Proposal: The President

The President discusses the corruption of a dictator, who corrupts everyone in the society, no matter what class they are in. His corruption turns people against each other in a way that people will do and say whatever they need to survive. It has been speculated that The President was written about the dictatorship in Guatemala at the time Miguel Angel Asturias was writing, but why write a somewhat fictitious novel over a historical article? What is the reason for using fiction to describe the horrors of living in a society run by a dictator?

In my paper I wish to prove how Asturias is able to portray the dictator as inhumane and why fiction has a better effect on the reader than historical novels or other literary genres.

Chapter 10: Question 2

According to Bakhtin, the people who come to a carnival make up a group.  At a carnival people are not individuals, but rather a united community.  Such is seen true throughout 100 Years of Solitude.  After Macondo was just founded, the gypsies would come every March for a carnival-like celebration.  At these carnival-like celebrations, the community would come together.  As Macondo grows larger, it becomes more spread out, however the carnival in chapter 10 brings the people of Macondo together.  The carnival was considered a "Catholic tradition" (197).  All the people of Macondo come together with Remedios the Beautiful as the queen.  The masks that the people of Macondo where wearing, which were only taken off for a moment to get a better look at Remedios the Beautiful, allow the people of Macondo to, as Bakhtin says, forget about, "caste, property, profession, and age."

100 Years of Solitude: chapter 11

In many ways the town which Fernanda grew up in is similar to Macondo many years ago.  Fernanda grew up in a town that is isolated from the rest of the world, the way Macondo was isolated when it was first founded; the only interaction Macondo had with the outside world was through the gypsies.  However, as Macondo began to embrace the outside world and become more aware of it, the town where Fernanda was from continued to be isolated through the years.  Such is apparent through the different changes of Macondo, including the furniture that Ursula bought from outside Macondo, such as the pianola, and the locomotive. The city which Fernanda came from is still, "unknown" at this time (208). Marquez even suggests that the city was a place of unreality as her life did not begin until she was taken to Macondo.

100 Years of Solitude: chapter 10

Aureliano Segundo is one of the more interesting characters of chapter 10.  While Aureliano Segundo does not have the same physical features or love of war like the Colonel, in many mays, he is just like Colonel Aureliano.  They have the same name, they both enjoyed alchemy in their youth, but as they both grow up they join the world of reality and move away from the lab.  Once again the theme of hereditary memory comes up as Aureliano Segundo recognizes Melquiades because the image of Melquiades is, "transmitted from generation to generation" (184).  It will be interesting to see as the novel continues how similar Aureliano Segundo is to Colonel Aureliano, and whether Aureliano Segundo will lose touch with reality like Colonel Aureliano.

I'm Going to Sleep

Similar to “Sorrow,” “I’m Going to Sleep” uses nature imagery, has a somber tone, and discusses a man. The poem seems to be a farewell poem, discussing death. The natural imagery of the line, “make the sheets of the earth ready for me,” seems to represent a burial with “the sheets of the earth” representing a grave. The imagery of the light represents the poet’s life. By having the nurse turn the light down a little, her life is nearing an end. The last stanza discusses a man. The line, “tell him I have gone…” reiterates her coming death, as she is asking the nurse to tell the man that she is gone, or dead.

Sorrow

I interpreted “Sorrow” as a somber poem, discussing the roles of women and men through a comparison with the seaside. The “I” in the poem is most likely the poet, walking along the seaside. She wishes to be, “tall, proud, and perfect” and to be apart of the sea (“I would let myself be carried along / with slow steps and cold eyes and mute mouths”) In this poem, the sea is beautiful, but carries with it a somber and sad connotation as well. The poem describes a man, who unlike the woman, is already the “handsomest man” and does not have to wish to be perfect. I believe that the poet sees the roles of men and women as very different. She sees women as inferior, always trying to be better, and men as dominate and the “handsomest.” The final line, “To feel the sea’s oblivion forever” makes me think that the poet is expressing how she will be trapped in this role forever.

Spain, Take This Cup From Me

César Vallejo’s attitude towards Spain is different from many of the other Latin American authors who we have read. Many of the early Latin American authors did not want Spain involved in Latin American affairs. Writers like Bolivar wanted independence from Spain, and authors such as Marti did not want any influences from other countries, including Spain. Vallejo’s “Spain, Take This Cup From Me,” clearly demonstrates Vallejo’s support for Spain. Vallejo wrote this poem in 1939, so either near the end of the Spanish Civil War or when the Spanish Civil War had ended. He was a big advocate for the Republic in Spain. In his poem he is suggesting that without Spain, Latin America would, “stop growing” and would be worse off; thus, Vallejo is advocating for Latin America to support Spain.

Response to Question 1

Many of Latin America's 19th-century thinkers and writers were deeply concerned with the project of nation building. How did they envision the identities (either cultural or political) of these new nations?

Before Latin America gained its independence, authors were writing about how Latin America must politically and culturally transform to defeat Spain and gain their independence. Bolivar in “The Jamaica Letter” wants the nation to unite. He believes together Latin America will be a nation that can gain its independence. Bello in “Ode to Agriculture” calls for a cultural transformation. He criticizes the people of Latin America for selling their land to people of Spain. He suggests that the people of Latin America need to stop conforming to ideals of other countries, become their own nation, and live in a land of nature and beauty rather than material goods and lust. After Latin America gains its independence the country falls into chaos. Sarmiento is writing at a time when cities are filled with villains and brutal dictators while plains are filled with free roaming gauchos. Sarmiento in the first chapter of “Facundo” is worried about how the lifestyles of Latin Americans are decreasing. Sarmiento does not like where Latin America is heading, culturally or politically. He is worried about the chaos and the dictators. People in cities are completely separate from people in plains. There is no collective society and therefore no government. People in cities are interested in material goods and a life of luxury. Religion has become corrupt. Boys are becoming physically but not intellectually strong. Marti in “Our America” stresses similar points as Sarmiento and Bello. Marti rejects the influence of other nations. He believes it is time for Latin America to come together, get back to their old cultural ways, and form their own government without the influence of any other country. Finally Dario’s “To Roosevelt” suggests that Latin America has finally built a foundation for a great nation, and that Latin America will soon rise and become very powerful.

The Writing of Sarmiento, Martí, and Darío

History and specific events had a clear effect on the writing of Sarmiento, Martí, and Darío. Sarmiento wrote Facundo in 1845, the same year the United States was taking part of Mexico. While Sarmiento’s writing does clearing show how he viewed the United States, such an event had an affect of Martí’s writing. Martí lived in Cuba, Spain, and the United States. While most Latin American nationalists after 1845 would have been very critical of the United States, Martí felt a conflicting view, as he had lived in the United States. Darío wrote To Roosevelt in 1905 in response to the Spanish-American War, in which poem he denounces the United States, calling it “a hunter.”

Along with being influenced by historical events, all three literary works, Facundo, Our America, and To Roosevelt, use the symbol of the tiger. Whether or not the uses of the tiger are coincidental, the tiger always symbolizes power. In Facundo, the tiger is a “maneater,” who is dominates the wild, but is constrained by the law and the civilized world of humans; the tiger later comes to symbolized Facundo. In Our America Martí is trying to prove that America needs to build itself up without European technology or thinking (the tiger) and while that temptation will always be, “wait[ing] behind every tree, crouch[ing] in every corner” America needs to build itself up without “the tiger” (European influence) (293). Darío argues a similar point as Martí. However, instead of Europe being the tiger, the United States is considered the tiger. Darío, like Martí, is suggesting that the Latin American world should not be influenced by foreign powers.

Role of Women in Sab

While Sab’s main purpose is to address the major issue of slavery, it also discusses the role of women. Carlota and Teresa and the two main women characters; however, they are complete opposites. While Carlota was raised in a wealthy family, Teresa was an orphan. Carlota represents a woman of the 18th century, while Teresa represents the future woman and how most women are thought of today.
Carlota is a beautiful woman with a weak character. She is blinded by her love for Enrique, and as a result cannot see clearly. To Teresa and Sab, Enrique is clearly the wrong man for Carlota, but Carlota is not able to see this. When Enrique was questioning whether or not to marry Carlota, because he realizes that she has no money, she believes it is because, “he (Enrique) does not love me (Carlota) as much as I love him.” (89) However, after Carlota wins the lottery, Enrique returns to her, and she never questions why. While Sab is able to see through Enrique after his first encounter with him, Carlota is not able to see the true Enrique until she is married to him.
Teresa, on the other hand, is somewhat of a mystery in the beginning of the novel, but by the end her character has come full circle and the strength that she has is finally shown. Teresa is constantly out shinned by Carlota, who is too wrapped up in herself. Teresa is not considered as beautiful or as wealthy as Carlota was in the beginning of the novel, but Teresa is not as blind as Carlota is to the situation. Teresa, like Sab, realizes Enrique is not the right man for Carlota, but, again like Sab, she realizes if Enrique were to die, he would always be a hero in Carlota’s mind. While in the beginning of the novel Teresa is not thought to play a major role in the story, by the end she makes two decisions that change the novel’s outcome. First, she befriends Sab and convinces Sab that Carlota should get the winning lottery ticket, not her. By doing so, Sab dies knowing he has a friend, and Carlota is finally able to see the true Enrique, who she really does not love. Secondly, she decides to show Carlota Sab’s letter. As a result, Carlota is able to find the truth about Sab’s love for her. Carlota is now able to live in peace, watching over Sab’s grave and finally giving him her love. While Teresa is looked over at first, because she is not the prettiest or wealthiest, by the end of the novel she becomes the controlling character, and in many ways she is more “manly” in her actions than any other character.

Response to Bolivar's "Jamaica Letter"

Simon Bolívar's thought provoking letter not only addresses the current situation of America at the time, but also in a sense Bolívar prophesizes possible outcomes of what is to come. Throughout much of his letter, I questioned Bolívar's reasoning for wanting a free South America, as he came from a wealthy slave owning family. Yet, what is clear throughout his letter is that he only wants the best for America and for it to be, "regarded not so much for its size and wealth as for its freedom and glory." (23)
He begins his letter by mentioning the struggles and battles taking place throughout America at the time, and he especially touches on the hardships that Venezuela is suffering. The most memorable passage to me is when Bolívar suggests that the people of America are slaves to Spain. Bolívar's reasoning is correct in the fact that the people of America are being controlled and dominated by Spain, but what struck me the most was the actual word slavery. Normally I think of slavery as the oppression of races that white males believe to be inferior to them, and I normally do not think of whole continents as being enslaved. By using the word slavery it made me realize how oppressed the people of America felt. Since the people of America lost their ability to control their government, their economy suffered and for the time, when they were controlled by Spain, they made no progress.
Towards the end of his letter, I find that Bolívar is often questioning what the future holds for America. First he touches on how ruling America under one monarchy would be impossible and that, “merging the entire New World into a single nation…is both grandiose and impractical.” (27) Yet, Bolívar believes that uniting America is the only way for them to create change and win their freedom. However, Bolívar believes that once this freedom is achieved America should be divided, “into fifteen or seventeen independent states, each governed by its own monarch.” (24) Despite a slight contradiction on his part, I agree with Bolívar that America needed to unite to provoke change, and once this was done America needed to be divided into separate countries, as America is way too big to be governed by one monarch.
My final realization that came from Bolívar’s letter was how different and divided Mexico and America were. Mexico started revolts in 1810. While Bolívar believed that Quetzalcoatl could unite America, Mexicans would not respond to Quetzalcoatl, but rather Virgin of Guadalupe would unite the Mexicans. Despite both Mexico and America wanting freedom from Spain I did not realize how divided they were.
Bolivar’s letter is not only a historical document, telling what was happening in 1815, but also a letter with Bolivar’s own thoughts on what America must do to get their freedom and what America should do once they get their freedom.