written by Ricardo Palma
[I] pp. 134 – 142
There was an expression, so the narrator says, that ¡Esto vale tanto como el alacrán de fray Gómez! (135). How did this expression come about? From a miracle-working priest friar named Gómez…
I
He was born religious and worked in a hospital as a youth. But more importantly, he performs miracles and thought nothing about them. For example, a horseback rider fell to the ground, and everyone was already calling for the moribund holy oils to be put on him. Fray Gómez walks over, puts his cord in his mouth, and says three prayers. The man walks away as if nothing had happened. He was to be put on shoulders and paraded about, but he snuck away. As to the validity of the event, Yo ni lo niego ni lo afirmo. Puede que sí y puede que no (137).
In another instance, San Francisco Solano has no appetite. After a while, he says the only thing he would eat was un par de pejerreyes (138), half-jokingly. Fray Gómez has some up his sleeve, which he gives to San Francisco Solano. And it cured his broken appetite.
On his tombstone, it says, fue su vida un continuo milagro (138).
II
A traveling salesman approaches fray Gómez in his room. He says he is a good, hard worker, but lacks money for his business. He comes asking for a loan; with it, his business would prosper. The man’s faith believes that the friar can find him some money, even though the friar is not allowed to have any. The friar takes a scorpion, puts it into paper, and tells the man to sell it. When he does, it emerges with magnificent emeralds and rubies for its eyes. The man sells it for less than offered and gets the money he needs. His business prospers; he buys and returns the scorpion. The fray takes the scorpion and puts it on the window where it continues to walk, as it had before.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Las medias rojas
written by Emilia Pardo Bazán
[I] 69 - 74
Summary:
It is a sad story of the reality of the Spanish life. It includes realismo (la representación objective de la sociedad y costumbres y la efecta de la historia y el ambiente en las personas) and libre albedrío (de hacer lo que quiere hacer).
It begins with the the rapaza Ildara who lives with her father, tío Claudio. She is a hard worker who works as a prostitute under Claudio, but she is saving up to go to the United States. She buys red stockings – a symbol of hope – and takes pride in the beauty of her face, her means of salvation. With her beauty, she can make money for herself; her face and beauty is her dream for America. Y tanto más defendía su belleza, hoy que se acercaba el momento de fundar en ella un sueño de porvenir (72). Unfortunately, Claudio, drunk, begins to beat her. He slugs her across the face and makes a tooth fall out. She becomes a tuerta. Her life and her hope dies, because los que allá, han de ir sanos, válidos, y las mujeres, con sus ojos alumbrando y sus dentadura completa ... (74)
-la crítica social y política
-la decadencia del orden establecido y el descontrol
-los cuentos del siglo XX
[I] 69 - 74
Summary:
It is a sad story of the reality of the Spanish life. It includes realismo (la representación objective de la sociedad y costumbres y la efecta de la historia y el ambiente en las personas) and libre albedrío (de hacer lo que quiere hacer).
It begins with the the rapaza Ildara who lives with her father, tío Claudio. She is a hard worker who works as a prostitute under Claudio, but she is saving up to go to the United States. She buys red stockings – a symbol of hope – and takes pride in the beauty of her face, her means of salvation. With her beauty, she can make money for herself; her face and beauty is her dream for America. Y tanto más defendía su belleza, hoy que se acercaba el momento de fundar en ella un sueño de porvenir (72). Unfortunately, Claudio, drunk, begins to beat her. He slugs her across the face and makes a tooth fall out. She becomes a tuerta. Her life and her hope dies, because los que allá, han de ir sanos, válidos, y las mujeres, con sus ojos alumbrando y sus dentadura completa ... (74)
Themes:
-desafío y perseverancia: la tenacidad individual ante los retos de la vida-la crítica social y política
-la decadencia del orden establecido y el descontrol
-los cuentos del siglo XX
La vida de Lazarillo de Tormes
written by anónimo
[II] 277-338
Summary:
Part One
Lazarillo de Tormes was born in the river Tormes, and his father had been accused of a crime and taken away (and died) when Lázaro was eight. His mother then began to see a new black man Zaide with whom she had a baby. The town soon finds out about the affair with Zaide; thus, he is whipped and kicked out. His mother is forced to work at a local inn, and sends her son off to a ciego.
Lázaro becomes the servant of the ciego. The ciego first tells Lázaro to draw close to the ear of a bull to hear the great din inside; the ciego hits him, causing Lázaro gores and pain, and says, “ha de saber más que el Diablo” (281). Lázaro then realizes, “Parecióme que en aquel instante desperate de la simpleza (innocence) en que, como niño, estaba dormido” (281).
The ciego prays for other people for a living and is poor and miserly. Lázaro does what he can to get food; for example, he cuts holes in, then sews back up, the ciego’s sack that has food. Later, Lázaro steals gulps of the ciego’s wine; the ciego hugs the jug. Lázaro the uses a straw to take sips of it; when the ciego gets suspicious, he makes a small hole in the jug to provide a fountain of wine for himself. The ciego feigns to notice it, but the next day slams the jug on his mouth. Lázaro bleeds and misses teeth; the ciego derives a perverted pleasure from it.
From thence forth, they treated each other poorly: the ciego pulled Lázaro’s hair, and Lázaro led the ciego down the worst paths. In another instance, the pair gets grapes. The ciego says that Lázaro takes one, then the ciego takes one, etc. until all are gone. When the ciego takes two, Lázaro quickly devours the rest. The ciego knows he has been tricked; Lázaro, if honest, would have told the ciego that he was taking two.
Later, Lázaro steals wine and sausage from the ciego, but tells him that someone else must have done it. Like a hound, the ciego smells the sausage in Lázaro’s mouth, but just in time, Lázaro throws up on the ciego. He is summarily beaten; the ciego later says, “que si un hombre en el mundo ha de ser bienaventurado (blessed) con vino, serás tú” (293).
In his final trick, Lázaro, leading the way past a puddle, makes the ciego jump with all his might into a pole. Lázaro then escapes.
Part Two
Lázaro then is paired with a clérigo who amazingly is more miserly than the ciego. The clérigo has a locked chest with food but gives Lázaro very little; meanwhile, the clérigo dines like a king. Lázaro starves so much that he cannot walk; he even prays for the death of others because funerals provide him copious food.
Lázaro, learning from the ciego, though tricks a tinkerer into giving him a key to the chest; he then takes a whole roll of bread for himself. After the clérigo notices, Lázaro makes mice nipping on the guarded bread, tricking the clérigo to give Lázaro the mouse-bitten parts. Such tricking persists until the clérigo boards up the chest; Lázaro then hammers holes in the chest, which look like a mouse’s doing. The clérigo then sets up mouse traps inside the chest; Lázaro eats the cheese and bread. The town concludes it must be a snake; the clérigo becomes paranoid about his disappearing food.
One night, though, the key hiding in Lázaro’s mouth creates a whistle (or to the clérigo, a serpent’s hiss). The clérigo smacks Lázaro, simultaneously injuring him and revealing the secret of the alleged snake. The clérigo then kicks Lázaro out, because he is such a devious miscreant.
Part Three
Lázaro is picked up by an escudero, a squire. He initially looks like a noble man, but he has no food. On the first day, Lázaro is still so hungry, but the escudero has already eaten. Lázaro, dying of hunger, finds a piece of bread in the house and shares it. Later, Lázaro is shown the escudero’s sword. He is given chores while the escudero walks around like a gentleman, looking for money and food. Lázaro himself begs for bread and tripe; the escudero eats with him. Together, they steal and beg for food to survive.
Unfortunately, all beggars are ordered to leave the city, or face the whip. They stop begging, and go hungry for days. The escudero then finds a real and tells Lázaro to use it; whenhe goes into the street, he sees a dead corpse and is scared it is headed for his house. The escudero then talks about the doffing of the hat, a ridiculous, satirized custom.
When a man and woman come to ask the escudero for the rent, he tells them to come back later. He flees. Lázaro is then taken as a prisoner before the neighbors convince the constable that he is innocent. He is let free.
Part Seven
Lastly, Lázaro works for a alguacil, a constable. He has a royal post and deals wine. He is well fed, living near the alguacil, and lives a good life. He marries a servant of an archbishop, and when rumors fly around about her prior sexual encounters, Lázaro quickly shuts them down. He loves his wife, and he is happy.
Themes:
-desafío y perseverancia: la tenacidad individual ante los retos de la vida
-el engaño y el desengaño, la honra y la deshonra
-la crítica social y política
-la decadencia del orden establecido y el descontrol
-lecciones de la vida y el repudio del error
-la prosa peninsular desde el Medioevo hasta el siglo XX
Translation:
http://www.4olin.com/index2.html
[II] 277-338
Summary:
Part One
Lazarillo de Tormes was born in the river Tormes, and his father had been accused of a crime and taken away (and died) when Lázaro was eight. His mother then began to see a new black man Zaide with whom she had a baby. The town soon finds out about the affair with Zaide; thus, he is whipped and kicked out. His mother is forced to work at a local inn, and sends her son off to a ciego.
Lázaro becomes the servant of the ciego. The ciego first tells Lázaro to draw close to the ear of a bull to hear the great din inside; the ciego hits him, causing Lázaro gores and pain, and says, “ha de saber más que el Diablo” (281). Lázaro then realizes, “Parecióme que en aquel instante desperate de la simpleza (innocence) en que, como niño, estaba dormido” (281).
The ciego prays for other people for a living and is poor and miserly. Lázaro does what he can to get food; for example, he cuts holes in, then sews back up, the ciego’s sack that has food. Later, Lázaro steals gulps of the ciego’s wine; the ciego hugs the jug. Lázaro the uses a straw to take sips of it; when the ciego gets suspicious, he makes a small hole in the jug to provide a fountain of wine for himself. The ciego feigns to notice it, but the next day slams the jug on his mouth. Lázaro bleeds and misses teeth; the ciego derives a perverted pleasure from it.
From thence forth, they treated each other poorly: the ciego pulled Lázaro’s hair, and Lázaro led the ciego down the worst paths. In another instance, the pair gets grapes. The ciego says that Lázaro takes one, then the ciego takes one, etc. until all are gone. When the ciego takes two, Lázaro quickly devours the rest. The ciego knows he has been tricked; Lázaro, if honest, would have told the ciego that he was taking two.
Later, Lázaro steals wine and sausage from the ciego, but tells him that someone else must have done it. Like a hound, the ciego smells the sausage in Lázaro’s mouth, but just in time, Lázaro throws up on the ciego. He is summarily beaten; the ciego later says, “que si un hombre en el mundo ha de ser bienaventurado (blessed) con vino, serás tú” (293).
In his final trick, Lázaro, leading the way past a puddle, makes the ciego jump with all his might into a pole. Lázaro then escapes.
Part Two
Lázaro then is paired with a clérigo who amazingly is more miserly than the ciego. The clérigo has a locked chest with food but gives Lázaro very little; meanwhile, the clérigo dines like a king. Lázaro starves so much that he cannot walk; he even prays for the death of others because funerals provide him copious food.
Lázaro, learning from the ciego, though tricks a tinkerer into giving him a key to the chest; he then takes a whole roll of bread for himself. After the clérigo notices, Lázaro makes mice nipping on the guarded bread, tricking the clérigo to give Lázaro the mouse-bitten parts. Such tricking persists until the clérigo boards up the chest; Lázaro then hammers holes in the chest, which look like a mouse’s doing. The clérigo then sets up mouse traps inside the chest; Lázaro eats the cheese and bread. The town concludes it must be a snake; the clérigo becomes paranoid about his disappearing food.
One night, though, the key hiding in Lázaro’s mouth creates a whistle (or to the clérigo, a serpent’s hiss). The clérigo smacks Lázaro, simultaneously injuring him and revealing the secret of the alleged snake. The clérigo then kicks Lázaro out, because he is such a devious miscreant.
Part Three
Lázaro is picked up by an escudero, a squire. He initially looks like a noble man, but he has no food. On the first day, Lázaro is still so hungry, but the escudero has already eaten. Lázaro, dying of hunger, finds a piece of bread in the house and shares it. Later, Lázaro is shown the escudero’s sword. He is given chores while the escudero walks around like a gentleman, looking for money and food. Lázaro himself begs for bread and tripe; the escudero eats with him. Together, they steal and beg for food to survive.
Unfortunately, all beggars are ordered to leave the city, or face the whip. They stop begging, and go hungry for days. The escudero then finds a real and tells Lázaro to use it; whenhe goes into the street, he sees a dead corpse and is scared it is headed for his house. The escudero then talks about the doffing of the hat, a ridiculous, satirized custom.
When a man and woman come to ask the escudero for the rent, he tells them to come back later. He flees. Lázaro is then taken as a prisoner before the neighbors convince the constable that he is innocent. He is let free.
Part Seven
Lastly, Lázaro works for a alguacil, a constable. He has a royal post and deals wine. He is well fed, living near the alguacil, and lives a good life. He marries a servant of an archbishop, and when rumors fly around about her prior sexual encounters, Lázaro quickly shuts them down. He loves his wife, and he is happy.
Themes:
-desafío y perseverancia: la tenacidad individual ante los retos de la vida
-el engaño y el desengaño, la honra y la deshonra
-la crítica social y política
-la decadencia del orden establecido y el descontrol
-lecciones de la vida y el repudio del error
-la prosa peninsular desde el Medioevo hasta el siglo XX
Translation:
http://www.4olin.com/index2.html
Poetry
Analyze the theme of a poem, using poetic devices, etc.
Poetic devices:
hiperbole: exaggeration
personificación: giving inanimate object human qualities
Types of poems:
Other terms:
Poetic devices:
hiperbole: exaggeration
personificación: giving inanimate object human qualities
símil: comparison with like or as
antithesis: having two words with opposite meanings close to each other
sinestesia: the mixing of different senses (to hear colors, etc.)
ánafora: repetition at the beginning various verses
estribillo: a refrain, repeated between stanzas
aliteración: repetition of a sound in a line
hipérbaton: intentional mixing of the syntax (order) of a sentence
metáfora: comparison without like or as
metonimia: when something is called something that is related to it; reference by close relation
sinécdoque: when something is called something that makes it up; part for the whole
alegoría: symbolic narrative
símbolo: when something represents something else
Syllables:
arte mayor: more than 8 syllables; has a heavier tone
arte menor: less than 8 syllables
llanos: counted number of syllables is the same as poetic syllables
agudos: stress on last syllable; +1 to poetic syllables
esdrújula: stress on antipenultimate syllable; -1 to poetic syllables
Rhyme:
asonante: when the ending vowels of two lines are the same
consonante: when the ending vowels and consonants of two lines are the same
libre: no rhyme scheme
Types of poems:
romance: origins from the pueblos; written by Christians who adopted a Muslim point of view; can be recited or sung very easily (not written down); written to entertain
soneto: made up of 3 cuartetos and 2 tercetos; usually, el autor planta la idea en los primeros cuartetos and has a conclusion in the tercetos; Italian sonnet has abba abba cde cde rhyme scheme; English sonnet has abba cddc efg efg rhyme scheme; 16 syllables, 14 lines; "perfection"
soneto: made up of 3 cuartetos and 2 tercetos; usually, el autor planta la idea en los primeros cuartetos and has a conclusion in the tercetos; Italian sonnet has abba abba cde cde rhyme scheme; English sonnet has abba cddc efg efg rhyme scheme; 16 syllables, 14 lines; "perfection"
redondillo: short lines possibly with rhyming; characterized by the sing-songy tone
Other terms:
pares: even (as in lines)
impares: odd (as in lines)
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
San Manuel Bueno, mártir
written by Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo
[II] 438 - 487
Told by Ángela Carballino. Raised in a religious household and town, a firm believer in the Catholic religion. She lives in a village Valverde de Lucerna, situated between a beautiful lake and a solitary mountain.
Her brother Lazaro wants her to be educated in a big city, away from the crude town so she is sent outside of the village to a larger city. Everyone here knows about Don Manuel. His presence draws her back to her village where she becomes a personal assistant of sort for him. He is all about caring for his people, and they cling to him, and his magnificent voice, as an anchor, especially Blasillo, a mentally disabled man who hangs on his every word, representing the blind faith of the town. Don Manuel greatly disliked being idle, alone with his own thoughts.
Lázaro returns from the
Don Manuel is tormented by the possibility, and indeed as he sees it the probability, that there is no life after death, and lives in constant conflict with himself and with the prospect of suicide. The philosophy he follows, to which Lázaro has been converted, is that the non-existence of an afterlife must be hidden to others at all costs so that they may live a happy life. Lázaro argues that Don Manuel is a saint not because of his unwavering belief in Christianity, an organization Lázaro continues to see as outdated, but because he sacrifices his life for the happiness of others (there are continual allusions to Don Manuel's Jesus-like qualities).
Don Manuel’s physical health gradually worsens; on the day of his death he admits that God exists, but because he has seen God's face he cannot be admitted to the promise land (allusion to Moses). He wants Angela to continue praying for all people, and to keep her faith, which she is able to do even though her spiritual advisor can not. Then he is taken to the church where he gives one final sermon, begging that the people continue to live a peaceful and happy life, and continue on with their faith. Then they begin to pray, and as the reach the point in the Creed that talks about resurrection and life after death, Don Manuel passes, with Blasillo at his side.
Lázaro dies soon after, following his teacher. Only Ángela is left, and even she is not sure if she retains faith in Christianity. She writes a testament of the events that occurred in the town then hides them. The preceding chapters we discover are that testament. She alone knew the truth behind Don Manuel, and she feels the need to capture it in some way, but she is unsure what to do with this truth.
Unamuno then becomes the narrator. Angela had given him her story and he chose to publish it. He feels actions speak louder than words and the truth wouldn’t change anyone’s mind.
Symbolism:
Mountain = townspeople, everything is exposed, accept the idea of an afterlife which is shown when the snow sticks to the mountain
Themes:
-existentialism
-idea of reality versus dreams
-el engaño y el desengaño, la honra y la deshonra
-la fe y la razón, la justicia divina y la vida
-la prosa peninsular desde el Medioevo hasta el siglo XX
Translation:
http://teachers.ausd.net/classlink/getfile.ausd?fileid=56285
[erin b.]
Thursday, April 16, 2009
El hijo
written by Horacio Quiroga
[I] 16-27
Summary:
On the day the father finally feels at ease letting his son go out into the woods alone, the son goes with his gun to hunt at 9 AM. He promises to return at noon. The father meanwhile continues to wander about the house; he is at ease, but not completely, as his son is his whole entire life.
He then has illusions that his son has died, but these are quickly dismissed. At around 10 AM, the father hears a shot in the forest, and thinks (hopefully) that his son has killed something. Noon arrives, then 12:30 PM …
The father leaves to look for his son. He yells out for his son, continually losing hope. He meets up with his son and talks with him …
But his son is just an illusion – the son died from a hunter’s trap. Sonríe de alucinada felicidad ... Pues ese padre va solo […] su hijo bien amado yace al sol, muerto desde las diez de la mañana (23).
The story reflects the dark, tragic life Quiroga lived. He, a pessimist, believed that we do not have control when we are fighting nature.
Themes:
-la decadencia del orden establecido y el descontrol
-la tenue línea entre lo real y lo ilusorio
-los cuentos del siglo XX
[I] 16-27
Summary:
On the day the father finally feels at ease letting his son go out into the woods alone, the son goes with his gun to hunt at 9 AM. He promises to return at noon. The father meanwhile continues to wander about the house; he is at ease, but not completely, as his son is his whole entire life.
He then has illusions that his son has died, but these are quickly dismissed. At around 10 AM, the father hears a shot in the forest, and thinks (hopefully) that his son has killed something. Noon arrives, then 12:30 PM …
The father leaves to look for his son. He yells out for his son, continually losing hope. He meets up with his son and talks with him …
But his son is just an illusion – the son died from a hunter’s trap. Sonríe de alucinada felicidad ... Pues ese padre va solo […] su hijo bien amado yace al sol, muerto desde las diez de la mañana (23).
The story reflects the dark, tragic life Quiroga lived. He, a pessimist, believed that we do not have control when we are fighting nature.
Themes:
-la decadencia del orden establecido y el descontrol
-la tenue línea entre lo real y lo ilusorio
-los cuentos del siglo XX
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Vuelva Ud. mañana
written by Mariano José de Larra
[II] 421 – 437
Summary:
In short, this story is a critique on the Spanish society of the time. It is losing its superpower status and is in a conflict between progressivism and traditionalism. Anyways, the story begins with a statement of theme: [la pereza] cerrerá las puertas del cielo a más de un critiano (422).
A stranger visits the narrator, a Spanish writer. The critique begins when the visitor says he believed all Spanish were gentlemen – something disproven by the horde of robbers he met. The visitor, Monsieur San-delai, then states his purpose: he is traveling to Madrid to prove his family identification, to claim his inheritance, to invest in Spain, and to visit Madrid. He proposes a reasonable schedule that is 15 days long. The narrator just laughs at the visitor’s naivety of Spanish life.
They go to the genealogist, and are met by their first (of many) “Vuelva Ud. mañana”s. The genealogist always has something to do: he has to take a break, he is about to leave, he as to go to the bullfight. Sin embargo, nunca encontraba momento oportuno para trabajar (427). This slowness is the way of life; everybody takes their time. The shoe maker, the ironer, the sombrero maker all need more time off.
When they bring the Monsieur’s documents to an office worker (which took a couple of days to even see him), the worker is too lazy to look for the documents. Instead, he says they were sent to another office. They travel around, only to discover that the documents were with the first office worker. The Monsieur becomes angry; the narrator just says la pereza es la verdadera intriga […] es más fácil negar las cosas que enterase de ellas (431). When the Monsiuer tries to invest money, he is declined because of Spanish arrogance: foreigners cannot invest. Out of frustration and advice from the narrator, the Monsieur departs.
The narrator then says that he is no exception! It took him many days and way too much effort, but he finally finished it, because he decided not to be so lazy. Da gracias a que llegó por fin este mañana, que no es del todo malo; pero ¡Ay de aquel mañana que no ha de llegar jamás! (436)
Translation:
Themes:
-la crítica social y política
-la prosa peninsular desde el Medioevo hasta el siglo XX
[II] 421 – 437
Summary:
In short, this story is a critique on the Spanish society of the time. It is losing its superpower status and is in a conflict between progressivism and traditionalism. Anyways, the story begins with a statement of theme: [la pereza] cerrerá las puertas del cielo a más de un critiano (422).
A stranger visits the narrator, a Spanish writer. The critique begins when the visitor says he believed all Spanish were gentlemen – something disproven by the horde of robbers he met. The visitor, Monsieur San-delai, then states his purpose: he is traveling to Madrid to prove his family identification, to claim his inheritance, to invest in Spain, and to visit Madrid. He proposes a reasonable schedule that is 15 days long. The narrator just laughs at the visitor’s naivety of Spanish life.
They go to the genealogist, and are met by their first (of many) “Vuelva Ud. mañana”s. The genealogist always has something to do: he has to take a break, he is about to leave, he as to go to the bullfight. Sin embargo, nunca encontraba momento oportuno para trabajar (427). This slowness is the way of life; everybody takes their time. The shoe maker, the ironer, the sombrero maker all need more time off.
When they bring the Monsieur’s documents to an office worker (which took a couple of days to even see him), the worker is too lazy to look for the documents. Instead, he says they were sent to another office. They travel around, only to discover that the documents were with the first office worker. The Monsieur becomes angry; the narrator just says la pereza es la verdadera intriga […] es más fácil negar las cosas que enterase de ellas (431). When the Monsiuer tries to invest money, he is declined because of Spanish arrogance: foreigners cannot invest. Out of frustration and advice from the narrator, the Monsieur departs.
The narrator then says that he is no exception! It took him many days and way too much effort, but he finally finished it, because he decided not to be so lazy. Da gracias a que llegó por fin este mañana, que no es del todo malo; pero ¡Ay de aquel mañana que no ha de llegar jamás! (436)
Translation:
Themes:
-la crítica social y política
-la prosa peninsular desde el Medioevo hasta el siglo XX
Sunday, April 5, 2009
El delantal blanco
written by Sergio Vodanovic
[II] 239 - 261
Summary:
Este cuento se trata del clasismo de una mujer en la sociedad. En la play están la señora con su hijo Alvarito, y la empleada. La señora se da cuenta de que su hijo, con 4 años tiene mucho control, y es dominante en la playa. Aunque destruye el castillo de arena de una niña pequeña, la madre no hace nada. La empleada lo describe como un peleador. En la playa, la señora lleva un blusón de toalla y el traje de baño. La empleada lleva un delatal blanco como uniforme.
La señora luego explica que está cansada de estar en la playa, porque su marido no ha llegado, y todas sus amigas ya han vuelto a casa. Esto demuestra que la señora no tiene una buena realción con su marido y solo se ha casado con él por el dinero.
Luego la señora se da cuenta de que la criada esta muy blanca, y la criada explica que es de no estar en el sol. También la señora se burla de la revista porque tiene a gente famosa que hacen el ridículo. También quiere que la criada vijile a Alvarito. En un momento son amigas, y en otro a la señora solo le interesan las aparencias.
La señora tampoco entiende mucho de la vida del campo porque piensa que lo tenían todo muy facil. No entiende que para vivir, se ha de trabajar, y por eso se ha marchado la criada. Tiene una vista muy arrogante. Le dice que es mejor que no se case porque ahora ya tiene todo lo que necisita, menor criaturas.
La señora se burla de los de la revista porque no cree que son de aristocracia verdadera por sus aparencias. Van todos vestidos mal. La señora cree que la aristocracia viene natualmente, como su hijo con sus mandatos, y la ropa.
La señora dice que cuando se cambia de ropa, el mundo se ve de una perspectiva totalmente diferente. Le pregunta a la empleada como se siente ella en su ropa, y la criada dice que igual que la arena, o las nubes, porque todos son blancos. Luego la señora le manda que se cambien de ropa. La señora se pone el delantal blanco, y la empleada se pone el bañador con el blusón. La criada empieza a cuidarse se sus uñas y se pone gafas de sol, actuando como una señora de verdad. La señora se enfada un poco, cuando la empleada le manda que ella misma cuide de Alvarito. Luego la señora se enfada con la empleada por tratarla de esa manera, y empieza una pelea. La gente de la playa se llevan a la señora de verdad, pensando que es la empleada, y un viejo se acerca a la empleada y le dice que es la culpa del comunismo que los empleados se portan así. Al final del cuento, la empleada hace er que ahora ella es la madre de Alvarito.
Translation:
Themes:
-el desdoblamiento y la dualidad de ser
-la crítica social y política
-la libertad y la soberanía individual y colectiva
-el teatro satírico y sociopolítico hispanoamericano
Esto demuestra que las aparencias si que cambian a la persona. Cambiando de ropa hace que la empleada se transforme en la señora, y la señora en la empleada. La gente de la playa también miran a la gente por la ropa que tienen.
[sandra]
[II] 239 - 261
Summary:
Este cuento se trata del clasismo de una mujer en la sociedad. En la play están la señora con su hijo Alvarito, y la empleada. La señora se da cuenta de que su hijo, con 4 años tiene mucho control, y es dominante en la playa. Aunque destruye el castillo de arena de una niña pequeña, la madre no hace nada. La empleada lo describe como un peleador. En la playa, la señora lleva un blusón de toalla y el traje de baño. La empleada lleva un delatal blanco como uniforme.
La señora luego explica que está cansada de estar en la playa, porque su marido no ha llegado, y todas sus amigas ya han vuelto a casa. Esto demuestra que la señora no tiene una buena realción con su marido y solo se ha casado con él por el dinero.
Luego la señora se da cuenta de que la criada esta muy blanca, y la criada explica que es de no estar en el sol. También la señora se burla de la revista porque tiene a gente famosa que hacen el ridículo. También quiere que la criada vijile a Alvarito. En un momento son amigas, y en otro a la señora solo le interesan las aparencias.
La señora tampoco entiende mucho de la vida del campo porque piensa que lo tenían todo muy facil. No entiende que para vivir, se ha de trabajar, y por eso se ha marchado la criada. Tiene una vista muy arrogante. Le dice que es mejor que no se case porque ahora ya tiene todo lo que necisita, menor criaturas.
La señora se burla de los de la revista porque no cree que son de aristocracia verdadera por sus aparencias. Van todos vestidos mal. La señora cree que la aristocracia viene natualmente, como su hijo con sus mandatos, y la ropa.
La señora dice que cuando se cambia de ropa, el mundo se ve de una perspectiva totalmente diferente. Le pregunta a la empleada como se siente ella en su ropa, y la criada dice que igual que la arena, o las nubes, porque todos son blancos. Luego la señora le manda que se cambien de ropa. La señora se pone el delantal blanco, y la empleada se pone el bañador con el blusón. La criada empieza a cuidarse se sus uñas y se pone gafas de sol, actuando como una señora de verdad. La señora se enfada un poco, cuando la empleada le manda que ella misma cuide de Alvarito. Luego la señora se enfada con la empleada por tratarla de esa manera, y empieza una pelea. La gente de la playa se llevan a la señora de verdad, pensando que es la empleada, y un viejo se acerca a la empleada y le dice que es la culpa del comunismo que los empleados se portan así. Al final del cuento, la empleada hace er que ahora ella es la madre de Alvarito.
Translation:
Themes:
-el desdoblamiento y la dualidad de ser
-la crítica social y política
-la libertad y la soberanía individual y colectiva
-el teatro satírico y sociopolítico hispanoamericano
Esto demuestra que las aparencias si que cambian a la persona. Cambiando de ropa hace que la empleada se transforme en la señora, y la señora en la empleada. La gente de la playa también miran a la gente por la ropa que tienen.
[sandra]
Romance de Conde Arnaldos
written by Anónimo
[I] pp. 314 - 316
Summary:
El conde Arnaldos se encuentra al lado del mar porque quiere tener una aventura. Como es el 24 de Junio, día de San Juan, el conde sabe que es el día mas largo con la noche mas corta. En este día, pueden pasar cosas muy extrañas. El conde también quiere cazar. Luego encuentra a un marinero en una barca y canta una canción que hace que los pájaros paren de volar, que los peces suban a la superficie del mar, y que el viento se disminuya. Va contra la naturaleza. El conde quiere que el marinero le enseñe la canción. El conde dice que si la quiere aprender, pue que se vaya con el. Esto puede ser un símbolo de la muerte.
Notes:
-personajes: el narrador, el conde, el marinero
-el romance tiene 8 sílabas en cada verso
-rima asonante
-versos pares
-número de versos es infinito
-origen de España
-es un romance lírico porque es misterioso, y una canción
Themes:
-la poesía: el romance
[sandra]
[I] pp. 314 - 316
Summary:
El conde Arnaldos se encuentra al lado del mar porque quiere tener una aventura. Como es el 24 de Junio, día de San Juan, el conde sabe que es el día mas largo con la noche mas corta. En este día, pueden pasar cosas muy extrañas. El conde también quiere cazar. Luego encuentra a un marinero en una barca y canta una canción que hace que los pájaros paren de volar, que los peces suban a la superficie del mar, y que el viento se disminuya. Va contra la naturaleza. El conde quiere que el marinero le enseñe la canción. El conde dice que si la quiere aprender, pue que se vaya con el. Esto puede ser un símbolo de la muerte.
Notes:
-personajes: el narrador, el conde, el marinero
-el romance tiene 8 sílabas en cada verso
-rima asonante
-versos pares
-número de versos es infinito
-origen de España
-es un romance lírico porque es misterioso, y una canción
Themes:
-la poesía: el romance
[sandra]
Romance de la pérdida de Alhama (Ay de mi Alhama)
written by Anónimo
[I] 310 - 313
Summary:
El narrador no quiere creed que su ciudad ha estado destruída. Se monta en su caballo y va al catillo para explicar al rey lo que ha pasado. Luego suena la trompeta para llamar a todo el pueblo y explicar las noticias. Cuando el narrador dice “!Ay de mi Alhama!” demuestra los sentimientos de todo el pueblo. Esta frase repite para dar énfasis y el tono de tristeza en el pueblo. La segunda voz es un moro viejo, que pregunta porque el rey ha llamado al pueblo. La tercera voz es la del rey, que explica que los cristianos han ganado la ciudad de Alhama. La cuarta voz es el alfaquí, que respeta al rey. El rey explica que han matado a una familia mora, que representa una flor, y el corazón de los moros.
Notes:
-personajes: el alfaquí, el rey, el moro, el narrador
-el moro trae noticias de que los cristianos y los moros están luchando
-es un romance fronterizo: demuestra emociones y es histórico
-el romance tiene 8 sílabas en cada verso
-rima asonante
-versos pares
-número de versos es infinito
-Origen de España
-Tiene un narrador que demusetra emociones del público y explica lo que pasa
-De a veces tiene estribillo (repite al final de cada estrofa)
-Escrito de forma lírica para que los juglares pudieran acordarse de dar las noticias.
Themes:
-éxtasis y epifanías
-la crítica social y política
-la poesía: el romance
[sandra]
[I] 310 - 313
Summary:
El narrador no quiere creed que su ciudad ha estado destruída. Se monta en su caballo y va al catillo para explicar al rey lo que ha pasado. Luego suena la trompeta para llamar a todo el pueblo y explicar las noticias. Cuando el narrador dice “!Ay de mi Alhama!” demuestra los sentimientos de todo el pueblo. Esta frase repite para dar énfasis y el tono de tristeza en el pueblo. La segunda voz es un moro viejo, que pregunta porque el rey ha llamado al pueblo. La tercera voz es la del rey, que explica que los cristianos han ganado la ciudad de Alhama. La cuarta voz es el alfaquí, que respeta al rey. El rey explica que han matado a una familia mora, que representa una flor, y el corazón de los moros.
Notes:
-personajes: el alfaquí, el rey, el moro, el narrador
-el moro trae noticias de que los cristianos y los moros están luchando
-es un romance fronterizo: demuestra emociones y es histórico
-el romance tiene 8 sílabas en cada verso
-rima asonante
-versos pares
-número de versos es infinito
-Origen de España
-Tiene un narrador que demusetra emociones del público y explica lo que pasa
-De a veces tiene estribillo (repite al final de cada estrofa)
-Escrito de forma lírica para que los juglares pudieran acordarse de dar las noticias.
Themes:
-éxtasis y epifanías
-la crítica social y política
-la poesía: el romance
[sandra]
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Dos palabras
written by Isabel Allende
[I] pp. 230 – 245
Summary:
Belisa Crepusculario is literally a self-made woman: she chose her own name and makes a living selling words. (She travels around selling everything from verses from memory to simple stories to secret words. Everyone knows and respects her.) Her fame, however, is a result of her fortitude: as a youth, hunger, heat, and exhaustion of centuries ate at her and killed four siblings; she decided to trick death by dragging herself to the sea’s water.
Belisa accidently discovers writing when a newspaper blows at her feet. She picks it up, curiously asking a stranger what it is. When she learns of the infinite power of the word, she realizes she can make a decente (234) profession of it, the alternative to being a prostitute or servant. She pays a priest to teach her, then, with her little remaining money, buys a dictionary. She reads then memorizes it, from A to Z, then throws it into the ocean; she doesn’t want to sell her clients packaged words.
One morning, the Colonel’s men, led by the feared giant El Mulato, come into town and kidnap Belisa. She is taken to el Coronel, el hombre más temido del país (237) (who, according to Belisa, is also be the loneliest man in the world). He says he wants to be president, to be loved and cheered. His appearance as colonel puts terror in people’s eyes, abortaban de susto las mujeres (238). He wants to win the peoples’ hearts for the elections, so asks her to write him a speech.
She begins to work. Descartó las palabras ásperas y secas, las demasiados floridas, las que estaban desteñidas (discolored) por el abuso, las que ofrecían promesas improbable, las carentes de (lacking) veradad y las confuses, para quedarse solo con aquéllas capaces de tocar con certeza el pensamiento de los hombres y la intuición de las mujeres (239). When she read it aloud, thrice, the soldiers’ and Colonel’s eyes glittered with enthusiasm.
Because of the speech’s cost, Belisa gives the Colonel two secret words. While giving him the words, Belisa exudes sexual richness, clearly turning the Colonel on.
The Colonel gives his speech with incredible effectiveness: the townspeople estaban deslumbrados por la claridad de sus proposiciones y la lucidez poética de sus argumentos, contagiados de su deseo tremendo de corregir los errors de la historia y alegres por primera vez en sus vidas (242). Despite the success, the Colonel becomes extremely obsessed with the secret words; the Mulato is forced to find Belisa to undo her witchcraft. She had been waiting. And, upon arrival, all the men knew the witchcraft would not be undone porque todos pudieron ver los ojos carnívoros del puma tornarse mansos (soften) cuando ella avanzó y le tomó la mano (244).
Translation:
http://der-lowe.newgrounds.com/news/post/27881
Themes:
-el machismo, la lucha por el poder entre los sexos
-ganar y perder en el juego del amor: la passion entre el hombre y la mujer
-el cuento fantástico del siglo XIX y del siglo XX
[I] pp. 230 – 245
Summary:
Belisa Crepusculario is literally a self-made woman: she chose her own name and makes a living selling words. (She travels around selling everything from verses from memory to simple stories to secret words. Everyone knows and respects her.) Her fame, however, is a result of her fortitude: as a youth, hunger, heat, and exhaustion of centuries ate at her and killed four siblings; she decided to trick death by dragging herself to the sea’s water.
Belisa accidently discovers writing when a newspaper blows at her feet. She picks it up, curiously asking a stranger what it is. When she learns of the infinite power of the word, she realizes she can make a decente (234) profession of it, the alternative to being a prostitute or servant. She pays a priest to teach her, then, with her little remaining money, buys a dictionary. She reads then memorizes it, from A to Z, then throws it into the ocean; she doesn’t want to sell her clients packaged words.
One morning, the Colonel’s men, led by the feared giant El Mulato, come into town and kidnap Belisa. She is taken to el Coronel, el hombre más temido del país (237) (who, according to Belisa, is also be the loneliest man in the world). He says he wants to be president, to be loved and cheered. His appearance as colonel puts terror in people’s eyes, abortaban de susto las mujeres (238). He wants to win the peoples’ hearts for the elections, so asks her to write him a speech.
She begins to work. Descartó las palabras ásperas y secas, las demasiados floridas, las que estaban desteñidas (discolored) por el abuso, las que ofrecían promesas improbable, las carentes de (lacking) veradad y las confuses, para quedarse solo con aquéllas capaces de tocar con certeza el pensamiento de los hombres y la intuición de las mujeres (239). When she read it aloud, thrice, the soldiers’ and Colonel’s eyes glittered with enthusiasm.
Because of the speech’s cost, Belisa gives the Colonel two secret words. While giving him the words, Belisa exudes sexual richness, clearly turning the Colonel on.
The Colonel gives his speech with incredible effectiveness: the townspeople estaban deslumbrados por la claridad de sus proposiciones y la lucidez poética de sus argumentos, contagiados de su deseo tremendo de corregir los errors de la historia y alegres por primera vez en sus vidas (242). Despite the success, the Colonel becomes extremely obsessed with the secret words; the Mulato is forced to find Belisa to undo her witchcraft. She had been waiting. And, upon arrival, all the men knew the witchcraft would not be undone porque todos pudieron ver los ojos carnívoros del puma tornarse mansos (soften) cuando ella avanzó y le tomó la mano (244).
Translation:
http://der-lowe.newgrounds.com/news/post/27881
Themes:
-el machismo, la lucha por el poder entre los sexos
-ganar y perder en el juego del amor: la passion entre el hombre y la mujer
-el cuento fantástico del siglo XIX y del siglo XX
El Sur
written by Jorge Luis Borges
[I] pp. 143 - 154
Summary:
Juan Dahlmann is a man of two heritages, his parents heralding from Argentina and Germany, and that he is a bookkeeper. But this really isn't that important. What is important, though, is that Dahlmann has a farm in the South of Argentina that he wants to settle in.
One day in February 1939, something hit Dahlmann on the head while he was walking with the book One Thousand and One Nights. He walks back to his room, where a fever and some nightmares overtake him. He is taken to the hospital, un sanatorio, where he has surgery and endures great pain, both physically and psychologically. All he wants to do is go to his farm.
After noticing symmetries between his time before and after his hospital stay, Dahlmann takes a trip to the South of Buenos Aires. He sees a cat, and realizes that he doesn't know where he is: aquel contacto era ilusorio (147).
He goes to the train station where he boards the train, happy to be alive after his ordeal. He observes nature, eats, lives, and feels. He takes a nap, and dreams, before again realizing that perhaps he is not going to his farm: la soledad era perfecta y tal vez hostil, y Dahlmann pudo sospechar que viajaba al pasado y o sólo al Sur (149). Dahlmann then gets kicked off the train.
A series of parallels between the two worlds then emerge: the loud cafeteria, the customer who looks like a hopsital employee, a light brush on his face. He then decides to read his book, but others laugh at him. Then a compadrito from the rowdy crowd approaches him with a large dagger, and they are about to fight. Perhaps this is a way for Dahlmann to come to terms with his pain: Era como si el Sur hubiera resuelto que Dahlmann aceptara el duelo (153). He wants to fight, but is unable. Fortunately, the compadrito leaves, and Dahlmann leaves towards his farm, towards El Sur.
The story is somewhat autobiographical, and is a good example of desdoblamiento. The reader is left with a large degree of ambiguity in what is real and what is fake.
Translation:
http://www.akirarabelais.com/borges/elsur.html
Themes:
-el desdoblamiento y la dualidad de ser
-la tenue línea entre lo real y lo ilusorio
-el cuento fantástico del siglo XIX y del siglo XX
[I] pp. 143 - 154
Summary:
Juan Dahlmann is a man of two heritages, his parents heralding from Argentina and Germany, and that he is a bookkeeper. But this really isn't that important. What is important, though, is that Dahlmann has a farm in the South of Argentina that he wants to settle in.
One day in February 1939, something hit Dahlmann on the head while he was walking with the book One Thousand and One Nights. He walks back to his room, where a fever and some nightmares overtake him. He is taken to the hospital, un sanatorio, where he has surgery and endures great pain, both physically and psychologically. All he wants to do is go to his farm.
After noticing symmetries between his time before and after his hospital stay, Dahlmann takes a trip to the South of Buenos Aires. He sees a cat, and realizes that he doesn't know where he is: aquel contacto era ilusorio (147).
He goes to the train station where he boards the train, happy to be alive after his ordeal. He observes nature, eats, lives, and feels. He takes a nap, and dreams, before again realizing that perhaps he is not going to his farm: la soledad era perfecta y tal vez hostil, y Dahlmann pudo sospechar que viajaba al pasado y o sólo al Sur (149). Dahlmann then gets kicked off the train.
A series of parallels between the two worlds then emerge: the loud cafeteria, the customer who looks like a hopsital employee, a light brush on his face. He then decides to read his book, but others laugh at him. Then a compadrito from the rowdy crowd approaches him with a large dagger, and they are about to fight. Perhaps this is a way for Dahlmann to come to terms with his pain: Era como si el Sur hubiera resuelto que Dahlmann aceptara el duelo (153). He wants to fight, but is unable. Fortunately, the compadrito leaves, and Dahlmann leaves towards his farm, towards El Sur.
The story is somewhat autobiographical, and is a good example of desdoblamiento. The reader is left with a large degree of ambiguity in what is real and what is fake.
Translation:
http://www.akirarabelais.com/borges/elsur.html
Themes:
-el desdoblamiento y la dualidad de ser
-la tenue línea entre lo real y lo ilusorio
-el cuento fantástico del siglo XIX y del siglo XX
Friday, March 27, 2009
Chac Mool
written by Carlos Fuentes
[I] 190 – 205
Summary:
The narrator begins: Filiberto murió ahogado en Acapulco (191). He seems to know why he drowned – he was tempted to go, then swam too much for his age. Filiberto is to be transferred in his coffin via truck, and the narrator is going to deliver him. The narrator looks through Filiberto’s briefcase and finds his journal …
“Filiberto’s journal begins normally: he meets with a lawyer about his pension and dines in a café. He talks with his friend Pepe about religion and work, where someone died the water red.
“He also has an affinity for certain forms of indigenous Mexican art. He’s been looking for a reasonable replica of Chac Mool, the Mayan god of rain, which he finds in la Lagunilla. He is very skeptical of its originality – although it looks so elegant, it has tomato sauce smeared on it to sell its authenticity. He puts Chac Mool in his basement.
“The plumbing broke, putting water in the basement. Chac Mool becomes covered with moss. That night, Filiberto begins to hear moans from the basement; the night they stop, more rain water inundates the basement. Scraping off the moss was difficult – it seemed to have become part of the stone already. Also, the figure grew softer; the skeptical Filiberto thinks the statue was actually plaster. Later, though, he notices the figure is the texture of flesh, of rubber, and that Chac Mool has hair on its arms. Of this impossibility, Filiberto writes, “Tendré que ver a un médico, saber si es imaginación, o delirio, o qué, y deshacerme de ese maldito Chac Mool” (198).”
Filiberto’s handwriting deteriorates to that of a child here.
“What is real and what is imaginary? … the line between the two is indistinguishable. The Chac Mool has become smooth, elegant, and golden, almost as if indicating he is a God. He begins to awaken; one night, Filiberto opens his eyes to see a grotesque, noisome creature at his bed; entonces empezó a llover (200).”
In the real world, Filiberto is pinned with rumores de locura y aun robo (200).
“Chac Mool has fantastic stories about myths and his birth, but has an inhuman stench that emanates from flesh that isn’t flesh. He desires soap and sleeps in Filiberto’s bed.
“When the dry season begins, Chac Mool demands water; says Filiberto, debo reconcerlo: soy su prisionero (202). Chac Mool wears his clothes and is used to being obeyed. Filiberto discovers Chac Mool leaves the house at night to hunt for dogs, rats, and cats for food; later in the dry season, Filiberto is forced to order out rice with chicken. He also has to run trips to get water; if he tries to flee, he will be struck down by Chac Mool, also god of lightening. Filiberto also notices that Chac Mool eventually has to turn back into stone, that he is getting more irritable, and that he is falling into human temptations. Also, Chac Mool wouldn’t die and leave Filiberto alive; Filiberto thus must flee.
“He decides to flee to Acapulco at night; he plans to swim away with his little remaining money. He is sick of Chac Mool: a ver cuánto dura sin mis baldes (buckets) de agua (204).”
The diary of Filiberto ends, and the narrator arrives at the terminal. When he gets there, the door opens; a yellow Indian appears; his appearance is repulsive, his face is covered in powder, he reeks of cheap lotion, his lips are smeared with lipstick. This man (Chac Mool?) says: “Lo sé todo. Dígales a los hombres que lleven el cadaver al sótano” (205).
Translation:
http://web.mit.edu/jikatz/www/ChacMool.pdf
Themes:
-la decadencia del orden establecido y el descontrol
-la tenue línea entre lo real y lo ilusorio
-el cuento fantástico del siglo XIX y del siglo XX
[I] 190 – 205
Summary:
The narrator begins: Filiberto murió ahogado en Acapulco (191). He seems to know why he drowned – he was tempted to go, then swam too much for his age. Filiberto is to be transferred in his coffin via truck, and the narrator is going to deliver him. The narrator looks through Filiberto’s briefcase and finds his journal …
“Filiberto’s journal begins normally: he meets with a lawyer about his pension and dines in a café. He talks with his friend Pepe about religion and work, where someone died the water red.
“He also has an affinity for certain forms of indigenous Mexican art. He’s been looking for a reasonable replica of Chac Mool, the Mayan god of rain, which he finds in la Lagunilla. He is very skeptical of its originality – although it looks so elegant, it has tomato sauce smeared on it to sell its authenticity. He puts Chac Mool in his basement.
“The plumbing broke, putting water in the basement. Chac Mool becomes covered with moss. That night, Filiberto begins to hear moans from the basement; the night they stop, more rain water inundates the basement. Scraping off the moss was difficult – it seemed to have become part of the stone already. Also, the figure grew softer; the skeptical Filiberto thinks the statue was actually plaster. Later, though, he notices the figure is the texture of flesh, of rubber, and that Chac Mool has hair on its arms. Of this impossibility, Filiberto writes, “Tendré que ver a un médico, saber si es imaginación, o delirio, o qué, y deshacerme de ese maldito Chac Mool” (198).”
Filiberto’s handwriting deteriorates to that of a child here.
“What is real and what is imaginary? … the line between the two is indistinguishable. The Chac Mool has become smooth, elegant, and golden, almost as if indicating he is a God. He begins to awaken; one night, Filiberto opens his eyes to see a grotesque, noisome creature at his bed; entonces empezó a llover (200).”
In the real world, Filiberto is pinned with rumores de locura y aun robo (200).
“Chac Mool has fantastic stories about myths and his birth, but has an inhuman stench that emanates from flesh that isn’t flesh. He desires soap and sleeps in Filiberto’s bed.
“When the dry season begins, Chac Mool demands water; says Filiberto, debo reconcerlo: soy su prisionero (202). Chac Mool wears his clothes and is used to being obeyed. Filiberto discovers Chac Mool leaves the house at night to hunt for dogs, rats, and cats for food; later in the dry season, Filiberto is forced to order out rice with chicken. He also has to run trips to get water; if he tries to flee, he will be struck down by Chac Mool, also god of lightening. Filiberto also notices that Chac Mool eventually has to turn back into stone, that he is getting more irritable, and that he is falling into human temptations. Also, Chac Mool wouldn’t die and leave Filiberto alive; Filiberto thus must flee.
“He decides to flee to Acapulco at night; he plans to swim away with his little remaining money. He is sick of Chac Mool: a ver cuánto dura sin mis baldes (buckets) de agua (204).”
The diary of Filiberto ends, and the narrator arrives at the terminal. When he gets there, the door opens; a yellow Indian appears; his appearance is repulsive, his face is covered in powder, he reeks of cheap lotion, his lips are smeared with lipstick. This man (Chac Mool?) says: “Lo sé todo. Dígales a los hombres que lleven el cadaver al sótano” (205).
Translation:
http://web.mit.edu/jikatz/www/ChacMool.pdf
Themes:
-la decadencia del orden establecido y el descontrol
-la tenue línea entre lo real y lo ilusorio
-el cuento fantástico del siglo XIX y del siglo XX
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Rima LIII: “Volverán las oscuras golondrinas”
written by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
[I] pp. 359 - 360
Summary:
Swallows will always return, but the familiar ones won’t. The ivy will always creep and bloom, but the familiar ones covered in dew won’t. Likewise, the woman will always return words, but will never return passion or mutual adoration. The broad events will always happen, so it’s those fleeting, specific moments that matter. So appreciate what you have had and what you do have.
Devices:
Bécquer uses anaphora in “Volverán” and the estribillo “ésas … ¡no volverán!” to get the main idea of the poem in the reader’s head. He also uses personification, hyperbaton, a simile (“como lágrimas del día…”), and, at the end, an apostrophe.
Themes:
-carpe diem y memento mori: el tiempo y sus mudanzas
-ganar y perder en el juego de amor: la passion entre el hombre y la mujer
-poesía romantic y modernista del siglo XIX
[I] pp. 359 - 360
Summary:
Swallows will always return, but the familiar ones won’t. The ivy will always creep and bloom, but the familiar ones covered in dew won’t. Likewise, the woman will always return words, but will never return passion or mutual adoration. The broad events will always happen, so it’s those fleeting, specific moments that matter. So appreciate what you have had and what you do have.
Devices:
Bécquer uses anaphora in “Volverán” and the estribillo “ésas … ¡no volverán!” to get the main idea of the poem in the reader’s head. He also uses personification, hyperbaton, a simile (“como lágrimas del día…”), and, at the end, an apostrophe.
Themes:
-carpe diem y memento mori: el tiempo y sus mudanzas
-ganar y perder en el juego de amor: la passion entre el hombre y la mujer
-poesía romantic y modernista del siglo XIX
Rima XI: “Yo soy ardiente, yo soy morena”
written by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
[I] pp. 358
Summary:
Bécquer’s poem talks about the tragic search for love. The poet rejects the first woman, la morena, then la rubia in favor of una fantasma, an impossible love. He chases a love he cannot have and rejects the ones he can.
Devices:
He uses an estribillo of “¿A mí me __? – No __.” and anaphora of “yo soy.” He also uses a metaphor in “yo soy un sueño” and hyperbaton. It has rima consonante in los versos impares and is written in first person. It has four voices.
Themes:
-poesía romántica y modernista del siglo XIX
[I] pp. 358
Summary:
Bécquer’s poem talks about the tragic search for love. The poet rejects the first woman, la morena, then la rubia in favor of una fantasma, an impossible love. He chases a love he cannot have and rejects the ones he can.
Devices:
He uses an estribillo of “¿A mí me __? – No __.” and anaphora of “yo soy.” He also uses a metaphor in “yo soy un sueño” and hyperbaton. It has rima consonante in los versos impares and is written in first person. It has four voices.
Themes:
-poesía romántica y modernista del siglo XIX
Rima IV: “No digáis que agotado su tesoro” (habrá poesía)
written by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
[I] pp. 356 - 358
Summary:
Bécquer talks about the eternity of poetry. As long as there is nature (waves, clouds, springtime, etc.), sciences (the sea’s abysses, more mysteries, etc.), human emotions (happiness, clashing minds, etc.), and love (kissing, beautiful women, etc.), habrá poesía. As long has humanity exists, poetry will, too – poetry lives within humanity. Poetry is immortal.
Devices:
He uses, most importantly, the estribillo “¡habrá poesía!” to continually remind the reader of the theme. The poem is also una silva, or has four line stanzas with 11, 7, 11, 7 syllables. It has anaphora of “mientras” in los versos impares, apostrophe in “no digáis,” and personification in “mientras el corazón y la cabeza batallando prosigan.” It is written in third person with rima asonante.
Themes:
-éxtasis y epifanías
-poesía romántica y modernista del siglo XIX
[I] pp. 356 - 358
Summary:
Bécquer talks about the eternity of poetry. As long as there is nature (waves, clouds, springtime, etc.), sciences (the sea’s abysses, more mysteries, etc.), human emotions (happiness, clashing minds, etc.), and love (kissing, beautiful women, etc.), habrá poesía. As long has humanity exists, poetry will, too – poetry lives within humanity. Poetry is immortal.
Devices:
He uses, most importantly, the estribillo “¡habrá poesía!” to continually remind the reader of the theme. The poem is also una silva, or has four line stanzas with 11, 7, 11, 7 syllables. It has anaphora of “mientras” in los versos impares, apostrophe in “no digáis,” and personification in “mientras el corazón y la cabeza batallando prosigan.” It is written in third person with rima asonante.
Themes:
-éxtasis y epifanías
-poesía romántica y modernista del siglo XIX
El Conde Lucanor
Ejemplo XXXV. ("Lo que sucedió a un mozo que casó con una mujer muy fuerte y muy brava”)
written by El infante don Juan Manuel
[II] pp. 268 - 275
Summary:
El conde pide a Patronio por consejos sobre su criado. El criado quiere casarse con una mujer brava y rica -- es un idea bueno? (¿Es el criado como el mancebo moro?)
El mancebo quiere casarse con una mujer rica. Quiere subir de su clase baja; no puede hacer lo que quiere sin dinero. Primero el padre de la mujer dice "no," pero después el padre del mancebo habla con el padre de la mujer. Ellos hablan ("Si casen, no podemos ser amigos"), y el mancebo y la mujer se casan. Los parientes, como dice la tradicción, los quedan en casa hasta el proximo día. El hombre les pide agua al perro, gato, y caballo -- los corta y despedeza. (El hombre está haciendo un punto a su esposa nueva.) Le pide agua a su mujer. Lo hace la mujer. Y después, los parientes lo admiran al hombre porque puede controlar su esposa brava. Despues, el suegro de la mujer trata de hacer lo mismo de matar un gallo. No tiene el mismo éxito porque ella conoce a el.
La morale? Las impresiones primeras son tan importantes.
Si al comienzo no muestras quién eres,
Nunca podrás después cuando quisieres. (275)
Translation:
http://antinous.tripod.com/mujerbrava.html
Themes:
-desafío y perseverancia: la tenacidad individual ante los retos de la vida
-el machismo, la lucha por el poder entre los sexos
-ganar y perder en el juego de amor: la passion entre el hombre y la mujer
-lecciones de la vida y el repudio del error
-la prosa peninsular desde el Medioevo hasta el siglo XX
written by El infante don Juan Manuel
[II] pp. 268 - 275
Summary:
El conde pide a Patronio por consejos sobre su criado. El criado quiere casarse con una mujer brava y rica -- es un idea bueno? (¿Es el criado como el mancebo moro?)
El mancebo quiere casarse con una mujer rica. Quiere subir de su clase baja; no puede hacer lo que quiere sin dinero. Primero el padre de la mujer dice "no," pero después el padre del mancebo habla con el padre de la mujer. Ellos hablan ("Si casen, no podemos ser amigos"), y el mancebo y la mujer se casan. Los parientes, como dice la tradicción, los quedan en casa hasta el proximo día. El hombre les pide agua al perro, gato, y caballo -- los corta y despedeza. (El hombre está haciendo un punto a su esposa nueva.) Le pide agua a su mujer. Lo hace la mujer. Y después, los parientes lo admiran al hombre porque puede controlar su esposa brava. Despues, el suegro de la mujer trata de hacer lo mismo de matar un gallo. No tiene el mismo éxito porque ella conoce a el.
La morale? Las impresiones primeras son tan importantes.
Si al comienzo no muestras quién eres,
Nunca podrás después cuando quisieres. (275)
Translation:
http://antinous.tripod.com/mujerbrava.html
Themes:
-desafío y perseverancia: la tenacidad individual ante los retos de la vida
-el machismo, la lucha por el poder entre los sexos
-ganar y perder en el juego de amor: la passion entre el hombre y la mujer
-lecciones de la vida y el repudio del error
-la prosa peninsular desde el Medioevo hasta el siglo XX
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
La muerte y la brújula
written by Jorge Luis Borges
[I] pp. 155 – 172
Borges immediately introduces detective Erik Lonnrot, the protagonist, and Red Scharlach, the criminal and antagonist. Lonnrot is un puro razonador with elements of a tahúr (gambler) and an aventurero (156). Scharlach vows to kill Lonnrot.
The first murder occurs in the Hotel du Nord on December 3. Doctor Marcel Yarmolinsky has a deep knife wound. His room is across the hall from Tetrarch of Galilee, known to have the finest sapphires, leading Insepector Treviranus (the voice of reason and practicality) to believe someone tried to steal the sapphires. Lonnrot, however, notices the possible Jewish ties; he believes the crime may belong to the history of Jewish superstition. Says Lonnrot:
Posible, pero no interesante [a la realidad de Treviranus]. Usted replicará que la realidad no tiene la menor obligación de ser interesante. Yo le replicaré que la realidad puede prescindir de (avoid) esa obligación, pero no las hipótesis. En la que usted ha improvisado, el azar (chance) interviene copiosamente […] yo preferiría una explicación puramente rabínica […] (158).
He notices the message: La primera letra del Nombre ha sideo articulada (159). He then pores through Yarmolinksy’s texts, and learns that God has a secret, Absolute name. When the editor of Yidische Zaitung, a Jewish magazine for which Yarmolinksy wrote, comes, Lonnrot is only interested in solving his puzzle.
The second murder occurs in an alley on January 3. Daniel Simon Azevedo is the victim of a deep knife wound to the chest, a man known to be a petty thief. On the wall, Lonnrot sees the message: La segunda letra del Nombre ha sideo articulada (161).
The third murder occurs at Liverpool House on February 3. Gryphius-Ginzberg, a man who spent his days in a room above the Liverpool House, is presumed to have died. The tavern owner, Black Finnegan, relays a story about Ginzberg getting drunk; Lonnrot then notices: La última de las letras del Nombre ha sido articulada (163). Treviranus proposes that everything might just be a sham, immediately dismissed by Lonnrot.
On March 1, Treviranus receives a letter saying no murder will occur on March 3, as the previous three made an equilateral triangle. Lonnrot studies them, and quickly notices that there is indeed to be a fourth murder; he immediately takes a train to Triste-le-Roy. El misterio casi le pareció cristalino (166). He goes through the iron fence to the pointlessly symmetrical house, enters, and explores it. Very soon after, two men seize him.
He sees Red Scharlach. Scharlach says that he is seeking Lonnrot (not the Secret Name of God), the man who sent his brother to jail. Scharlach also tells how he spent nine days and nights with a bullet in his stomach in Triste-le-Roy. Sentía que el mundo es un laberinto (169), a world that is impossible to flee.
He then explains his plans: they were to steal the sapphires, but Azevedo undertook the job a day early and was forced to kill Yarmolinsky. From Yarmolinsky’s Judiasm, Scharlach then plans to create a trap for Lonnrot. Azevedo was the necessary victim; he was impulsive, a traitor. Gryphius-Ginzberg was Scharlach himself, and the necessary “evidence” was planted. Scharlach led Lonnrot to una exacta muerte; todo lo he premeditado para atraerlo a [Lonnrot] a las soledades de Triste-le-Roy (171).
Lonnrot then feels sadness; he then suggests that in the next incarnation, Scharlach plan a proper labyrinth. Scharlach steps back, and shoots Lonnrot.
Translation:
http://prepcycle.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&p=279
Themes:
-el desdoblamiento y la dualidad del ser
-el cuento fantástico del siglo XIX y siglo XX
[I] pp. 155 – 172
Borges immediately introduces detective Erik Lonnrot, the protagonist, and Red Scharlach, the criminal and antagonist. Lonnrot is un puro razonador with elements of a tahúr (gambler) and an aventurero (156). Scharlach vows to kill Lonnrot.
The first murder occurs in the Hotel du Nord on December 3. Doctor Marcel Yarmolinsky has a deep knife wound. His room is across the hall from Tetrarch of Galilee, known to have the finest sapphires, leading Insepector Treviranus (the voice of reason and practicality) to believe someone tried to steal the sapphires. Lonnrot, however, notices the possible Jewish ties; he believes the crime may belong to the history of Jewish superstition. Says Lonnrot:
Posible, pero no interesante [a la realidad de Treviranus]. Usted replicará que la realidad no tiene la menor obligación de ser interesante. Yo le replicaré que la realidad puede prescindir de (avoid) esa obligación, pero no las hipótesis. En la que usted ha improvisado, el azar (chance) interviene copiosamente […] yo preferiría una explicación puramente rabínica […] (158).
He notices the message: La primera letra del Nombre ha sideo articulada (159). He then pores through Yarmolinksy’s texts, and learns that God has a secret, Absolute name. When the editor of Yidische Zaitung, a Jewish magazine for which Yarmolinksy wrote, comes, Lonnrot is only interested in solving his puzzle.
The second murder occurs in an alley on January 3. Daniel Simon Azevedo is the victim of a deep knife wound to the chest, a man known to be a petty thief. On the wall, Lonnrot sees the message: La segunda letra del Nombre ha sideo articulada (161).
The third murder occurs at Liverpool House on February 3. Gryphius-Ginzberg, a man who spent his days in a room above the Liverpool House, is presumed to have died. The tavern owner, Black Finnegan, relays a story about Ginzberg getting drunk; Lonnrot then notices: La última de las letras del Nombre ha sido articulada (163). Treviranus proposes that everything might just be a sham, immediately dismissed by Lonnrot.
On March 1, Treviranus receives a letter saying no murder will occur on March 3, as the previous three made an equilateral triangle. Lonnrot studies them, and quickly notices that there is indeed to be a fourth murder; he immediately takes a train to Triste-le-Roy. El misterio casi le pareció cristalino (166). He goes through the iron fence to the pointlessly symmetrical house, enters, and explores it. Very soon after, two men seize him.
He sees Red Scharlach. Scharlach says that he is seeking Lonnrot (not the Secret Name of God), the man who sent his brother to jail. Scharlach also tells how he spent nine days and nights with a bullet in his stomach in Triste-le-Roy. Sentía que el mundo es un laberinto (169), a world that is impossible to flee.
He then explains his plans: they were to steal the sapphires, but Azevedo undertook the job a day early and was forced to kill Yarmolinsky. From Yarmolinsky’s Judiasm, Scharlach then plans to create a trap for Lonnrot. Azevedo was the necessary victim; he was impulsive, a traitor. Gryphius-Ginzberg was Scharlach himself, and the necessary “evidence” was planted. Scharlach led Lonnrot to una exacta muerte; todo lo he premeditado para atraerlo a [Lonnrot] a las soledades de Triste-le-Roy (171).
Lonnrot then feels sadness; he then suggests that in the next incarnation, Scharlach plan a proper labyrinth. Scharlach steps back, and shoots Lonnrot.
Translation:
http://prepcycle.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&p=279
Themes:
-el desdoblamiento y la dualidad del ser
-el cuento fantástico del siglo XIX y siglo XX
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
La noche boca arriba
written by Julio Cortázar
[I] pp. 177 - 189
Summary:
An unnamed man is in the modern world, riding his motorcycle through town. He swerves out of the path of a woman crossing the street, but as a consequence, goes unconscious. Fue como dormirse de golpe. (178) When he comes to, he realizes he is bloody, his knee is hurt, his right arm is in pain, and his eyebrow has a large gash. He is taken to the hospital, where a hombre de blanco approaches him con algo que le brillaba en la mano (180)...
He is in a strange dream, with fragrances. Y todo era tan natural, tenía que huir de los aztecas que andaban a caza (hunt) de hombre, y su única probabilidad era la de esconderse en lo más denso de la selva […que] los motecas conocían (180). He stands there, nervous from unexpected sounds around him, clutching his stone dagger. When he smells the smell he fears most, he wakes up with a fright.
He just wakes up, and finds himself thirsty and in a cast. He has la fiebre (182), allowing him to fall in and out of consciousness.
He is again in confusion, but soon realizes that la guerra florida había empezado for tres días y tres noches (183). He kills some enemies that attack him, but is eventually caught with a rope.
The patients at the hospital are convinced it is la fiebre, but it is more. The blurred line between reality and dream continues: se oía toser, respirar fuerte, a veces un diálogo en voz baja (184), ¿Quién hubiera pensado que la cosa iba a acabar así? (184). He then feels like he has been transported through time and space: tenía la sensación de que ese hueco, esa nada, había durado una eternidad. No, ni siquiera tiempo, más bien como si en ese hueco él hubiera pasado a través de algo o recorrido distancias inmensas (185).
He awakens on his back, naked and tied in ropes. He hears the rituals of the aztecas and knows he is ascending the steps of the sacrifice. He knows he will be carried to the top where he will be sacrificed. He wishes this recurring dream will end.
He sits in the hospital, glad that he is awake. Yet he cannot manage to keep his eyes open; he sleeps and returns to being tied up, about to have his heart ripped out. At this point, he realizes that his “dream” is actually his reality; when he is about to die, ahora sabía que no iba a despertarse (188). Alguien se le había acercado con un cuchillo en la mano, a él tendido boca arriba, a él boca arriba con los ojos cerrados entre las hogueras (188-9). He dies.
Translation:
http://deeblog.squarespace.com/journal/2008/5/9/la-noche-boca-arriba-part-1.html
Movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX+auFxEskM
Themes:
-desdoblamiento y dualidad de ser
-la tenue línea entre lo real y lo ilusorio
-el cuento fantastic del siglo XIX y siglo XX
[I] pp. 177 - 189
Summary:
An unnamed man is in the modern world, riding his motorcycle through town. He swerves out of the path of a woman crossing the street, but as a consequence, goes unconscious. Fue como dormirse de golpe. (178) When he comes to, he realizes he is bloody, his knee is hurt, his right arm is in pain, and his eyebrow has a large gash. He is taken to the hospital, where a hombre de blanco approaches him con algo que le brillaba en la mano (180)...
He is in a strange dream, with fragrances. Y todo era tan natural, tenía que huir de los aztecas que andaban a caza (hunt) de hombre, y su única probabilidad era la de esconderse en lo más denso de la selva […que] los motecas conocían (180). He stands there, nervous from unexpected sounds around him, clutching his stone dagger. When he smells the smell he fears most, he wakes up with a fright.
He just wakes up, and finds himself thirsty and in a cast. He has la fiebre (182), allowing him to fall in and out of consciousness.
He is again in confusion, but soon realizes that la guerra florida había empezado for tres días y tres noches (183). He kills some enemies that attack him, but is eventually caught with a rope.
The patients at the hospital are convinced it is la fiebre, but it is more. The blurred line between reality and dream continues: se oía toser, respirar fuerte, a veces un diálogo en voz baja (184), ¿Quién hubiera pensado que la cosa iba a acabar así? (184). He then feels like he has been transported through time and space: tenía la sensación de que ese hueco, esa nada, había durado una eternidad. No, ni siquiera tiempo, más bien como si en ese hueco él hubiera pasado a través de algo o recorrido distancias inmensas (185).
He awakens on his back, naked and tied in ropes. He hears the rituals of the aztecas and knows he is ascending the steps of the sacrifice. He knows he will be carried to the top where he will be sacrificed. He wishes this recurring dream will end.
He sits in the hospital, glad that he is awake. Yet he cannot manage to keep his eyes open; he sleeps and returns to being tied up, about to have his heart ripped out. At this point, he realizes that his “dream” is actually his reality; when he is about to die, ahora sabía que no iba a despertarse (188). Alguien se le había acercado con un cuchillo en la mano, a él tendido boca arriba, a él boca arriba con los ojos cerrados entre las hogueras (188-9). He dies.
Translation:
http://deeblog.squarespace.com/journal/2008/5/9/la-noche-boca-arriba-part-1.html
Movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX+auFxEskM
Themes:
-desdoblamiento y dualidad de ser
-la tenue línea entre lo real y lo ilusorio
-el cuento fantastic del siglo XIX y siglo XX
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