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Week 13: Good bye

 Hello Blog readers,


Just like that this becomes my last post. As Jon said in his lecture, “so that was Latin American literature?” I learned a lot, and definitely went through a lot of new styles of books. I dont think I had ever read books from these country’s authors, before this class, at least. Im proud of how much I was able to read and really dive into concepts like I did. I like to read, but I never dive deep into details and patterns like we did in this course. I saw lots of patterns of themes, narrators, etc., and it was honestly nice to look at those details.


I've learnt so much about history too and the things some people went through, like the revolution. A common theme/problem being death. I've adapted more to the violence and how others view this death and destruction. Overall, Im glad I explored these cultural works. I definitely learned a couple of things about the past that I didn't know, but also I was touched by some of the work. I feel moved by the course and honestly inspired. I want to continue to read more throughout the summer, and for my question this week, I want some suggestions on books that I can read this summer. I enjoyed having a weekly text to read at the end of each night wrapped up in bed. I never believed this before, but I do think that it was helping my mental health, especially during spring break. I found myself picking up 100 years of solitude every time I was bored and feeling down. It was something to do that didn't feel like homework but still was in some aspect, so I was being productive when I felt like not doing anything. 


Additionally, I would especially like to thank Jon for teaching us so much within this course. I didn't know anything about Latin American literature before this course. I was taken out of my comfort zone reading style, reading some texts that were truly difficult for me to grasp, such as Labyrinths by Borges. The only author I had heard of before this course that we read was Garcia Marquez and his book 100 Years of Solitude, so really, I was a blind sheep walking into this class. However, I am grateful for the exposure to this work because I would not have come to looking at it on my own. I would also like to thank Daniel. I know he put in a tremendous amount of work making sure everyone was following their contract and responding to everyone's blog posts each week with really thought-provoking comments, which I found myself often thinking about. 


And; Thank you to my classmates, that were all so delightful to interact with. I really enjoyed hearing your opinions and thoughts and would love any reading recommendations you have. 


Wishing everyone the best, and see you all Thursday!


 

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Comments

  1. Daniel OrizagaApril 10, 2023 at 8:43 PM

    Thank you very much for your kind words! It's a pleasure to have students like you who make me want to do my best. The theme of violence appears in very different ways in Latin American literature, it is a ghost that is present and seems not to want to leave us. But even so there is hope, as you could see when reading "One Hundred Years of Solitude". Thank you for giving us the opportunity to show you these stories, which I hope will accompany you in difficult times.

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  2. Marisa OrtizApril 13, 2023 at 8:46 AM

    I couldn't agree more that our weekly readings didn't feel like homework! In that sense, this class was such a relief for me, not that it was easy, but that the learning felt more affirming and meaningful. For book recommendations, if you'd like to continue with Latin American literature, I highly recommend "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz!

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