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Concluding Thoughts on This

Well, this is it, the end of the line but the beginning of more journeys through novel reading and such. Although I dropped the ball with this course I still had a memorable experience and learned so many things with novel reading. More importantly, it gave me a newfound love for reading, and authors like Bolano, Cercas, Agualusa, and Fuentes really got me to be “romantic” with novels. Even though I wasn’t fully present physically and mentally most of the time, reading the books was always euphoric and I will definitely read all the other books that I did not choose throughout the summer.

I really didn’t know what to expect with this course, and I came in with no expectations but I was really wowed by the content and how deep we went into each and every single book.  This entire class was very meaningful as we got to talk about war, trauma, escape, and culture, and unravel them through word clouds, music, quotes, and discussion. History can always be found through Google searches and Wikipedia articles, but truly understanding firsthand and getting into the nitty-gritty really involves some creative literature in which romance studies have taught me.

The grading system was very unique and new and It really eased my consciousness knowing that  I can honestly focus on the learning and enjoying part without having to constantly worry about being perfect and going on those Redbull runs just to get a measly A+++. However, I was a victim of being complacent and I did take it for granted at times which severely cost me, but it is what it is at the end of the day.

Old Gringo has to be my favorite read as I’m just a sucker for a person’s last stand type beat. This novel really reminded of movie Logan, in which old man wolverine was in his last stand as he’s been through hell in his life and he keeps on fighting and dies on his own terms just like the main character in the Old Gringo.

Overall, I am truly excited to unravel more novels throughout my lifetime and pick out themes, compare them to other books, and to immerse myself with the truth, the fiction, and the meaning behind each novel.

My final question of the semester is did you thrive with this new grading system? Should it be implemented more so we can further emphasise on learning and understanding the course as a whole or is it still all about the GPA?

Live Long and Prosper,

Xyrus Ramos Aparri

The Society of Reluctant Dreamers

War seems to be the common theme the last couple of weeks and it is no different as this story takes place during the Angolan Civil War. However, this book tries to find the best out of this horrible situation by creating a dreamlike landscape and beautiful imagery to make this situation a little tolerable for us readers and the characters involved. Daniel Benchimol just like Cercas was going through a big slump in his life with divorce, no job, and the constant horrors of his environment. However, Daniel took it one step further by completely utilizing the dream world entirely as his source of escape. The connections between his fantasy place and reality were really entertaining to read and the back and forth really got me invested, especially when Daniel’s daughter showed up. That entire turmoil throughout the novel gave way to many important themes that were correlated very well between both worlds. That theme I think involved the chaos and pain that the war produced, and it even was present in Daniel’s dreams as well. The theme of fear was also very present and it was the major driving force for Daniel and his friends to realize that ambitious dreamers and people who revolt and strive for change are fighting for the same cause in some way. Of course, that been said, it also took some disconnecting on both worlds as it felt like Daniel was constantly stuck in reality because of the daughter’s actions that his fantasy world becomes fuzzy and vice versa.

I was a huge fan of the dream concept here in this book as I consider myself a constant dreamer. Whether I sleep at night or daydream by day or when random ideas pop into my head, I just get caught up in my fantasy world. It is very beautiful and how Agualusa utilized that to further tell the history of the Angolan wars was a fresh take that kept me wanting to keep reading. It is quite difficult to want to go back in history especially if it was war-torn because most of the memories are horrendous and ugly. But how did Agualusa manage to share those brutal sides of history and incorporate them into a story of truth and fiction via the dreamworld is astonishing and amazing all around?

My question for this week is how do your dreams/daydreams connect with your everyday life? Are dreams all fantasy or are there hidden agendas?

Xyrus Ramos

Cercas x Mazas In Soldiers of Salamis

Cercas’s novel was a very nice blend of truth and fantasy to it just like Bolanos Amulet. The main difference is the narrators and authors. Bolano felt like a big-league writer who was already very established. while Cercas is a person who is struggling to find his groove in the writing industry and has a very rough personal life. I can honestly relate more with Cercas more because I can relate with him and he feels like just a regular person like any other person that’s trying to get by in life. His journey to relevancy really got him to connect to an individual he even never met before in Sanchez Mazas. Even though they lived in two different timelines, The connection between them was very crucial as Cercas was able to overcome his demons by writing, researching, and telling the story of Mazas while we get to learn more about the his history and the conflicts of 60 years ago. But the character the seemingly stole the show was Antoni Miralles, the well respected soldier with prestige. His moral character was very admirable and the little things like hiding a smoke from the nuns or showing emotion when dancing with his partner shows how human a soldier can really be. More importantly, this novel gives us the biggest question to ponder, is he the soldier that spared Mazas’s life? I’d like to think so.

The theme of this book revolves around the concept of memory and history. How 60 years have gone by and how those conflicts and war still affect present time. People are still so fixated in uncovering the histories of the olden days as they want to prolong the memories of their ancestors whether it is good or bad. The more they uncover, the more they realize how society ended up to where it is because of the actions of the past. A really great point Cercas mentioned was that not only the winners of war or life are remembered, but even the losers and anyone can be remembered as long as individuals have the willingness to learn their stories. Hence, why the dead are still alive to this day through storytelling and remembering history.

Finally, I really adored how the utilization of literature gave us a fiction novel with a nice plot and story while also giving us a true history lesson about the characters and the events that was depicted, It was a perfect blend of both.

my question for this week is do you agree with authors such as Bolano and Cercas stretching the truth in a way to further excite the book they’re writing?

-Xyrus Ramos Aparri

Amulet by Roberto Bolano

The amulet was a confusing mess of history but Bolano somehow made it a must-read. The suspense was killing me only to realize that the horrors were never really going to appear because the narrator constantly dodged those bullets and got to see the better sides of the stories she shared. The first part of the book I believe was the peak, as Auxilio was trapped in the 4th-floor bathroom while the police and military were raiding her university. I thought the officer was going to find her and capture her, but instead, we got to hear her “memories” instead, and honestly, that provided more excitement than the typical rising conflict scenario.

Every character had depth and had a reason for the readers to be invested in. Elena and Arturo were the standouts, and the son of Lillian was definitely the eeriest character. Elena was Auxilios self-proclaimed best friend and would always be worried whether Elena was not around or missing. Although, the friendship did seem one-sided as Elena focused on love with Paulo near the end and constantly left without a trace. But Auxilio would always be there longing for her friend to return. Her relationship with Arturo was a little more complicated as she was his teacher and provided as some sort of secondary mother figure, but at the same time a friend once he returned from the army. The mystery of Arturo’s experience seemed horrifying to the point where he started hanging out with the other sewer boys. It seemed like he was very much humbled and decided to go back to his roots and also act as a leader for these struggling kids. The most important part of the book for me involved the confrontation between Arturo, Ernesto, Auxilio, and The “King” about Ernesto’s debt. I expected some blood and tragedy to occur but instead, Arturo was more focused on helping the slave child and making sure he was to be saved. Whatever happened to the kid seemed horrific, but the book constantly dodges these horrible moments and that seems to be the “horror” part.  Constantly narrowing disaster, but still reminding us of the events that still transpired really got me invested. And the fact that I kept bracing myself for the worst, but only getting to see Auxilios connections with many important figures were still eye-opening. The journey was endless, but so were conflicts and terror.

My question for this week is what kind of memories would you want to fall back on? Back in time? Forward in the future? what would be your bathroom moment?
Xyrus Ramos

Thoughts on The Indiana General (AKA The Old Gringo)

The Old Gringo was definitely one of my favorite reads so far in this course. The book title really caught me off guard and I was surprised with how the storyline went. Knowing that the term “gringo” is used by the Latino community to describe a caucasian white male. If I may add, a caucasian that’s usually a bad person. However, this old gringo was a very respectful and wholesome man that volunteered to go to Chihuahua and aid in a civil war currently taking place. He felt at peace with his life and even kept insisting throughout the story that he was ready to pass on. The people from Mexico were very skeptical of this man and it seemed like they did not take the gringo seriously as he was already of old age and the fact that he was “different” from them. I liked how they tackled the animosity between South America and North America, and how this old man was proving the stereotype wrong and insisting on helping out with a conflict he does not need to be a part of. Like I mentioned, the old gringo seems at peace with his own world since all his family members are all gone, but not satisfied with the world around him so he probably came to a conclusion to discover the conflicts of the world.

The amount of knowledge the Indiana General shared and the stories he heard from the people in the community were truly inspiring, and this book really had that adventure, western-like vibe, especially his conversations with Arroyo. From the moment Ambrose hit that coin with his pistol, a special relationship formed with them and although it was mostly disagreements and butting heads,  I sensed respect with them. This book expresses the concept of courage which Ambrose showcased with his fearlessness and heroic acts towards Arroyo’s soldiers and refusing to commit heinous acts while Arroyo kept trying to push his moral values. I felt like Arroyo felt envious of Ambrose and how “good” the gringo really is a person. With a person with nothing to lose, all he can do is gain. With retrospect to Arroyo, who had everything to lose and he seemed to definitely succumb to the pressure. It was only poetic that it was Arroyo who made Ambrose’s wish come true as he kills him. But at the end of the day, The Old Gringo found peace with himself, and probably hope after witnessing the Mexican revolution and trying to change the tide for the people struggling there.

My question is, Is Ambrose truly a good person in your eyes? Or do you think he is hiding some demons that we don’t know of?
-Xyrus Aparri

Thoughts on W, or The Memory of Childhood

I absolutely adored the concept of this book by Perec and I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter whether it made sense or not.  The themes of fantasy and reality are really expressed here and it shows that the author may be contemplating the choice of W over the realism of his memories. The “real” portion of his book comes straight home his childhood memories or memories from other sources to explain where he came from and try to unravel the mystery of his parents. Even then, what he is pulling out may not be the entire truth, but being able to bring about his past and trying to comprehend what he has experienced is a feat in itself. I think adding the elements of the fictional storytelling go hand in hand as both are stories regardless of the genre. It does not matter if one is verbatim from one’s experiences or inside the mind, the story progresses itself and both share their own fantasy or realistic values.  I believe this is the best way to deal with fragmented memories, especially ones that come from the earliest childhood. it definitely showcases how difficult it is to have a recollection n of the past and that every flashback will be very hazy and confusing in some way. So, by adding a fantasy alternative in the book we can see that we should treat these memories with care and not fully believe in the author’s words. Furthermore, just as a fantasy novel, we should thoroughly enjoy and create an image of the author’s life and family and be a part of that journey. Memory is beautiful and looking back at nostalgia will always be a fantasy since the past cannot be lived again, so the authors way of utilizing it was very unique and made it a must read.

Another thing to add involves the setting it took place and the disturbing events that occurred during the timeline. Maybe the author purposely structured it in a way where he doesn’t actually want to truly remember his entire history just as the world is trying to forget the horrors of the 1930s-1945s.

Overall, It was indeed a very pleasant read.

My question for the week is what would your autobiography be like? Would it just be a strict story regarding your entire life or are you gonna spice it up and add a unique flavor to it? I personally think mine would include a lot of quotes and song lyrics cause its easier to express myself that way.

The Shrouded Woman by Maria Luisa Bombal

First of all, the concept of a deceased person just summarizing her life is an amazing concept. Makes you really wonder what life after death really is like. This book was a wild ride. but every moment of it was special and so vivid. It may be fiction, but the world that was created felt like everyday reality.

Ana Maria experienced all sorts of things throughout her life like love, heartbreak, fidelity, friendship, family,  and ultimately she felt more at peace after she passed away. It was ironic, but as the end of the book mentioned, her life on earth was painful and felt like death. But even with her hardships she never threw away her moral compass. Especially with her situation with her husband Antonio. He blatantly cheats on Ana with Sofia and other mistresses all because she thought Ana was cheating on him with Ricardo. Ana had thoughts about committing a sin, but she never did as she did it for the sake of her children and family. She even forgave her alleged friend Sofia and Antonio near the end. She even admitted that she wished to be alive so that she could hate Antonio still but his grieving at her death changed that.  This brings me to my next point about the theme of Gender in this one. A lot of the women portrayed here were without their own freedom. Some cases include Zoila not allowing Maria to marry Ricardo, and  Maria G not being allowed to be outside or anywhere due to the jealousy of his husband Alberto. They suffer from all of this but never get a say in their own way. Women were also portrayed as “trophies” especially Maria G as everyone was falling for her. The men in the story never really suffered any consequences from their actions as they were just able to do anything they wanted without the care of their lovers or partners. You could count the death of Sylvia as a consequence because of her husband falling in love with Maria G. However, the husband still walks free and I wonder if he did actually mourn her.
The theme of family and friendship was portrayed in a very negative way. There were all sorts of betrayals and spite within all the different families. However, even with the tough love and backstabbing that occurred, on many occasions, they still expressed their love for one another like family. The relationship between Zoila and Ana Maria stood out. Even tho Zoila would not allow her daughter to marry Ricardo, Ana Maria still loved her and they still took care of one another. Another one that stands out is the mother-daughter relationship between Ana Maria and Alberto. Even though Ana became somewhat like her mother and refused to meet Alberto’s wife, they eventually reconciled. No matter how many conflicts were sewn in Ana Maria’s relationships, the bridge never burned with her. She may have been portrayed as with hardships and oppressed values, but her tenacity and moral character never wavered. And in some screwed-up kind of way, she was rewarded by finally having a piece in her life. Just as she longed for it the moment she was born.

My question for this week is what do you think life after death is really like? Is this story an accurate portrayal of what happens as we fade away?

Proust Blog (Part 1)

Part one of Combray was really engaging and got me really invested in the mind and history of the protagonist.  His descriptions and explanations of what goes on during the sleep process are very spot on, and I can relate with some of them for sure. I always find myself reminiscing over the past,  and enjoying the memories of my childhood. All these thoughts especially happen at night, and the mind becomes more awake than drowsy.  With the Narrator, he clearly remembers his strong connection with his mother and always wanting to be kissed goodnight, but also very anxious that his parents would cast him away.

The theme of interaction and relationships is quite evident. The protagonist’s connection with his mother seems very strong but very one-sided. The mother never really seems fully invested with her child but does have the duties of nurturing and taking care of him. However, the narrator’s father does not interact with his kid whatsoever. When he saw his son being restless during nighttime he told his wife to give him peace of mind. It reminds me of the traditional household family where the mother takes care of the kid, while the father probably makes the income. Moreover, the character of the grandmother is very conservative and very hypocritical, especially in her observations of M.Swann. At first, she was very critical of M.Swanns character due to him hanging around rich slobs, but after his most recent visit, the grandmother ended up praising him at the end. The narrator’s entire family is very loving of Swann and their dynamic seems very natural. The most intriguing relationship has to be between Swann and the Narrators grandfather. It is very wholesome to see this relationship transpire. The grandpa holds him in very high regard and feels sympathy towards Swann as his wife passed away.

Another theme that has been shown subtly is the concept of loss and fear. Swann losing his wife is one example, but the narrator fearing that he might lose his family if he doesn’t behave is another one. It kinda seems like both their lives are eerily similar already, and in part two we’ll find out more about the connections between Swann and the narrator. It may look like the prototypical family, but in hindsight, there might be dysfunction happening behind the scenes. The earlier imagery that the narrator envisioned in his dreams feels like a sign for bad things to come in part two of Proust.

My question of the week is what kind of weird dreams have yall had about the past have been brought up lately?

-Xyrus aka JohnRamos

Introduction + Response to Intro Lecture

Hello, It is I a 4th-year student that’s majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Creative Writing. Still have no idea what to do just yet but am very excited about where life takes me. Maybe something to do with sports, or maybe in movies, or maybe with the wild animals. The possibilities are endless. Although maybe paying off debt is the best place to start and getting this degree.

My expectations of this semester are to just learn and appreciate every course I have taken and if I do well then that’s a big bonus right there.

The concept of the “romance world” was very intriguing and it has its own Hogwarts feel to it. I’ve always thought of romance to be something magical and fantasy.  Just like the elements, it can be anywhere in the universe, but it’s not any corporeal thing. Very intrigued to see what unfolds in this course as I cant wait to produce my own concepts of romance and share them with my peers

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