'El túnel' stand out is how it strips obsession of any glamour. Castel isn’t a tragic romantic; he’s a man who confuses fixation for connection. His art, his thoughts, even his memories—all revolve around María. Sabato’s genius lies in exposing how obsession isolates. Castel pushes everyone away, even the reader. You start to recoil from his narration because his voice grows more unhinged, more possessive. The novel doesn’t ask if obsession is justified; it asks what happens when someone refuses to see another person as human. María becomes a canvas for Castel’s madness, and Sabato never lets you forget the cost. The ending isn’t shocking—it’s the only possible outcome for a mind that’s sealed itself in a tunnel of its own making.