"So I do not consider myself a chronicler of my fatherland or even a chronicler of Havana"

Guillermo Cabrera Infante's declaration, "So I do not consider myself a chronicler of my fatherland and even a chronicler of Havana", provides a nuanced insight into his perspective as a writer and his relationship with his native Cuba. Cabrera Infante, a well-known Cuban author, is often related to his profound and complicated representations of Havana and Cuban culture. Nevertheless, this quote suggests a conscious distancing from the label of a mere "chronicler", which is worthy of cautious interpretation.

To call oneself a chronicler indicates a direct and methodical recording of occasions, frequently with an emphasis on accurate and historic precision. By declining this classification, Cabrera Infante may be revealing a hesitation to be restricted within the boundaries of documentary storytelling. His work goes beyond simple chronicling by welcoming a more artistic and introspective method. Cabrera Infante's stories typically blend truth with fiction, deploying linguistic playfulness and narrative experimentation to catch the essence of Cuban life, rather than provide a simple historic account.

Furthermore, in stating he does not consider himself a chronicler of Havana or his fatherland, Cabrera Infante signifies a desire to escape the restrictions of nationalistic or geographic classification. This reflects a more comprehensive style in his work: the tension between exile and identity. Having spent much of his life outside Cuba, he occupied a liminal space in between being an extensive observer and a separated outsider. Hence, his storytelling gets a diverse quality, using readers a richly layered representation of Cuba that is both intimate and separated.

Additionally, Cabrera Infante might be asserting his autonomy as an author, emphasizing that his work should not be lowered to a particular focus on Cuban identity or history. Instead, his literary contributions engage with universal themes of memory, language, and human experience, resonating with audiences beyond the confines of his homeland. This declaration enables Cabrera Infante the creative freedom to check out Havana and Cuba not as a recorder of occasions, but as an artist interpreting the complexities of culture and identity.