Deep Rivers by José María Arguedas tells the story of a young boy, Ernesto, who is of mixed heritage,and how he navigates the complexities of identity, culture, and tradition in rural Peru. This book is set in the Andes, where Ernesto struggles with a clash felt between his indigenous roots and the colonial education he received in boarding school. In the book, Ernesto meets different people and experiences indigenous customs. He also spends time with others who are of mixed heritage like him. Through reflecting upon these experiences, he begins developing a better understanding of himself. Arguedas explores the themes of fitting in, feeling alone, and finding purpose in this story of growing up.
I found this book to be slightly difficult to understand, and perhaps this is due to the reference of specific cultural traditions and concepts that I have no prior knowledge in. I found myself feeling a little confused as I wasn’t able to understand the references made in relation to the book.
I also noticed that the theme of growing up seems to be recurrent as it is also a prominent concept of Agostino. However, the way these two characters “grow up” as the story progresses is very different. They struggle with drastically different things. Agostino experiences emotional turmoil as he is introduced to the concept of sexuality. Additionally, his confusion comes from the way his view of his mother, from being a parental figure, changes to seeing her as a “woman”. However, for Ernesto, he struggles more with his cultural identity. From the narratives, we are able to understand that he feels a sense of disconnection from both the Indigenous culture and the mestizo culture. This quote, “I felt like I was caught between two worlds, unable to fully embrace either one.”, effectively captures Ernesto’s internal feelings.
One aspect of this book that I liked was this autobiographical narrative in which the story is told. By being able to read about Ernesto’s inner thoughts and perspective, we are brought very close to his character. This first-person perspective allows me to empathize with Ernesto and understand his experiences growing up from a mixed culture. For me, this aspect is particularly powerful as I also grew up being immersed in both the Chinese and Canadian cultures which are drastically different. As a result, I was really able to relate with the thoughts that Ernesto had.
Question for this week: what are your thoughts on “growing up” being a recurrent theme in the books we read?
“I found myself feeling a little confused as I wasn’t able to understand the references made in relation to the book. ” I think that in general this is part of Arguedas’ strategy to begin to present the indigenous world. At first, making the difference between ways of life evident, making us feel the strangeness a lot, and then presenting it to us through the eyes and ears of Ernesto. This is how we get to know the character and the universe in which he grows up.
I think that “growing up” being a recurring theme in some of the novels is partly because, for the most part, everyone has (or will have to eventually have) to grow up. This theme allows us to sometimes relate to what the protagonist is going through in the process of growing up or perhaps gives us new insights into other people’s experiences of growing up.
I too felt confused at times about the integrated untranslated words. I came to really love them by the end though. It helped me feel immersed in the culture that was being described. Also, being able to read the footer and see the translation, would unlock hidden understanding in the text, like a eureka moment. Honestly became one of my favourite parts of reading this novel.
Hey May,
Great post!! I loved reading your perspectives and insights into Deep Rivers.
To answer your discussion question – The book choices in this class is evidence that growing up is such a universal experience. Even though the literature is from many different cultures and backgrounds, they all have the ability to tackle similar themes and ideas. I think this is a great focus for our class as we are all in this stage of our life (or just coming out the other side) making the books relatable to a whole other level.
See you in class and have an great reading break!
Hey May, loved your post!
Personally, I love the aspect of growing up that is explored in multiple of the novels we’ve read. I think it is something we all have gone through and can resonate with in some way or another. I also love how much it has allowed me to reflect on my experiences growing up and relate to the stories in many different ways.