Ambiguity; uncertainty or inexactness of meaning in language.

Splitting; division of a character into two personalities.

Synesthesia; the production of a sense impression relating to one sense or part of the body by stimulation of another sense or part of the body.

Suspense; a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.

Atmosphere; the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or work of art.

A scene in a movie, novel, etc., set in a time earlier than the main story.

Dream; a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep.

Reality; the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.

Sacrifice; an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to a deity.

Flowery War; ritual war practiced in the Aztec civilization.

A member of an indigenous people of central Mexico.

Nightmare; a frightening or unpleasant dream.

Ambiguity: The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness.

Splitting: A literary device where a character is divided into two or more personalities or exists in multiple realities.

Synesthesia: A literary device where one sense is described in terms of another.

Suspense: A state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.

A scene in a movie, novel, etc., set in a time earlier than the main story.

Atmosphere: The overall feeling or mood of a story or scene.

Environment: The setting or surroundings of an event or story.

Reality: The state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.

Illusion: A false idea or belief.

Time: The indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.

Space: A continuous area or expanse which is free, available, or unoccupied.

The preterite tense is used to describe completed actions in the past, such as 'salió' (he left) and 'tuvo' (he had), emphasizing the sudden and definitive nature of the events.

The imperfect tense, with verbs like 'corría' (he was running) and 'tenía' (he had), describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past, creating a sense of immersion and timelessness in the dream sequences.

The subjunctive mood might be used to express the protagonist's doubt or uncertainty about his reality, such as 'dudaba que fuera real' (he doubted that it was real), highlighting the theme of illusion.

Cortázar uses descriptive adjectives and sensory language to paint vivid pictures of both the modern and Aztec settings, such as 'fragancia compuesta y oscura' (complex and dark fragrance), engaging the reader's senses.

The third-person narration allows for a detached perspective, creating ambiguity and forcing the reader to question the reliability of the protagonist's perception of reality.

Short, declarative sentences, like 'Lo ataron' (They tied him up), create a sense of urgency and immediacy, heightening the suspense and drawing the reader into the protagonist's fear.

Impersonal 'se' constructions, such as 'se oía' (one could hear), create a sense of detachment and universality, suggesting that the protagonist's experience is not unique.

The conditional tense, like 'sería' (it would be), allows the author to explore hypothetical situations and alternate realities, enhancing the story's themes of illusion and uncertainty.

Conjunctions like 'pero' (but) and 'mientras' (while) are used to contrast the modern and Aztec realities, highlighting the protagonist's shifting experiences and the blurred lines between them.

Direct speech brings the characters to life and allows the reader to experience their emotions firsthand, while indirect speech provides a more detached and objective perspective.

Reflexive verbs, such as 'se despertó' (he woke up), emphasize the protagonist's internal experience and his reflexive actions in response to his surroundings.

The passive voice, such as 'fue capturado' (he was captured), can create a sense of detachment by shifting the focus from the actor to the action, emphasizing the protagonist's helplessness.