Goodbye RMST!

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Hello everyone! This semester went by a lot faster than the winter semester, and it brought back my long-lost hobby of reading every evening. I enjoyed the structure and flexibility of this course, it allowed me to choose how many books I wanted to read this semester and provided me with readings that I would’ve never chosen. I was definitely intimidated by the number of lengthy novels I chose to read by the end of the semester, but it was rewarding to know that I could achieve it with proper time management and a genuine interest in some of the novels. Although some readings were brutal and long, others were intriguing and stuck around in my mind. The online lectures and the in-person discussions were also engaging and clarified a lot of the content which helped with my understanding of complicated readings and plotlines. I also appreciated how the professor included the music and drinks from the novel of that week in the in-person discussions. There were many repetitive themes in this course, such as coming-of-age, identity, memory, love, and death. I loved the blog post aspect of this course, it was interesting to read about other people’s perspectives of the same novel and their interpretation of the plot, characters, and themes.

If I had to choose my favourite book from this course, it would be José Eduardo Agualusa’s “The Book of Chameleons,” because the writing was clear and straightforward, which was pretty rare with the books in this course. The characters in the novel were also interesting and had a life of their own, and I really liked its message on identity. There were a lot of complicated timelines which were puzzling to figure out so I enjoyed the simplicity of storytelling in “The Book of Chameleons.” I don’t really have a least favourite novel, but the last novel I read, “Faces in the Crowd,” was definitely not my favourite, it was complicated and confusing and got me playing guessing games with the characters and narrations.

Reading back on my first blog post, I had set a goal to “read and accurately interpret literature texts and expose myself to books that I never would’ve picked myself in stores,” which I definitely think I achieved. The books chosen were based in different cities and countries and at different points in time, which was very pleasing to read in chronological order. Overall, I really enjoyed taking Romance Studies, and I would love to take it again. So hopefully, I’ll see some of you again and I wish you all the best summers!

Question: What was your favourite book and the theme that corresponds to it? Why?

Valeria Luiselli, “Faces in the Crowd”

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Valeria Luisell’s novel, “Faces in the Crowd,” was intricately written from the perspective of two different narrators originating from different cities and periods. The author didn’t introduce nor warn the readers of the back-and-fourth narration occurring throughout the story, so I was very confused about the events transpiring until more than halfway through the book. Even after the realization that there were two points of view, I was confused about the man’s identity and thought that the male perspective came from the female protagonist’s husband instead of Gilberto Owens. The lecture confirmed the identity of the male narrator and suggested that perhaps it was actually the female protagonist writing from Owen’s perspective. That was intriguing because I myself thought that it was a completely different narrator. The novel was uniquely structured, it was deliberately fragmented and told in bits and pieces, resembling the unpredictableness of resurfacing memories and the disruption of family and work in the female protagonist’s life. Not only were there different narrations, but the storyline jumped between different times in their lives as well, which increased the difficulty of the reading because I needed to lock in and puzzle together the narrative.

The woman lived with her husband but frequently reminisced on her life before her kids and family obligations. Her narration emits a sort of detached feeling like she regards herself from an external viewpoint. For instance, she never names her family members, she just refers to them as “son”, “the baby”, or “my husband”. It’s this detachment that makes me consider that the female protagonist possibly lost her sense of identity (a recurring theme in this course, like in Agostino and Agualusa) due to the responsibilities and commitments that come with marriage and motherhood. She introduces and revisits many characters from her premarriage days, merging the line between past and present. This novel was like reading her diary, but it’s difficult to interpret how much of the story was her own as she told her husband “It’s all fiction…” (pg. 57) when he snuck glances at her writing.

A very fascinating point in the story is when Gilberto Owens begins to take note of a “woman with the dark face and shadows under her eyes (pg. 43)” on the trains. Owen’s description of her “red coat” (pg. 43) made me recognize the woman’s identity, which revealed that he shockingly saw glimpses of the female protagonist. It was kind of like the two characters are interconnected through different realities. But if it had always been the female protagonist narrating, then wouldn’t this impossible event that defies the bounds of time and reality be a figment of her imagination due to her fascination with Owens? Overall, this was a difficult novel to navigate and interpret, I struggled to place characters and timezones and figure out the different narrations.

Discussion Question(s)

What reason do you think the female protagonist chose not to include the names of herself and her family in her writing? What is your interpretation of the narration(s)?

José Eduardo Agualusa, “The Book of Chameleons”

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Jose Eduardo Agualusa’s novel, “The Book of Chameleons,” is an imaginative novel that explores the themes of identity and memory through the lens of a gecko living in the house of Felix Ventura. The gecko undergoes life with feelings and thoughts adjacent to those of humans, capable of processing human behaviours and interactions. This made sense as it was later revealed that the gecko was a man “in an earlier life (pg. 29)” whose “soul has been trapped in this body [of a gecko] (pg. 40).” There are many interesting characters in this story and the narration was engaging and straightforward, without the philosophical and abstract writing from previous readings.

Felix Ventura was the owner of the house and he established a close friendship with the gecko whom he named Eulalio (not sure if this was his true name in his past life). He was very creative and imaginative, saying that “Literature is the only chance for a true liar to attain any sort of social acceptance (pg. 68).” This quote intrigued me and got me reflecting on the values that I was taught. Society often declares that “honesty is the best policy,” so is there ever a time when lying is justified? Is it only when words are typed out on pages of fictional novels that it’s acceptable to spin tales from our minds? Another quote from Felix that stood out to me was “I think what I do is really an advanced kind of literature… I create plots, I invent characters, but rather than keeping them trapped in a book I give them life, launching them out into reality (pg. 68).” This confirmed my hypothesis that Felix was in the business of selling false identities and creating artificial memories to his customer; the most prominent one being Jose Buchmann, who became so immersed in his new identity that it appeared that “this man has been Jose Buchmann all his life (pg. 59).” Jose’s dedication and faith he put into his new identity was alarming and frightening, he listened intently to Felix’s fabricated story of his past life while asking detailed questions to reinvent himself.

Another interesting aspect of this story was the gecko’s capability to enter into the human character’s dreams. At first, I thought that he could only enter Felix’s dream as they lived under the same roof and shared a connection because they were “best friends (pg. 179),” but he was in Jose’s dream as well. What’s even more fascinating is that the gecko took on a human form in these dreams: “In the dream he had human form, a serious sort of man, with a face that seemed familiar to me (pg. 69).” Was this human form the man he was in his former lifetime?

Discussion Question(s):

One of the main themes of this novel is identity, do you think that identity is fixed or ever-changing? Why do you think someone may ask Felix to change their identity? Under what circumstances would you consider changing your identity?

Ricardo Piglia, “Money to Burn”

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Ricardo Piglia’s novel, “Money to Burn,” is a refreshing change of literature that follows the escape route of a group of criminals as they speed to escape from Buenos Aires to Uruguay with the police tight on their heels. This book offered a different reading experience compared to the other readings in this course, it was fast-paced, the language used was brash, and the style of writing was clear and straightforward. The first significant event was the robbery done “in broad daylight (pg. 24).” This was intriguing because I thought that robberies typically occur during the night to utilize the dark and avoid detection from witnesses. However, there were plenty of witnesses who gave descriptions, although varying, about the robbery that transpired and the robbers who did it. The criminals were also confident enough to make a spectacle out of it, they intercepted the moving car and shot rounds of ammunition in the streets.

The huge heist was accomplished at the beginning of the reading which left the narrator recounting the drama and backstory of the criminals as they fled from the relentless pursuit led by the police officer Silvio. The beginning and the end of the novel are more fast-paced. In the middle of the story, the author invites the readers to observe the deeper levels of each character. Most of the characters in the crime gang had an alias or nickname; for instance the Kid Brignone, Blond Gaucho, the Crow, the Girl, and Stripey. Since they are all ruthless criminals, I assumed that their childhood and environment have not been kind to them. However, this is not true for all the criminal characters, the Kid demonstrates this with his upbringing. The Kid, real name Franco Brignone, was the “… firstborn son of a wealthy entrepreneur in the construction business, resident of the rich suburbs of Belgrano (pg. 73).” This character really stood out to me, his backstory was surprising and so different compared to the typical profiles of criminals. It made me consider the reason why Franco Brignone, the “favourite son of a respectable businessman (pg. 73)” walked into a life of crime despite his privileged upbringing and wealthy parents. He didn’t have the need to steal and kill for economic necessities like money and property, so did he do it to rebel against his family and society’s expectations? The Kid also raised questions regarding the nature of criminals and the extent to which their environment affects the trajectory of their lives.

Discussion Question:

Why do you think the Kid “embarked on a path of crime (pg. 74)” despite his wealthy parents and privileged upbringing? Do you think it had to do with an adolescent’s tendency for rebellion or adrenaline? Or perhaps he was rebelling against the expectations placed on him by his family and society?

Marguerite Duras, “The Lover”

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Marguerite Duras’ novel, “The Lover,” is a unique literature that explores the themes of love, family, and colonialism. At first, I was confused about the story’s setting as there seemed to be a diverse array of ethnicities and there were some city names (such as Mekong, Cholon, and Saigon) that I had never heard of before. It turns out that this novel was based on the French colonial period in Vietnam in the 1930s, which piqued my interest. At the novel’s beginning, I thought that the protagonist’s family was well-off because her mother greatly valued education and wanted her daughter to specialize in mathematics. Later on, it was revealed that the protagonist’s family was poor. Still, they were White which heightened their socioeconomic status: “The head agrees because I’m white and the place needs a few whites among all the half-castes for the sake of its reputation (pg. 71).”

Throughout the story, the protagonist has to navigate through complex family dynamics and her sexual relationship with an older Chinese man who is very wealthy. The blatant racism and prejudice in some parts of the story were very discomforting as societal norms and racial prejudice made the relationship between them unsustainable. Everyone gossiped about their relationship when they found out which caused tension between the two so they never connected on a deep level despite their sexual desires. Even though the Chinese man was rich and treated her well, society and even her own family couldn’t look past his ethnicity and still considered the girl to be too good for him.

Furthermore, this is another novel from this course that plays with the fickle characteristic of memory. The storyline was fragmented, with her repeatedly retelling the death of her younger brother then jumping to the present where she had a husband and then back to her first lover. It made the plot a little more complex and engaging as it left the readers connecting the story and timeline on their own. Another interesting aspect of the narration is that the author switches from first person to third person throughout the story. At first, I thought it was to detach herself from unpleasant memories and interactions by narrating it as if it didn’t happen to her but to someone else instead. But I think it was more for the protagonist to reflect on her life in the past from the present from an external viewpoint because she can see and understand things more clearly now that she’s older and wiser.

Discussion Question:

It appears that the girl harboured a love/hate relationship with her family, especially her mother. How do you think the girl’s family influenced her life’s choices in relationships, education, and prospects? Do you think she would have continued the relationship with the Chinese man if her family wasn’t a factor in her life?

Clarice Lispector, “The Hour of the Star”

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Clarice Lispector’s novel, “The Hour of the Star,” tells the story of a poor and uneducated “northeastern girl” in a raw and haunting style of writing. In the beginning, I was quite confused about what the story was about as there wasn’t really a plotline, it was more just following the thoughts and emotions of the narrator as he told the story from his perspective. I was also confused about the narrator’s relationship to the protagonist, it seems like she’s just a figment of his imagination or a story that he conjured up himself, but he conveyed the literature in such detail. In addition, I thought it interesting how Lispector decided to write a story through the narration of a man telling a story of a young woman. Although I first found the writing to be intriguing because of the abstract descriptions and thought-provoking sentences, soon it grew tiresome and I found myself wishing for the narrator to be more simple and direct. However, the story picks back up with the introduction of Olimpico, a northeastern boy with a huge ego and superiority complex.

The protagonist’s, or “northeastern girl,” name wasn’t revealed until later in the book, which was interesting because the narrator said that he didn’t “even know the girl’s name (pg. 10)” when he was introducing the character. The girl’s name was Macabea, she was a young, impoverished, and very naive girl who lived in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. What perplexes me the most about this character is her oblivion to the misery of her situation and how she drifts around like a shell of a person because “she was used to forgetting about herself (pg. 41)”. Her ignorance and innocence are emphasized through several events and exchanges in the novel, like with Olimpico, the doctor, and the fortune teller. She was incapable of picking up the distaste and mistreatment Olimpico directed toward her, it was almost like she struggled to comprehend complex thoughts and emotions; “Thinking was so hard, she didn’t know know how you were supposed to think (pg. 45)”.

Macabea’s naivety was puzzling but also saddening. She was an orphan living in poverty which limited her access to education. I think that this significantly contributes to her present personality as she never had the chance to develop critical thinking skills or attain basic geographic, cultural, and social knowledge. Her story demonstrates how systemic poverty will continue to keep people economically disadvantaged and socially marginalized without the proper education and supporting environment.

Discussion Question:

How does Macabéa’s ignorance and innocence shape her identity throughout the novel? What do you think contributed to her naivety? Was it her upbringing, society, gender norms, or others? How do you think her personality isolated her from the world around her?

Mercè Rodoreda, “The Time of the Doves”

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Mercè Rodoreda’s novel, “The Times of the Dove,” was a captivating and page-turning read told through the lens of a resilient and hardworking mother who struggled through the Spanish Civil War. The narrator, Natalia, provided readers with valuable insights into how women lived through the war and the challenges they had to face to provide food and shelter for themselves and their children when the men were off at war. The story begins when her friend Julieta drags her to a dance happening at the Placa del Diamant, where Natalie meets her first husband, Quimet. From early on in the relationship, Quimet raises several red flags that continue through the entire book. For instance, Quimet was a whole hour late to their first date and offered no explanations, he constantly pestered Natalie to break up with Pere, and he had an extremely violent streak. After marriage, he exhibited no compassion nor gratitude for Natalie, who had to find work while raising children and attending chores to provide enough for the family to eat.

A moment from the novel that stood out to me was when Natalia’s second husband, Antonio, proposed to her and called her by her name, “Natalia”. I don’t think Quimet ever called the protagonist by her first name, he nicknamed her “Colometa” (meaning little dove) or used “Poor Maria.”. For years, Quimet stripped Natalia of her identity to exert control and power over her. So when Antonio used her first name to reference her, it was almost like he told her she could be herself again. Additionally, I think the nickname “Colometa” foreshadowed the stress, chaos, and turmoil Quimet brought into her life.

Another moment that I think stood out to most of the readers was the part where Natalia decided to kill her children and then herself to save them from misery and starvation. I had to re-read that sentence to make sure I got it right. At first, I was shocked, but then I tried to think about the situation from the mother’s perspective and realized that she truly thought that it was the best decision for her children as Quimet had died in war and they were slowly dying from hunger. I cannot fathom the pain and hopelessness Natalia was experiencing during this time.

Discussion question:

“My mother had never told me about men. She and my father spent many years quarrelling and many more not even speaking to each other. They’d spend Sunday afternoons sitting in the dining room, not saying a word. When my mother died, the silence got even bigger. And when my father remarried a few years later there was nothing left for me to hold onto. (pg. 28)”

Did Natalia’s parents’ relationship have any impact on how Natalia chose her husband and marriage? Especially with Quimet, as it seemed like she was brought up in a house of fighting or cold silence. Also, Natalia’s father remarried, which made her feel like she had nothing to hold onto. Did she seek male validation and attention from her romantic relationships instead?

Alberto Moravia, “Agostino”

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Alberto Moravia’s novel, “Agostino,” follows the story of a young boy transitioning into adolescence while exploring themes like identity, loss of innocence and sexual awakening. While many adolescents struggle with a sense of identity during their journey of self-discovery and growth, Agostino seemed to have matured much too fast in the span of one summer. From the very beginning, I took notice of Agostino’s pride and weirdly intimate descriptions of his beautiful mother during their swimming trips. It reminded me of “Combray” by Proust, how the protagonist was obsessed with attaining the warmth of his mother’s night kiss. Agostino took joy in being the only man his mother paid attention to, but that changed when a young suitor entered the scene. Pushed to his mother’s periphery, Agostino felt a sense of betrayal and abandonment as his mother formed a new romantic relationship with the suitor. After a quarrel with his mother, Agostino met Berto who introduced him to the community of working-class kids who resided on Vespucci beach. This is where Agostino’s life and understanding of intimacy and relationships took a pivotal shift. Firstly, it appears that Agostino grew up in a wealthy family with a sheltered lifestyle, so the behaviour and language used by the local kids came as a shock to him. It also came as a shock to me as well, how they made such disturbing comments and asked such intimate questions about his mother. When the boys found out that Agostino “knows nothing (p. 30)” about what a man and woman do together, they were crude with their explanation of sexual intimacy, using harsh words and vulgar gestures. After the loss of childhood innocence, Agostino grew even more confused about his emerging sexuality and the relationship between him and his mother. The admiration and love he once had for his mother turned into something distorted and cruel: “He couldn’t say why he wanted so much to stop loving his mother, why he hated her love (p. 46).” I think that the sudden dump of information about sexuality confused and shocked him, making him feel repulsed, lonely and even more susceptible to thoughts like this. It was also mentioned that Agostino’s father passed away, leaving him and his mother to form a close and affectionate mother-son relationship without the presence of a father figure. Therefore, it must’ve been even more overwhelming for Agostino to face his sexual awakening without a trustworthy adult to answer his questions or guide him through his adolescent journey. Agostino also struggled with his self-identity; he didn’t enjoy the company of the kids from his social class and gravitated toward the presence of the local working-class kids by “deliberately pretend[ing] to appreciate and enjoy the behaviour and manners that still horrify him (p. 73).”

Question:

Agostino always had an intimate relationship with his mother, how did this relationship affect his emotional and psychological development and alter his perspective on romantic relationships?

Maria Luisa Bombal, “The Shrouded Woman”

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Maria Luisa Bombal’s novel, “The Shrouded Woman,” was a captivating read surrounding the themes of love, memory, desire and womanhood. The main character, Ana Maria, reflects on her life, her relationships, and the choices that she made while lying on her deathbed surrounded by family and friends. The narration was told in the first person, which allowed readers to understand her thoughts and actions as she recounted the significant events and people in her life. The beginning of this story reminded me of the popular phrase, “Your life flashes before your eyes,” that people use when describing a near-death experience. So is it true then? Is it possible for all the memories, burdened with emotional ties, to replay and squeeze into a tiny frame in time? If yes, then in what intensity? There are memories buried so deep within each of us that it takes a specific trigger to bring them back to the surface. Astonishingly, Ana Maria can remember her life in such vivid detail and even recall the emotions associated with each event and personal interaction.

Although Ana Maria narrated many anecdotes about her past lovers, the relationships between the protagonist and other female characters were the most interesting and insightful for me. For instance, many of her neighbours described her daughter as an “exceptional mind” which caused her to be “proud and at the same time intimidated (p. 191).” This perspective is not uncommon, as a mother often sees a version of themselves in their daughter(s) and the potential they could’ve fulfilled given better opportunities. This was especially relevant in the early 20th century when societal norms often constrained women in homes to care for children and housework. Another female character that stood out to me was Maria Griselda, the ethereal being whose beauty entranced every person she happened upon. Although her natural beauty was of the realm of her control, women often found themselves jealous and scorned her. This made me contemplate the rivalries between women and how we often form judgments and associations based on only physical appearance. To demonstrate, Silvia (Ana Maria’s future daughter-in-law) asked, “Why did Maria Grisedla’s presence always give her a feeling of inferiority?” It didn’t matter how sweet Maria was, her beauty became her curse as women felt threatened and men became infatuated. It was difficult to envision the loneliness she must’ve suffered at the hands of her beauty.

It seemed like every person graced by the beauty of Maria was mesmerized, this leads me to my discussion questions: What is beauty subjective upon? Is it demographic or cultural or something else? Maria may have fit the beauty standards in Chile, but what if she lived somewhere else; would her treatment and life turn out differently? Additionally, don’t beauty standards evolve? What really makes one beautiful?

Roberto Arlt, “Mad Toy”

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Roberto Arlt’s novel, “Mad Toy,” was a refreshing coming-of-age novel that invited readers to follow the harrowing journey of a struggling youth named Silvio Astier. In the first chapter, “The Band of Thieves,” Silvio befriended Enrique Irzubeta and Lucio. Together, the three adolescents became members of the “Club of the Midnight Horsemen,” entangled in a life of petty crimes and thievery. The narrator used Enrique and Irzubeta interchangeably, which I found peculiar as he didn’t stay consistent with just a first or last name. Additionally, Silvio described his friendship with Enrique as “that of Orestes and Pylades (p. 26);” this interested me to search for the historical context behind the two characters to better understand the relationship dynamics between the two boys. From the beginning, this book was much more engaging for me in comparison to “Combray” by Proust. Although it was also told in the first-person, the narrator immersed the readers with descriptive dialogue and exciting action that conjured a sense of danger and thrill for readers. In chapter 2, “Work and Days,” Silvio leaves the days of thievery and mischief behind to find work, signalling the start of adulthood. Although the “Club of the Midnight Horsemen” disbanded, Silvio still looks for traces of his old friends during his time working at a run-down bookstore, he stated that Dona Maria’s smile “reminded me of Enrique Irzubeta’s smile when he was slipping through the fingers of the police (p. 76).” This reflects the universal experience of growing up and leaving childhood friendships behind, which most university students can resonate with as they face similar transitions into adulthood. The next chapter, “Mad Toy,” highlights Silvio’s intelligence. Despite the barriers of poverty, Silvio’s curiosity and self-education, from books and literature, emphasize his resilience and determination to pursue knowledge and advance his skillset in constructing gadgets and explosives. Overall, this reading successfully depicted the journey of a troubled youth navigating through the complexities and hardships of life. Silvio was constantly growing and adapting to the obstacles thrown his way as he discovered new aspects of himself in the quest for identity in this ever-changing world.

Questions:

In chapter three, Silvio was fired from his new position as an apprentice airplane mechanic, but what was the reason behind it? The school director stated, “We don’t need smart people here, just dumb brutes who can work (p. 99),” so was Silvio simply too smart to stay in the army? That doesn’t make sense to me as I thought that the Military School was looking for youth who wanted to study and had an interest in engineering to build engines and repair planes. Even Silvio was confused, “They threw me out of the army for no reason (p. 100).” Another question I have is whether Silvio’s previous life in crime influenced his decision to turn in Rengo to the police, what was the pivoting point when he made his decision? Why did he decide to turn Rengo in and was this another turning point in finding his identity and morals?