Really Real Dragons

In “Really Real Dragons,” published in English translation in Words Without Borders, a digital magazine,Laia Jufresa, a Mexican writer based in Scotland, explores the struggle to comprehend the quarantine using the diary ostensibly written with her daughter in mind. “When, in the future, my daughter asks me what we did in the days of the coronavirus, I’ll show her this text. It’s a real-real diary, I will say” (Jufresa). Jufresa reflects on her daughter’s imagination and the unsettling contrast between the real and the imaginary, the relationship between “I” and “we.” The presence of her daughter’s toy dragon provides a sense of relief, symbolizing the fear of an invisible danger like the COVID-19 virus. Jufresa also contemplates the significance of virtual friendships and the bridging of distances through the intangible force of the internet. Writing during the first wave in Edinburgh, she questions the power of the ephemeral and finds solace in participating in neighborhood celebrations to support healthcare workers. The pandemic transforms her identity, influenced by her daughter’s presence. Jufresa explores unexpected emotions such as national pride, contrasting it with her political views and likening it to the virus itself. Despite the inequities exposed by the pandemic, the months of lockdown evoke powerful feelings of connection and reveal the influence of the imaginary.