Jan
11
Introduction
Posted by: | January 11, 2010 | Comments Off on Introduction
Hi everyone!
My name is Svetlana, and I’m currently finishing up a double major in Psychology and Spanish.
I haven’t met any of you yet as I have had an unxpected trip followed by having to sleep at the airport due to the enormous amounts of snow in the UK, so the trip took a little longer than it should have. However I am excited to finally join the class and wish you all a pleasant term.
Jan
11
1 Asturias
Posted by: | January 11, 2010 | Comments Off on 1 Asturias
As these stories are rather surreal by NATURE (no pun intended), they can be quite hard to follow: *especially for a non-native speaker*. The introductory letter helped me understand from what stance to tackle the reading; I knew it wasn’t going to be a chronological tale about society comings and goings, or what have you. It’s always dangerous to read too much about something before you yourself go and actually read it, as it can taint your ‘pure’ perception of the thing; however, the letter is far too personal and brief to pose a problem there.
Throughout the leyendas I read, I consistently felt a sense of comparison, between past and present (not so much future). A sense of nostalgia. Attention is consistently paid to what passed and how it lingers in the present tense; what changes and/or repercussions that ensue as a consequence. “Como se cuenta en las historias que ahora nadie cree…esta ciudad fue construida sobre ciudades…” (13), and essentially from there, the less chronological, more visual/sensory story commences. Asturias refers to different places and their respective anecdotal faces to assert where Guatemala stands in his eyes. I feel like the way in which he weaves between nearly-impossible-to-follow run-on sentences in the visual-sensory department and the clearer narrative parts comments on that past-present dichotomy.
Obviously lo natural plays an immense role. Constant references to things like gold, silver, foliage, specific animals, the trees and the jungle, the moon, the sun and stars infer an attribution of godliness to nature. And from that point, a connection between that godly nature and the original indigenous state of living in old-time Guatemala. I like it. I sympathize with his viewpoints and appreciate the lackadaisical yet very pointed and direct air the natural passages have to them. If his stories were made into moving pictures, it would be impossible to capture the pigment and luster of the foliage and skies by night with any camera… More suitable to animation, I think.
At times I was confused about who (or what) was the subject of a sentence. In “Ahora que me acuerdo”, Asturias refers to a Nosotros to whom I couldn’t pin an identity! Either way, in this story Asturias takes the godliness to a next level by creating a Nature chant sobre la germinacion, nature’s health (as I took it). However, I may have misinterpreted some parts and here any commentaries would be helpful! The repetition of “y bailaban, cantando” creates a rhythm in the text: it provokes feeling of chant, ceremony, prayer, celebration, all things I might associate with spirituality or religion. Clear biblical references show up in the selection of the sheep (lobo) as a subject and in the “Leyenda del Cadejo”, where it kind-of inverses the view. Madre Elvira de San Francisco is the point of view from which the reader begins the story; we start from inside a classically religious locale, a monastery, and feel how the spirit of what is outside enters into her interior world (first few pages). I loved how Asturias changed his direction in Cadejo; it really contrasts but does agree with the previous stories.
Jan
10
Asturias: las leyendas
Posted by: | January 10, 2010 | Comments Off on Asturias: las leyendas
Pasé un ratito en Guatemala este verano, no bastante para conocerlo bien, pero estaba más en Chiapas, México, donde conocé a muchos guatemaltecos. Por que México toma una hora extra durante los veranos[1] y Guatemala no hace esto, el tiempo de Guate es una hora atrás de México. Entonces lo llaman el tiempo de México “tiempo nuevo”, y el tiempo de Guatemala, “tiempo viejo”.
El tiempo viejo, la antigüedad que Asturias mencione es integral en su visión de Guatemala hoy en día. “Como se cuenta en las historias que ahora nadie cree- ni las abuelas ni los niños- esta ciudad fue construida sobre ciudades enterradas en el centro de América” (Guatemala). Este tema aparece en mucha de la literatura latinoamericana[2], pero Asturias me parece más suelto con la distinción entre los tiempos, es más mezclada. Los otros cuentos que se he leído hay una distinción definitiva entre el pasado y el presente. Pero por sus cuentos aquí, Asturias vuela por esas distinciones.[3] Quizás por que en Guatemala no hay tanta distinción entre el cotidiano de hoy y las tradiciones y leyendas de ayer. Más que cuarenta por ciento de la población es indígena y me imagino tienen costumbres similares a los mayas del pasado.
También refiere a los aspectos del día moderno. Por ejemplo en “Leyenda de Cadejo” la iglesia católica, representa por la monja, discrepa con un elemento fantástico antiguo, el cadejo. El conflicto es un conflicto relevante a los comunidades indígenas que los se convierte al catolicismo. Asturias tiene un perspectiva de América Latina se basa en los costumbres indígenas.
[1] Como daylight savings time.
[2] Me recuerdo el cuento de Fuentes, “Chac Mool” sobre un hombre que busca el dios de lluvia y luego se ahoga. Y también “La noche boca arriba” de Cortázar sobre un hombre que sueña que se sacrificado después un accidente en su moto.
[3] Or maybe it’s just my terrible Spanish. I feel like a fourth grader.
Jan
10
Leyendas part one
Posted by: | January 10, 2010 | Comments Off on Leyendas part one
I am impressed by Leyendas, and enjoy reading the stories, but I am a little lost. There is so much ambiguity that trying to understand everything is a challenge. There is an air of freshness that seems like Asturias is breaking new ground. Is it prose? Well kind of but not really because the writing is so poetic, with dense metaphor and repetition. Is it reality or fantasy? Asturias weaves a nest of labyrinths, then suddenly reels the reader back in. I guess he didn’t want to dwell in the mundane for too long, which is a relief although it taxes me to have to engage so thoroughly. By the way, there’s no way that I can ramble sufficiently in this blog entry for 500 words. It’s not that I don’t have an opinion or incapable of expressing one – quite the opposite. I find it loathsome to express anything personal that I have to post onto the net. Every time I turn it seems I am forced to relinquish another piece of my privacy. I think technical “how to” blogs are more interesting because they can be factual, impartial, scientific. So in order to help myself, I could approach this blog as a kind of literary analysis blog – which I may deem worthwhile, but then how could I say anything interesting and original in just 30 minutes? Reading about the minutiae of other people’s daily lives I find to be nauseating – how could anyone be so vain to think that anyone else gives a shit? How could anyone be so ignorant to think that divulging their little secrets won’t bite them in the ass someday? Plus too many people are talking endlessly but saying absolutely nothing 😉 So I may as well get in line with the rest of the sheep and do what I’m told and spend another 6 years jumping through the bureaucratic hoops of the academic hypocrisy. What I enjoy the most about Leyendas is the rhythm of the writing. For example, in Ahora Que Me Recuerdo, there is a gradual development from calm, to exciting, and suddenly back to calm. By “calm” I mean normal, predictable, sober, and mundane. I get the feeling of falling into a psilocybin-induced trance, tripping along the precipice of sanity. This rhythm is almost musical and leads the reader through a concise progression of emotion which is satisfying and easily discernible thanks to the brevity of the story. Among the other stories or leyendas, certain themes appear regularly such as “la naturaleza”, animals, the personification of mountains and earthly geography as gods, and religion – of the natural, indigenous quality as well as the influence of the unnatural, dangerous and heretical nature of European christianity. These leyendas are obviously based in the mythology of the indigenous people of the land, and in that way the personification of animals, mountains, man, and the weather as gods is to be expected, but it does not detract from the enjoyment of reading these stories. More on this later …
Jan
10
Me gustó tanto la primera mitad de Leyendas de Guatemala. Me llamó la atención ciertos enlaces en la escritura de Miguel Ángel Asturias con la de Gabriel García Márquez. Se puede ver un estilo similar en la manera en que describe el ambiente, dándole personalidad y incorporando el fantástico. En la decimoquinta página dice, “El aire tropical deshoja la felicidad indefinible de los besos de amor.” A veces es difícil ver el propósito de todas las descripciones pero nos da imágenes que se nos quedan grabadas en la mente. Además, la repetición de ciertas frases ayuda a provocar sentimientos en el lector. Repite varias veces “el cuco de los sueños va hilando los cuentos.” Las descripciones del sacrificio de las palomas crean imágenes morbosas, pero poderosas. Es muy brillante su manera de describir y comparar: “…favoritas que enhebraban en hilos de pita, más blanca que la luna,…” Me gustaron sus ideas de “ciudades construidas sobre ciudades.” Aunque una ciudad indígena pueda cambiar físicamente y cambiar de dueño, siempre habrá rastros de los antiguos dueños. Si no me equivoco, este tema está presente en la escritura de Garcilaso de la Vega también. Nos cuenta la memoria de un montón de otras ciudades que tienen sus propias características cada una. Durante esta descripción, me acordé de la escritura de Italo Calvino en su libro Ciudades invisibles en que personifica cada ciudad como si fuera una persona con rasgos únicos. Describe como “la noche penetra” y establece la escena con el movimiento de la luz: “por las altas ventanas entra furtivamente el oro de la luna. Media luz. Las candelas sin llamas y la Virgen sin ojos en la sombra.” Repite la palabra “crepúsculo” para que el texto sea más emotivo.
En Ahora me acuerdo, se escucha un rato el lenguaje castellano. Es interesante porque nunca escuchamos el discurso entre los conquistadores. Aquí sale el tema de la influencia de los españoles sobre las tribus. Es evidente por el uso del “vosotros.” Tal vez el autor se burla de ellos pero no estoy seguro. No sé porque el autor la eligió pero esta frase me sorprendió: “un dios macho está violando en cada flor una virgen.
Jan
10
Leyendas de Guatemala- I
Posted by: | January 10, 2010 | Comments Off on Leyendas de Guatemala- I
Antes de esta lectura, no tenía conocimiento previo sobre la historia de Guatemala o de cuya cultura, pero
Por ejemplo, en el segundo cuento
Otra cosa que me parecía interesante es también en
Además, hay muchas referencias de la naturaleza en los cuentos, y creo que de esta manera Asturias está tratando de delinear la importancia de la naturaleza en la vida humana. Me parece que hay una homogeneidad entre el humano y la naturaleza y eso ésta conectado a la importancia de la naturaleza y el papel que desempeña en el desarrollo de Guatemala. Como ejemplo, en
Por fin, pienso que lo mas interesante es el primer cuento, dónde Asturias forma la historia con la ayuda del “Cuco de los Sueños (que) va hilando los cuentos” (p. 20). El pájaro actúa como una cámara que captura los movimientos de sus entornos y las realidades de la vida humana y las de la naturaleza. En mi opinión, en el primer parte de las
He disfrutado mucho en leer el primer parte de las
Jan
10
Leyendas de Guatemala: Primera Mitad
Posted by: | January 10, 2010 | Comments Off on Leyendas de Guatemala: Primera Mitad
Tras leer la primera mitad de Leyendas de Guatemala, simplemente puedo decir que me he quedado impresionada con el estilo del texto. He leído muchos “cuentos cortos” en español, como el del peruano Cesar Vallejo y Valdelomar y Asturias es simplemente extraordinario.
Inmediatamente me hizo crear conexiones con otros autores que hacen uso de muchas comparaciones y exageraciones de cierto modo indirecto hacia la forma como aquel mundo esta visualizado. He tomado el curso 364, por lo que puedo relacionar este texto con los textos estudiados en el semestre pasado. Se puede ver como el estilo es muy parecido al de Cortes e incluso al de Colón en cierto sentido. Se utiliza mucho las repeticiones para mostrar la grandeza y acentuar lo impresionante y diversa que es aquella cultura y sus tradiciones como “noche delirante” en la leyenda, “Ahora me acuerdo”.
El lenguaje utilizado es bastante complejo y no muy entendible por partes, ya que el vocabulario parece muy técnico y estilizado. Sin embargo, poco a poco me fui acostumbrando al estilo y se me hizo mucho mas fluido y en cierto modo poético.
Se me hace bien interesante como la naturaleza siempre es utilizada para contar las leyendas y a la misma ves crear ficción a lo largo. Esto se puede ver por ejemplo en la leyenda del volcán, “la que llamaban Hurakán, montaña de nubes, subió al volcán a pelar el cráter con las uñas”, que por cierto muestra un tremendo parecer al Popol Vuh que es mito-histórico también. La intención de Asturias al incorporar toda esta naturaleza muestra lo mágico y fabuloso de las leyendas en general, como los sueños y la fantasía.
En general aunque al comienzo la lectura me pareció media tediosa, poco a poco le fui agarrando el ritmo al estilo y al significado general que tienen estas leyendas. Otro aspecto me fascino fueron los rituales ya que me dejaron con el pensamiento de cómo así fueron creados y como hoy en día sucede lo mismo y los rituales son mantenidos.
Jan
10
My interpretation
Posted by: | January 10, 2010 | Comments Off on My interpretation
In Leyendas de Guatemala, Miguel Angel Asturias combines nature with human traits, personality, and myth. It is more than simply personifying nature; mythical creatures and people exist within nature. In these stories, nature breathes and is brought alive by the many characters and creatures introduced to us.
Jan
10
Span 365. Asturias
Posted by: | January 10, 2010 | Comments Off on Span 365. Asturias
I found this text somewhat difficult to read because of my level of comprehension in combination with the remarkable use of language of Asturias. I believe I got the gist of most of the legends, however, I feel I cannot fully appreciate their value as Asturias seems to be amazing in his choice of words, along with the use of literary devices. To me, the language used to recount the legends seems almost poetic in nature, which is very interesting because I believe that poetry was an important and respected art in Mayan culture. As such, the text itself emphasizes aspects of Mayan culture with its rich use of language. I found the manner in which Asturias describes things very interesting. For example, I really enjoyed Asturias’ description of the tree and time in the phrase, “El árbol que cuenta los años de cuatrocientos días por las lunas que ha visto,” (41). It seems like such an interesting and poetic way to describe time.
I also found it very interesting that the introductory letter emphasizes the power of the language contained within the text. Paul Valery makes it seem as if Asturias’ words are filled with some type of narcotic that has the power to take you to another world. Although the introductory letter steers away from the historical aspect of the text, I found it extremely interesting that Asturias included an appendix to explain many of the terms used throughout the legends. Although many of the terms are not common, to me, the appendix almost mirrors the type found in most history books. Not only does it help explain the legends, it is almost as if the appendix strengthens their credibility making them historically important.
I believe I will have to read this text a few more times to fully appreciate the linguistic skill of Asturias. I really enjoyed these legends, especially the wonderful use of language used throughout the text. I am looking forward to reading the second half of the book.
Jan
10
Leyendas de Guatemala
Posted by: | January 10, 2010 | Comments Off on Leyendas de Guatemala
Our first reading was as tough to read as it was long. Asturias has a talent for fantastical imagery that takes the reader on a roller coaster ride through jungles and forests brimming with life, across paisajes of immaculate beauty, and weaves harrowing tales of both mortals and the divine, the real and the surreal. While one cannot deny the creative ingenuity of the obra, the complexity of each sentence often leaves the reader stranded and perplexed. As would reading similar prose in one’s native language, a student of Spanish is left dumbfounded, struggling for grip of the works’ direction, aim and purpose. Maybe the author’s advancement of surrealism and of creative prose are worth praise from critics, though as a fan of minimalism and beauty in simplicity, straightforward prose, as opposed to the elaborate, fantastic, and the surreal. I couldnt help marveling at the similes, metaphors and imagery, though also couldn’t help wishing he would jusI think that our ability to imagine, to create magical lands, culture and fictional people and creatures sets us apart from anything else on this planet, and I confess that I lack said imaginative brain processes that would enable me to (re)create such rich environments as Asturias does, but I can’t help question why its important? What is the point? What does it add to the obra?
I will attempt to answer my own questions: What Asturias succeeds at is similar to what James Cameron recently achieved in Avatar: immersing the audience in an imaginary environment. As does Cameron’s use of 3D optics provide the viewer a sense of involvement and presence, within an alien world. When critiquing the obra it is important to understand that his aim and the purpose of the obra no es para moralizar, sino llevarnos en una adventura surreal por un mundo complejo y llena de cosas, animales y colores vibrantes y fantasticas. Simple sentence structure and a minimalist approach wouldn’t achieve the sense of involvement in one’s surroundings, and may fail in producing a convincing glimpse into a magical and fantastic world. The dreary and hopeless post-apolcalypse world that Cormac McCarthy creates in The Road, similarly wouldn’t achieve the author’s aim of immersing the reader in a new world without such complex prose and imagery (though the world which McCarthy paints is no mystical or magical land, but a gray, bleak, wretched world in which the coming of death is what one awaits in fear, though secretly longs for.) Finally, this work is important because it extends our anthropological understanding of an ancient and mystical world by enrapturing the audience in a storytelling of truly epic proportions, mientras mezclando lo antiguo con lo moderno en prosa de realismo magical incomparable. In sum, however, I’m a stubborn bastard and a sucker for works of meticulous simplicity, such as that of Hemingway, and may be sh*t-out-of-luck in a class where the main focus is magical realism.
ps. I think I speak for most of the class when saying, holy sh*t that was a lot to read for the first weekend.
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