The Lost Steps, first published in 1953 by Cuban novelist Alejo Carpentier, is a parody of the lost world novels that were popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864) and Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World (1912). The novel follows an unnamed New York City composer on a quest for Indigenous musical instruments in South America. Carpentier, known for his roles as a musicologist, essayist, and playwright, tells a story that traces a physical journey and an exploration into authenticity, heritage, and the essence of creativity against the backdrop of modern civilization. Originally titled Los Pasos Perdidos in Spanish, the novel is a significant work in the genre of magical realism and in the Latin American literary boom. It has been translated into 20 languages and was awarded France’s best foreign novel prize in 1956, highlighting its global impact and critical acclaim.

This guide uses the 1956 The Camelot Press Ltd. edition, translated by Harriet De Onís. It will cover themes such as The Dichotomy Between Civilization and Nature, The Quest for Authenticity, and Cultural Displacement and the Search for Identity.

Content Warning: The source material contains depictions of sexual violence, and dated and offensive terms for Indigenous and Black people, as well as sex workers, which are replicated in this guide only in direct quotes of the source text.

Plot Summary

The Lost Steps by Alejo Carpentier follows the adventures of an unnamed, disillusioned composer as he escapes the hollow trappings of New York City life. Dreaming of the adventures he’s read about in Homer’s The Odyssey and in stories of the search for El Dorado, he embarks on a quest through the jungle in search of deeper meaning and authenticity in his life.

The novel is narrated in the first person and is structured as a personal diary. It’s structured through dated entries, enhanced by the narrator’s partial memories of the past. This diary gives the impression that the narrator sees himself as a significant authority on authenticity, critiquing his experiences with a sense of superiority.

The story begins with the narrator attending a play featuring his wife, Ruth, in the leading role. The play, set during the American Civil War, continues to attract large audiences despite the narrator’s opinion of its lackluster quality. Ruth’s contract with the play’s producers confines her, merging her identity with her character’s and contributing to a dull, isolated life for both. Although built on love, their marriage has grown repetitive and devoid of excitement. Compounding this, Ruth’s sudden departure on a tour for the play, a common occurrence in their relationship, adds to their sense of disconnection.

Previously engaged in the promising fields of musicology and composition, the narrator now composes music for commercials. This job leaves him feeling as if he has betrayed his artistic integrity. He views his life as routine and devoid of the enthusiasm he once cherished. Following his latest project for the Fisheries Association, he faces a three-week holiday with no plans, exacerbating his dissatisfaction, especially with Ruth away on tour.

An unexpected encounter with the Curator from the Museum of Orthography, an old friend and employer he hasn’t seen in years, presents a turning point. The Curator validates the narrator’s theories on the origins of music and invites him to South America to collect Indigenous clay instruments for the museum. Initially hesitant, the narrator is swayed when Mouche, his lover, expresses disappointment in his reluctance, ultimately persuading him to accept the task.

The narrator and Mouche land in an unnamed South American city, where the narrator is unexpectedly moved by hearing Spanish, the language he grew up with. During their visit, a revolution confines them and other hotel guests for safety reasons, and he grows increasingly annoyed with what he views as Mouche’s superficial intellectualism.

A pivotal moment occurs on a bus journey to the jungle’s interior when they encounter Rosario, gravely ill on the roadside, whom they manage to save. The narrator is instantly drawn to Rosario’s beauty, resilience, and what he sees as her “simple” nature. Her deep bond with the environment and her embodiment of what he perceives as genuine femininity captivate him, contrasting sharply with his growing irritation with Mouche.

The narrator and Rosario quickly become intimate, leading to a confrontation where Rosario attacks Mouche after a cultural misunderstanding, with the narrator siding against Mouche. Mouche, already battling malaria, discovers Rosario and the narrator together, worsening her condition. She is subsequently cared for by a local doctor. The group, now consisting of the narrator, Rosario, the priest Fray Pedro, a Greek miner named Yannes, and a charismatic figure called the Adelantado, press on with their journey into the jungle, reminiscent of the quest for El Dorado.

When the Adelanto presents the narrator with pristine specimens of the instruments he has been searching for, the narrator is overcome by the realization that this moment is the first outstanding and noteworthy of his life. The moment is not touched on for long, as the narrator decides that he wishes to remain on the adventure.

The group reaches a small village that the Adelantado has founded and named Santa Monica de los Venados. The narrator chooses to remain here, abandoning his duties in what he thinks of as the civilized world. With Rosario, he begins a new life, believing her to be the ideal woman despite not knowing anything about her.

As heavy rains make life challenging, the narrator escapes reality into a frenzy of creativity, starting a composition based on Homer’s The Odyssey. Fray Pedro suggests the narrator marry Rosario to set a good example for the village’s Indigenous people. The narrator, finding legal marriage in the jungle absurd, nonetheless proposes to Rosario. She refuses, arguing that marriage benefits men at women’s expense. This rejection deeply troubles the narrator, who finds himself desperately wishing to marry Rosario now that she has refused.

Running out of paper, the narrator consumes all the Adelantado’s notebooks, reserved for official records, for his composition work. Seizing a chance to replenish his paper and ink, he returns to the city when a plane sent by Ruth to locate him arrives. Though he promises Rosario a quick return, her reaction is noticeably subdued and distant.

Back in the city, he’s met with intense media attention due to Ruth’s public plea for his safe return, accompanied by a substantial reward. To capitalize on the situation, he fabricates a sensational story of his time in the jungle to secure funds for a divorce. However, the plan backfires when the truth about his escape with Mouche and his new life with Rosario comes to light, leading to job loss, a tarnished reputation, and financial difficulties from the escalating legal costs of a complex divorce.

Upon his return to the jungle after seven months, the narrator finds the route to the village submerged due to the rising river, leaving him stuck in the local town awaiting the water’s retreat. During this period, he encounters Yannes, the Greek miner, who inadvertently reveals that Rosario has married the Adelantado’s son and is pregnant. This revelation shatters the narrator, sparking a moment of painful self-awareness. He recognizes his error and acknowledges that the jungle world was never truly his; he was simply a visitor. The story concludes with the narrator learning that the river has receded, unveiling the pathway to the village.