April 4, 2022 · 8:53 pm

Final Post

I can’t believe how fast this semester has gone by, just like that, I am done with my first year of university. This course has been a pleasure to take, and I am honestly quite sad there is nothing further I can take that will be similar to this course. I have always loved reading, and this class pushed me to read books I would have never chosen on my own. There was a lot of satisfaction in reading a book a week, and the reaction I got from my friends when I told them the course requirements always made me laugh. Although not all of the novels were my favourite, I found it fun to either rave or criticize each week. My favourites this semester was The Shrouded Woman and The Time of the Doves. 

I hope that this course continues to be offered because I have convinced many of my friends to take it next year. I enjoyed the freedom of this class, and the blogs were a great way for everyone to see each other’s thoughts and share our own. I also appreciated the contract and felt like I was rewarded for the work I was doing, and I have no reason to be unhappy with a grade when I chose it myself, and I know I worked for it. I wish we had more class time to discuss specific books because I sometimes felt like I had thoughts or questions that went unaddressed simply because there was not enough time. However, the discussions we did have in class were always enlightening and enjoyable for me. I am usually not nervous to participate in class discussions, but I felt like everyone was always open to new ideas. I would like to say thank you to Jon, Jennifer, and Patricio, as well as the rest of the class, for making this course so enjoyable and one that I looked forward to every week. My final questions for the class are: do you think this course has influenced the type of novels you will read in the future? What novel did you read in this course that you think impacted you the most and might stick with you?   

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my blog posts this semester, and good luck with finals 🙂

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March 20, 2022 · 5:12 pm

Bolaño Reflection

This week I read Amulet by Roberto Bolaño. The novel follows the narrator Auxilio Lacouture, a woman from Uruguay and the coined “mother of Mexican poetry.” She works at a university in Mexico City, and when she realizes the university is surrounded by an army, she finds herself hiding alone and reflecting on her past. I found this novel to be unique as the author tells a story while also addressing the truth of the political climate. 

The novel’s narration reminded me a lot of Paris Peasant by Louis Aragon. It followed the narrator’s stream of consciousness. You can learn a lot about a character by following their every thought. As the novel explores Auxilio’s memories, I found her to be very unsure of herself, “one day I arrived in Mexico without really knowing why or how or when.” The memories of her personal self seem like she is unsure of her purpose or like she was trying to reimagine herself, whereas when she talked about the poets she worked for, her voice seemed more determined, like she understood their lives and their purpose more than her own. It might have been her attempt to connect with a higher society to which she felt a stranger. 

I had difficulty determining the past from the present and the future throughout the novel. Auxilio was observing, commenting, and participating in the events of the book all at once. This was a unique way of narration, I thought. As we discussed in the last few classes, the theme of memories has been a pattern throughout the course, but this one was the most interesting to me out of all the novels and different methods of exploring memories. Somehow, it felt like even when we were in the present, the narrator reflected as the events had already happened.

Although the historical context is important in the novel, I felt like the author perfectly addressed the political climate in a way that allowed me, as a reader with no previous knowledge of the conflict, to understand the author’s point of view and what was meant to be taken away. So I guess in that way, the historical context was not important at all. So my questions for the class are, what role did time play throughout the events in the novel? How did this story of memory differ from others we have read in the class?

 

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March 13, 2022 · 6:30 pm

Fuentes Reflection

This week I read The Old Gringo by Carlos Fuentes. The story is the memory of Harriet Winslow, an American school teacher who finds herself in the middle of the Mexican revolution. She meets a group of revolutionaries led by General Arroyo and accompanied by an old gringo. I had the unfortunate experience of watching the movie The Old Gringo a few years ago with my Dad after he had finished reading the novel himself (my Dad loves the type of texts we read in this class, definitely one of my influences when it came to taking this course). Some might say that watching a movie before reading a book ruins it, and usually, I would agree. But, that is until you watch this movie and realize the book’s narrative is completely lost, so reading the novel was an entirely different experience. 

I found the old gringos story to be a sad and interesting story of destiny and fate. He is unhappy with his life, and to be the master of his own destiny, he travels to Mexico to die in the revolution. Throughout his journey in Mexico, he welcomes the idea of death but eerily talks about how nice he wants his corpse to look when he does finally die. I think his desire for a dignified death comes from the life experiences that have led him to believe he had lived an undignified life. “Which is more important, the way we live or the way we die?” (pg.85). I believe the old comes man learns that there is little difference between life and death

Although this novel is considered short, it took me a long time to read. To me, the book is written more like poetry than prose. I reread pages, underlined more phrases, and there are more sticky notes in this novel than any others. There were so many themes I am sure I even missed some. Life, love, death, patriotism, destiny, identity, the list could go on. I think what was important was that every character, although coming from different backgrounds, had experiences that revolved around these themes in one way or another. For example, both the old gringo and Arroyo battle share the internal conflict with life and destiny. The old man wishes to die with dignity in Mexico, whereas the general wishes to die young, maybe as a way to escape the unpleasantries of his destiny. What did everyone else think Arroyo and the Gringos’ reasons were for wishing for death? How are life and death in the novel the same? How are they different?

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March 6, 2022 · 5:52 pm

Perec Reflection

This week I read W, or the Memory of Childhood. The structure of this novel was very unique, two books in one. As readers, we were challenged to see how the two fit together and decide if they did at all. “W” is a fictional story about a voyage to the fictional island of W. “The Memory of Childhood” is the other story and Perec’s memoir where he pieces together memories that help him recreate his past. 

The reconstruction of memories was an interesting thing to read. It made me realize how trauma can influence memories and how they can be changed and altered. Perec claims he has no childhood memories (pg 6) and continues to take us through all the memories of his life and how they are different and similar in his own history. Sometimes he would second guess facts, “she used to give me two francs every morning (I think it was two francs)”(pg 28). Sometimes memory can seem to be entirely intact until small pieces of information become unclear. This idea reminded me of a memory that I have that has clearly been altered because of the trauma that goes with it. Three years ago, my brother and I were in a car accident, we were both ok, but it was still clearly a traumatic experience. To this day, I am confident that we were driving home from the mall, and I could tell you what song was playing when we were hit, whereas my brother swears I was dropping him off at a friend’s house and claims he’s never heard the song I remember playing. We still have very different accounts of what happened three years later, even though we seemingly have the same memory. 

At the end of the novel, I was left with the question, why were these novels intertwined? What relevance did they have to each other, or was there any? I think that they are extremely connected in some ways and in different ways, not at all. The “W” being written by Perec as a child allows him and us as readers to be taken back to his childhood and allows us to connect to his memories in a unique way. In a way, it’s an accurate depiction of how memory works. Particular objects, places, and people can transport you back, and in a way, the story, although not necessarily relevant in context, allows us to take that trip with him. 

I would like to know if anyone else has specific memories that differ from what really happened or what others said happened? And what makes a memory truly memorable?

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February 27, 2022 · 11:43 pm

Rodoreda Reflection

This week I chose to read The Time of the Doves by Mercé Rodoreda.

I found this book easy to read and hard to put down. I quickly got lost in Natalia’s little world. Before getting into the novel I knew it was set around the Spanish Civil War and after the first few pages and meeting Quimet I thought I would be reading the classic love during wartime story, however, this novel was not that.

Natalia is simple and timid. She did not come across as a strong character at the beginning of the novel and she is often naive. She meets her husband Quimet who was abusive and controlling from the start. Calling her Colometa (little dove) instead of her real name. He is very possessive over her and quick to gaslight in any situation. He was clearly insecure and always looking for attention from others. I did not enjoy the relationship between Natalia and Quimet, it was frustrating to read and I pitied Natalia and the life she was living. 

The narrator followed a stream of consciousness throughout the novel. I notice a repetitive amount of run-on sentences, this could have been a result of translation but I found it reflecting Natalia’s state of mind. Natalia was a worrisome character and never felt comfortable with herself. At first, I had hoped for a character with more self-aware character but I found myself drawn to Natalia’s view of the world. She retells significant events that shaped her life and offers a sort of self-analysis of her life story. 

The doves were an interesting symbol in this novel. Natalia is the one who takes excessive care of her family as well as a growing number of birds that Quiment insists on raising while Natalia who is not very fond of them does all the raising. I found the doves to be a reflection of Natalia herself. At the start of the novel with Quiment calling her Colometa meaning little dove, I found it interesting the connection Natalia had to the birds throughout the novel. The doves start needy and helpless, scared to leave the dovecote and appear to rely greatly on the home Quimet built for them. Natalia’s relationship with the doves was parallel to her life. At first, she was content with them just like she was content with her life. As the novel continues Natalia builds character and realizes she will no longer stand for the birds and the implications they have in her life. I wonder what else the doves could have symbolized? And what was the author’s intention with them?

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February 13, 2022 · 7:43 pm

Sagan Reflection

This week I read Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan. This book was not my favourite as I found almost no redeeming qualities in any of the characters. 

I tried to sympathize with Cecile over her actions. She had grown up with the absence of her mother and a father who could have used a book on parenting. However, she loved the life she lived with her father, and how could she not? It was easy. Her lifestyle consisted of parties, drinking, smoking, and living out her days in Paris and her summers in a villa on the French Riviera. She had no responsibilities, and no one around her had any expectations for her. Obviously, this life had made her spoiled but I don’t think I can fully blame her for all of her actions towards Anne. Anne brought structure, expectations, and rules which were all new to Cecile and if I had lived 17 years of freedom I also would not be overly excited with the idea. I had a constant battle with Cecile’s character as I debated to the end whether her actions were excusable and a result of her upbringing or if they were in no way justifiable and she should just grow up. 

Raymond was the poster child for bad parenting. He was selfish and constantly a bad example for young Cecile. His actions towards the women in his life were inappropriate and confusing (taking Elsa to the villa then inviting Anne who he later asks to marry after a night out with both of them). I think Annes’ attempts to be a good role model to Cecile were made irrelevant after the night at the casino. Cecile used to be inspired and intimidated by Anne. However, after Anne and her father leave the casino together Cecile (and myself)  began to lose respect for Anne’s character. 

From all the flawed characters in the novel, I could not figure out who the antagonist was supposed to be. In a way, I could make an argument that every character was both an antagonist and protagonist. This was definitely an interesting read full of angst and a rather cynical ending.

I wonder if anyone else felt the conflict between feeling bad for Cecile while also wanting her to grow up? And who was the antagonist in this novel, or was there one at all?

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February 6, 2022 · 1:52 pm

Moravia Reflection

This week I chose to read the novel Agostino by Alberto Moravia. My decision to read this book came from some reviews I read on Goodreads that left me wondering what this novel was about.

The story of Agostino was a unique coming of age story. I couldn’t help but think of the Oedipus complex while reading, and after reading through some other blogs, I saw that this was a common idea for many readers this week. Agostino is fixated on his mother. In the beginning, this fixation seems innocent and childish, but these emotions change as his mother becomes romantically involved with a young boatman. Agostino feels left out and jealous. Thus begins the novel’s exploration of a young boy’s sexual awakening and loss of innocence. I found the boy’s description of his mother very disturbing to read, especially the more fixated he became with her female identity. I also noticed that she was always referred to as ‘the mother’ throughout the novel instead of ‘his mother’. To me, this was a way of explaining the disconnect Agostino felt with his mother as he grew older. 

Agostino’s actual loss of innocence is sparked one he meets Berto and the rest of the gang. We see that he had led a very sheltered life with his mother as he was coddled, and adoration of his widowed mother and her “beloved body” is with the shamelessness of a child who has yet to recognize people as sexual beings. The gang begins to introduce Agostino to the world of poverty, violence, and sexism. The boys talk about his mother in a disgusting and degrading way. Still, instead of feeling protective over his mother, he starts to see her the same way the others do and this is when we as readers begin to see a shift away from Agostino’s naive, childish manner. When Agostino returns to his mother, he commonly refers to her as “just a woman,” no longer seeing her as just his mother but now recognizing her female identity and his own sexual identity. 

Moravia’s observation of teenagers is the strength of the story. So many writers of coming-of-age stories often avoid the topic of sexual awakening, which is what this novella is all about. Although uncomfortable at times, this book really dove into the confusing time of adolescence. Was there a specific moment in the book where Agostino truly lost his childhood innocence, or was it a collection of events over time where he truly lost himself?

 

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January 31, 2022 · 11:23 am

Bombal Reflection

The Shrouded Woman was a very interesting comparison/contrast between the unknown world of death and the certainty of reality. I found reading about Anna-Maria’s life through the eyes of her corpse as a captivating way to bring me, the reader, through the story of her memories. In previous texts we have read I found myself getting lost or confused by the complexity of the writing, and while The Shrouded Woman was no basic piece of writing, the author kept me captivated through every detail making this one of my favourite texts we have read so far.

This book was interesting to me because I feel like it touched on an idea that has always come to me whenever death is brought up. Once we are gone, who will care? What will the world have to say about me and how has my life up to the point of death affected the people around me? Although this is a chilling thought, the author told the story of Anna-Maria’s afterlife experience in a way that almost made her death beautiful, much like the beauty she talked about once having. In her death, she was able to have this realization about her life and how she affected all of the people who visited her in death.

Ana-Maria embodied the expectation I would have for any woman in the 1930s. Her role throughout her life was to be a wife and the memories she has of herself are greatly surrounding her beauty. It made me think of how the woman’s role in society has changed and also how much it has not. Expectations for women in society and perceptions of beauty have changed over time but not enough that I couldn’t not relate to Ana-Maria when it came to her comparing her whole life to how she looked and was perceived at each time of it. I was looking forward to reading a novel by a female author with hopes that they would touch on this aspect of our society as a way to compare it to our modern-day society. I liked that there was an emphasis on women in this novel and that they were each empowered through their own means. 

I hope everyone else reading this book enjoys it as much as I have. A question I would ask someone reading this novel is what is the author trying to tell us about death and how can we use that in our lives today?

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January 23, 2022 · 3:00 pm

Aragon Reflection

This week I was challenged with the novel Paris Peasant by Louis Aragon. Although I found myself struggling to find a plot, the key themes and meanings behind the text stood out to me and I think I was able to understand what the author was trying to get me, the reader, to learn. There were times when I would reread certain quotes and passages because I found I was able to capture a deeper understanding of the message the author was trying to relay.

In the book, some of the key motifs of modernity and modern living are captured in the spirit of Paris’s city life and the uncertain nature of the social interactions between men of status and women of the lower class. I found it interesting how Louis Aragon captured the experience of modernity through common experiences and vices of city life in Paris. It is explored through brothels and condensed city streets which he described as an aquarium of people. I thought this was an interesting interpretation of human society and how we observe each other in social settings. A passage that really stood out to me was, “Each day the modern sense of existence becomes subtly altered. A mythology ravel and unravels. It is knowledge, a science of life open only to those who have no training in it”. To me, this reflects that modernity is practiced by every person as they continue to reinvent themselves in order to properly exist in a society that is constantly changing. The definition of modernity is not fixed. It appears that Aragon views modernism as a complete rejection of traditional normalities. Throughout the novel, he demonstrates how modernity is complex. It is about discovering identity based on the combination of individual and common experiences. 

Surrealism is another key theme that stood out to me through my engagement with the text. The way the author felt about the surrealist movement was noticeable as he focused greatly on the conceptions of reality and society. This novel challenged my mindset and any preexisting thoughts I might have had on how reality, society and humanity as a whole function. In the end, it was clear to me that the main objective of the novel was to challenge the way we view our world and the reality we have created for ourselves. I would like to know what others thought was the most important theme the author was presenting and how it relates to our modern society?

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January 16, 2022 · 8:42 pm

Proust Reflection

This was my first time reading any of Proust’s works and I started reading feeling a little uncertain about how much I would understand and enjoy the reading. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the book flowed and the words were enjoyable to read. For a story that had very little action, it presented many important themes that stood out to me. One of the major themes is the relationship between memory and time. It seemed to me that the main motivation of the novel was exploring the idea that time is not necessarily linear or measured on fixed and unchangeable moments. Instead, time or duration involved the flow of different moments and experiences made an individual point in time indistinguishable from the other. The author tried to express this theme by shifting between dreams and reality. However, I found the constant switch to be confusing and I would have to reread sections to determine whether I was reading his reality or a different dream. This method of writing had me confused at first but the more I read the easier it got for me to follow along.

The story is centred around the narrator’s memories at Combray and his relationship with those memories in the present. What we learned about Marcel’s family was very interesting to me and it created a picture in my mind where I could definitely understand what the family dynamic would have been like. The narrator suffers from nervous ailments and his desire for his mother’s nightly kiss offers him comfort. To me, it seemed that Marcel surrounded all his pain and happiness around his mother. Marcel’s father intimidates him and I sensed some resentment towards his father for trying to keep him from his nightly kiss from his mother. This was an interesting dynamic to me and it expressed a very Oedipal perspective. 

Overall I thought this was an excellent book to start the course off. It challenged my ability to follow a difficult text and new stylistic ways of writing that I had not seen in the past. The themes and constant shift from reality to dream made me think about why Marcel was having the reader focus so much on the importance of memories and how they can affect our perception of time. A thought that came to mind a lot while reading was how sleep connects the body and the mind in terms of being physically unconscious and dreaming. A question I had was what was the importance of memories and how can remembering the past affect our present reality?

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