I was intimidated by the book before actually reading the book, since it doubled the length than the book read before this week. I was unconfident to even finish the book in time. However, [Deep Rivers] was, in my opinion, way easier to understand compare to the first few books previously read. Following the easiness of reading through, there was a lot to think about the identity between two different cultures, and oppression by power.
“gangs of “Peruvian” and “Chilean” students did battle” (47)
“If they were older, he teased them by insulting them with the filthiest of words until they attacked him, so that Lleras would intervene; but if he were quarreling with a smaller boy he would beat him unmercifully.” (49)
The book [Deep Rivers] is about the story of experiences in a perspective of Ernesto, the main character. He, after years of traveling around the country, entered the Catholic boarding school. He was with people around his age, but there was an obvious conflicts between “Peruvian” and “Chilean”, and inequalities between people who are from landowning family and those who are poor, indigenous people who are derogatorily called cholo, k’anra, and so on.
There was a severe inequality between those who are from hacienda family and those who are not really rich, and it was explicitly described. It was disturbing to read through the incidents which weak and “febble-minded” people were experiencing within the oppressing and discriminative power. However, at the same time, it was interesting to see the Peruvian society of this era in a nutshell.
“I recalled this, recalled it as relived it in moments of great loneliness.” (61)
“[…] at nightfall my feelings of loneliness and isolation grew more intense. Even though I was surrounded by boys my own age and by other people, the dormitory was more frightening and desolate than the deep gorge of Los Molinos, where I had once been abandoned by my father when he was being pursued.” (60)
Under the oppressed atmosphere against Andean people, Ernesto feels loneliness and dissonance, as he is not feeling any attachments from where he is. Although it can’t be comparable, I could personally resonate this with my own lifetime story. As an international student who were travelled to countries for 10 years, I was experiencing a dissonance between the culture I had exposed as I grow up, and the culture I have experienced through my academic journey. In fact, it was hard to relieve of feeling isolation and loneliness, and like what Ernesto chose, I traveled around when I have even a short period of time.
Have you ever experienced the cultural (or identity) dissonance in your life? Or Do you have any personal experience to share about facing inequality or oppressed power?
Hello, thank you for this post your questions are very insightful. I feel that since I grew up in Canada with a heavy Western influence but was raised by my parents in an Indian manner, I experience a great deal of cultural dissonance. I struggled when I was younger with wanting to be more Westernized but as I grew I found myself grieving the gradual loss of my Indian heritage. Overall, though I consider myself to be a Canadian I feel I don’t completely fit in in either place.
– Vibha Jayaprakash
I found your post extremely informative, and it got me thinking about my childhood and how I grew up in three different countries but the values instilled in me very clearly represent my Indian culture. I also agree with your comment about him feeling lonely because he feels he has no attachment to where he’s from. I think that this is a serious issue that a lot of people go through.
“Under the oppressed atmosphere against Andean people, Ernesto feels loneliness and dissonance, as he is not feeling any attachments from where he is.” It seems to me that the novel shows us precisely the journey that Ernesto takes regarding those attachments. In any case, he is revaluing his own relationship with his heritage and the space where he lives, as he grows up and stops being a child.