Moravia’s Agostino
This week the reading was a linear storyline which I can say was actually enjoyable as it makes it easier to read. I enjoyed the fact that it was a linear story, as I am not a big reader and reading like last week can get me a little bit confused.
This reading was not as surrealistic as the ones before which I actually enjoyed. It did not have much of that fantasy stuff which I am a fan of, but rather it was a usual story line, which even though we have been reading. I am a little disappointed compared to what we have been reading. I enjoyed it a lot, to the point where I read it all in one sitting.
I enjoyed this reading because as said before I am not a big reader which causes me to miss some big things. But this one, I was able to keep up with the whole reading which made me feel good and actually enjoy the book compared to last week’s. I did not feel as attached to the reading and I think I know why. The whole thing about changing the way Agostino sees his mother did not entertain me as much but rather made me feel in discomfort. I enjoyed the whole interaction with the fisherman boat people. But the interaction with the mother did not make her see her as just his mother. But something else I did not enjoy is it made me feel rather a little uncomfortable.
I will say again that the factor of this being a one story line that was easier to read for me. Which was rather enjoyable as it allowed me to follow the whole lecture without much of a problem. And it was good but I would much rather go with last week’s reading even though it is a little more hard and nonlinear. much more enjoyable and a storyline which has you much more hooked into the story.
Because of this I would like to know If you enjoyed this week’s lecture more than last weks which did not follow a linear storyline. I personally, even though it was harder, enjoyed much more last week because I thought this week had much more of a sentiment impact compared to last week which did have an impact on me.. In the case that you did not read last week, I w9uld like to know if you like reading more than the other weeks compared and I would like to know why. As I believe this story was a little bit more dark and sad compared to last, but it did follow a linear storyline I believe.
Daniel, there’s quite a lot of repetition in your post this week, and not so much about the book: you keep saying the book had “a linear storyline,” but don’t explain much what you mean. Where does the book take us? From where to where? What is the initial situation and how, if at all, have things changed by the end?
And this set of sentences I didn’t really understand: “rather it was a usual story line, which even though we have been reading. I am a little disappointed compared to what we have been reading. I enjoyed it a lot, to the point where I read it all in one sitting.”
(Finally, do please add the category or tag “Moravia”!)
Hi, I also found Agostino to be easier to follow and understand compared to the previous text such as Bombal’s Shrouded Woman, as everything in Agostino obviously takes place in a third person present tense. I find it interesting that you thought it had more of an emotional impact compared to the previous texts, I also found it easier to relate to Moravia as well, as the transition from childhood to youth is something everyone can relate to, and the difficulties that accompany that transition.
Thank you for the post!
I agree that most of if not everyone who reads this story will get a little uncomfortable because we all tend to see our parents and especially mothers in a one-dimensional way especially when we are young. Agostino’s delicate and innocent heart could not handle the new knowledge that adults engaged in sexual acts and that his mother was likely engaging in that with the young man. It was too much for him to handle that his mother has become sexualized object of the male gaze. Having said that, we should not just read things that make us comfortable. We sometimes have to get uncomfortable and read or engage in conversations that challenge us or force us to look at ourselves and the world around us differently.