Week 16

"Sin Nombre"

"Sin Nombre" a feature debut film written and directed by Cary Fukunaga in 2009, is a modern immigration saga of two young people on a journey to escape their past.  “Sin Nombre”, which means “without a name” won awards in 2009 for best direction and cinematography at the Sundance Film Festival.  The Oakland native writer-director was inspired to create this film after learning about 80 illegal immigrants who were found locked in an abandoned truck in Texas in 2003, where 19 people died.

Sayra, along with her father and uncle, leave Honduras for New Jersey, USA in the hopes of a better life.  They journey on foot to Mexico and then continue through Mexico on the top of freight trains.  Casper is a young gang member who, along with the heavily tattooed leader, “Lil’ Mago” of the gang “Mara Salvatrucha” and a 12 year-old recruit “Smiley”, boards the train to rob those traveling on top.  After robbing and beating many of the travelers on the train, Mago attempts to rape Sayra.  Casper intervenes and ends up killing Mago.  Now, with a death sentence on his head, Casper must attempt to escape this influential Mexican gang in the effort to save his life.  Sayra and Casper form a bond of friendship and continue their northbound journey together.

The story line is simple and straightforward.  However, the implications of the story are compelling, frightening and thought provoking.  The story illustrates the difficult journey many people attempt in the effort to obtain a better life.   The travelers are willing to endure many obstacles and challenges during their journey – robbery, starvation, humiliation, deportation, weather and death.  During their journey, Casper decides to leave Sayra and her family in order to keep them from harm and when Sayra realizes that he has gone, she leaves the train to go after Casper.  When her father and uncle notice that Sayra is missing, they realize that there is nothing they can do to help her – she’s on her own.  The border patrol boards the train and in their attempt to escape, Sayra’s father falls off the train and is killed when he is trapped under the moving wheels.  Her uncle is captured and deported back to Honduras.  Sayra and Casper manage to make it to the boarder and while Sayra is crossing the river with the assistance of paid help, the gang catches up with Casper and guns him down, with Smiley being the first one to fire a shot.

What I find most frightening is the psychological hold the gang has on a member’s life; especially with vulnerable young kids.  Smiley, attracted to the power and peer status of gang life, is willing to undergo the initiation process of “13 seconds of hell”, where the recruit is savagely beaten by all members for 13 seconds.  Afterwards, the leader, Mago, lovingly takes Smiley into his arms and kisses him.  The next step in the initiation process, Smiley has to kill a rival gang member.  A target has been captured and caged like a wild animal.  Smiley is given a homemade gun and Casper guides him through the steps to help him complete his initiation.  Afterward, a shaken Smiley is comforted by Mago and Casper.  Smiley struggles with his internal moral conscious but is reassured by the gang, that he is loved and part of the family.  By this time, all previous perceptions of morality evaporate.

Freire and his Ideas on Oppression...

This movie clearly illustrates the power of oppression but also the equally powerful desire to escape an oppressive life. Sayra wanted to leave a life that had no promise for her future.  Casper became disillusioned with the gang after Mago kills the one woman he loved.  Casper comes to understand that loyalty to the gang is upmost and that the gang will not allow anything to interfere with this loyalty.  Love is a powerful threat to the gang and Mago understands that Casper’s love will always be more important than the needs of the gang or the motives of its leader.  This type of power and control is very similar to abusive relationships which provide a false sense of love, belonging, and security.  Freire discusses the psychological hold the oppressor has on its victims and how difficult it is to break away from the cycle of abuse.  Casper got a taste of true love and a life outside of the gang and although I don’t believe he planned to kill Mago, when Casper saw Mago attempting to rape Sayra, he reacted out of pent-up rage to justify the loss of his true love.  Fearing for his life, Casper attempts to escape, even though he knows that escape is futile.

Additionally, Freire noted that sometimes, those who were previously oppressed, in turn, become the oppressors.  Although once oppressed, Smiley becomes the oppressor through his involvement with the gang. 

While watching the movie, I was reminded of the painting from MOLaa titled, “The Exodus”.  Both the painting and the movie illustrate the pain and suffering people are willing to endure in order to leave an oppressive or futureless life.  The road or exodus is not easy and the individuals are sad and frightened to leave, but looking ahead allows the only hope for a future.  For many, the powerful desire for escape, freedom and a future is so strong that many are willing to risk everything.  Like Casper, many would rather die than continue their oppressive situations.

Transcends Borders…

This story, based upon real life situations, illustrates occurrences of oppression still happening today.  In every culture, oppression still occurs and people attempt to escape from these chains.  Spousal abuse, child abuse, sex-slave trade, and prostitution still occur in all countries.  This compelling and haunting story transformed my thought process about illegal immigration and provided a context for understanding what people are willing to go through to get to America.  This movie planted a seed of compassion that allowed me the opportunity to view this situation through a different viewpoint and provide some of the many reasons why people put their lives on the line for weeks and months and endure incredible hardships to come north.  This movie might help to shatter illusions as to how and why people are compelled to struggle through oppressive and difficult situations in order to bring about change in their own lives.  This desire and compelling force is universal and transcends all borders. 

Classmates Review from Week 14

Beatriz was able to see how a culture, personal struggle and a country's way of life was displayed and represented through art and sculpture.

Kelsey looked at Hugo Lugo's artwork, The Speech (El Discurso) 2006, which reminds her of how it is so hard to speak your mind because of everyone's opinions about certain topics.

Kim has a greater appreciation for the museum because she can now see how it expresses the lives and struggles of the artists. 

Logan feels he has a better appreciation for the museum and the artists of Latin America as a result of this class, Freire, and the films we've watched.

Maria found that in this visit to MOLAA, she paid more attention to the intentions of the artists.

Michael previously wrote mostly about Carlos Luna's style of art and of the materials and techniques that he used.  Looking back and seeing the art again, Michael was able to see Luna's view of culture expressed through the different art work that he has created.

Michele has a greater appreciation for the museum than while I viewed the artwork in week 5.

Robert now understands so much more about the contributing factors of history, which all directly affect today’s culture in these Latin American countries and is reflected in the work of MOLAA's artists.

Sara now wonders how different things influence the artists and their work or even their social or economical status at the time the art was created.

Susan now appreciates how the history of a culture, its beliefs, and customs of the artists and their country is reflect in the artwork.

Week 14

Museum of Latin American Art

In this week's assignment, I went back and viewed the three video's I originally viewed in our week 5 assignment.  Although I enjoyed watching again the YouTube videos on the "Night's In" series and the Art Tour news special, I found myself looking closely at the art pieces in the YouTube virtual tour of MoLAA.  I often paused during the video to observe closely the various paintings and sculptures.  I wondered what prompted the artist to draw, paint or sculpt that particular piece of work.  What personal life experiences are illustrated in the works displayed at the museum?  The one piece that I was drawn to this time was the oil painting by Arnold Belkin titled "Exodus".  This piece seemed to sum up what we've been exploring this semester - oppression - the various ways oppression takes place in Latin American cultures and how people attempt to escape their oppressors.

The texture and colors of the painting suggests pain, suffering and movement, which add to the emotion in the painting.  The viewer gets the sense that the couple is leaving an oppressive situation due to the deep emotion it elicits - sadness, fear and hopefulness.  The woman is looking back, sullen and sad, as if she is looking back at the life and the love ones she's leaving behind.  However, the man is looking forward as if he is hopeful of their future.  The additional people in the dark background suggest that they are all attempting to escape some type of dark, difficult or oppressive life.

In the recent movies we've watched and Freire's book, "Pedagogy of the Oppressed", I've come to understand that the cycle of oppression is difficult to break.  Although oppressed people want a better life for themselves, it is sometimes difficult to break the cycle because oppression is what they know and it can provide a sense of "false" safety and security.  So, naturally, it is difficult and frightening to walk away from this life into a life of uncertainty, freedom and hope.  This painting makes me wonder what they are leaving behind and what the future has in store for this young couple.  The exodus journey will not be easy, but if they reach their destination, there may be hope for their future.

MoLAA - Museum of Latin American Art, March 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUaZHgJElTQ&feature=related

Classmate Reviews of Week 13

Beatriz wrote how Mama Elena had once been oppressed and later on become the oppressor.

Kathy wrote how Like Water for Chocolate is yet another powerful story about forbidden love and unyielding tradition; something she finds to be a common theme in Latin American culture.

Kelsey wrote that having someone else run a person's life makes them oppressed because they cannot express themselves on who they really are.

Logan wrote that Freire’s Ideas were displayed throughout this film in regards to oppression, tradition, and politics.

Michael This story also illustrates how oppression kills your spirit as demonstrated with Tita’s breakdown and depression.

Nancy wrote that we each need to learn how to separate our sense of self from our family and societal traditions and definitions of who we each are - and are not - in order to fully become the person we were made to be, to reach our full potential as a person.

Nicole noted that Tita was oppressed by her mother and the traditions of her family.

Paul  noted that this movie transcends borders. Love, revolutions, family traditions and rebelious teenagers, these are things that happen all over the world.

Shannon noted that Elena refuses to acknowledge the dynamic reality of time and the world. As a result she fails to see the magic that results from the love between her youngest daughter Tita and Pedro.

Stacy wrote how Tita finally found her voice and stood up to her oppressors (her mother). She found her strength.

Week 13

Like Water for Chocolate

Like Water For Chocolate, written by Laura Esquirel, is one of my favorite books.  I routinely watch the movie version of this novel, directed by Alfonso Arau.  Although the movie is a good representation of the book, the book develops the characters more fully and fills in the details that bring fuller meaning that add deeper emotion to specific situations.  Instead of chapters, the book is organized into months where at the beginning of each chapter, a recipe is listed with directions for preparation of the dish and the story continues and correlates to that recipe.  Not only does the reader envision themselves preparing and eating the delicious dish, but also gets caught up in the emotion of the events of that time.  Regardless of the media, both the movie and the novel recount the same story.

The story begins as a narrative from Tita’s great-niece.  Like Tita, she is very sensitive to onions and whenever she chops onions, tears begin to well up and before she knows it, she can’t stop crying.  Tita is born in the late 1800’s.  Her mother, Elena, is chopping onions, and Tita, while still in the womb, begins to cry and her wailing brings about an early labor.  Tita’s birth comes on so fast that she is born on the kitchen table and her tears flow like a waterfall from Elena’s womb.  Once the tears dry up, Nacha, the family cook, sweeps them up and is able to fill a 10-pound sack.  A few days later, Tita’s father dies from a heart attack an Elena’s milk dries up.  Nacha takes over the care and feeding of Tita and from then on Tita’s “domain” is the kitchen.

As a young woman, Tita meets Pedro at a family party.  She feels Pedro’s glances toward her and understands as a result of these looks, how dough feels when it is “plunged into boiling oil”.  The heat that “invaded her body was so real Tita was afraid she would start to bubble”.  From that point on, she and Pedro are deeply in love with each other.  However, close to Tita’s 16th birthday, Pedro and his father come to the house to ask for Tita’s hand in marriage, Elena tells them that it is impossible for Tita to marry because as the youngest daughter in the family, it is her duty to take care of her until her death.  Elena offers Rosaura, her other daughter, as a marriage substitute for Tita, and Pedro accepts in an attempt to be near his one true love.  Upon hearing that her love had agreed to marry her sister, Tita falls into a state of depression and her heart feels as if she has a hole with infinite coldness flowing through it.  In an attempt to free herself from the cold, she begins to knit / crochet a bedspread/blanket.

It is the day before the wedding.  After Elena heads off to bed, Nacha gives Tita permission to cry. While preparing the wedding cake, one of Tita’s tears falls into the batter.  (In the book, her multiple tears fall into the batter and the meringue frosting.)  Upon eating the cake, everyone, except Tita, is overcome by a strange melancholy and yearning for lost loves.  Their weeping is followed by collective vomiting.  Afterwards, Elena blames Tita and Nacha for ruining Rosaura’s wedding, but Tita stops her mother’s scolding with the news that Nacha has died. 

Pedro and Tita’s love for each other simmers throughout the years.  On the anniversary of Tita becoming the ranches head cook, Pedro gives her a bouquet of roses.  Elena demands that they are thrown out.  In lieu of throwing them away, Tita makes Quail in Rose Petal Sauce.  She lovingly prepares the dish and the completed dish stirs passion in the blood of all who eat this decadent dish.  Tita comes to understand that she is able to invade the body of Pedro through her cooking as a new form of communication.  Tita is the transmitter, Pedro the receiver and Gertrudis, Tita’s sister, the medium. This dish produces a sexual synthesis in Gertrudis where the passion inside of her is so intense that she runs to cool off in the shower but instead, sets the outside shower room on fire with the heat from her body.  With the shed on fire, Gertrudis runs out of the shower room, naked.  Upon smelling the fragrant scent of roses emanating from Gertrudis’ body, the rebel, Juan, abandons a battle being fought with the federal troops and rides his horse toward Elena’s ranch.  Seeing Gertrudis running through the field naked, he rides up to her, picks her up and carries her away on his horse.   Later, the local priest tells Elena that Gertrudis is working at a local brothel and Elena burns her birth certificate and demands that her name never be spoken in the house again. 

Pedro and Rosaura eventually have a child and Tita ends up being the midwife and wet nurse for their little boy.  The silent romance between Pedro and Rosaura continues until Elena sends Pedro, Rosaura and Roberto to San Antonio, Texas.  Meanwhile, Elena continues to kill Tita’s spirit bit by bit through degrading and constant verbal abuse.  Upon hearing of the death of baby Roberto, Tita snaps and blames Roberto’s death on Elena.  She suffers from a mental breakdown and is taken away by the local doctor, John Brown, for rest and nurturing. 

There is a scene in the movie that is better developed in the book and in my opinion, is the true theme of the entire story.  During Tita’s stay with Doctor Brown, he shared with her something his Kickapu Indian grandmother, Morning Star, had shared with him.  Also a healer, his grandmother told him that we are all born with a box of matches inside that cannot be lit by ourselves.  The lighting comes from the combination of various experiences:  the breath of a lover, a sound, music, food or sound that lights and explodes one of our matches.  The glow of these experiences gives us the desire and fuel to live – it nourishes our soul.  Without these combustions in life, our book of matches becomes damp and may never be lighted.  Many things can prevent our matches from being lit and it is important to stay away from those influences.  However, there is always a cure for drying out a box of damp matches.  Dr. Brown continues to warn Tita that it is important to light the matches one at a time because if an “intense burst of emotion were to ignite them all at once, they would produce such a strong brilliance that before our eyes would appear a tunnel of such radiance showing us the path we forgot at birth: the same path that calls us back to our divine origins. In other words, such intense emotion can kill us. 

Tita continues to heal and upon her mother’s death, returns to the ranch to live with Pedro and Rosaura.  John Brown asks Tita to marry him and she agrees.  While John is away she finds that she is pregnant from a sexual encounter with Pedro.  At this same time, her abusive mother haunts her. Tita confronts her mother’s ghost by letting her know that she is aware of her own promiscuity and that she gave birth to an illegitimate daughter, Gertrudis, and tells her that she has the right to live as she pleases.  After this encounter, the hauntings disappear.  The tormenting from Elena was causing a psychological pregnancy and once freed from Elena, she was free of the false pregnancy.  Tita tells John that she cannot marry him because she’s no longer a virgin and that she loves another man, Pedro.  John assures her that he still loves her but that she alone can make the decision to marry him. 

The story fast-forwards to a wedding preparation.  Tita is preparing chilies in walnut sauce, which requires the shelling of 1000 nuts.  Tita lovingly sees to all the banquet arrangements and wants this special day to go off without a hitch.  The reader or viewer is left believing that she is preparing her own wedding feast when in fact, she is preparing the wedding feast for her niece, Esperanza and John’s son, Alex.  Tita’s sister, Rosaura had recently died from digestive problems thus leaving Esperanza free from the family tradition of taking care of the mother until her death.  The chilies are served at the wedding feast and all the guests are overcome with intense sexual desires and quickly make their excuses to leave the festivities.  Tita and Pedro are left alone for the first time in their lives.  As they enter the small cottage, the spirit of Nacha is there and she has lit hundreds of candles.  As they begin to make love, thunder and lightening are heard in the distance.  Pedro shouts, “I love you” and rolls over, dead from his ecstasy.   Using her knitted quilt, Tita covers her and Pedro, and begins to eat a match one at a time.  Remembering their love and experiences over the years, she ignites the matches inside of her.  Her body and the cottage is engulfs in flames and she joins Pedro in eternal happiness.

Freire's Ideas…

This story illustrates the power of oppression and the crippling affects it has on the individuals being oppressed.  Freire believes that once a person is relived of their oppression, they can become oppressors to others.  Elena was unable to fulfill her own love’s destiny by being with the man she truly loved.  Out of anger and frustration with her own oppressive life, she retaliates and oppresses Tita with her own critical and abusive treatment.  Elena was in a state of denial and couldn’t acknowledge her affair and illegitimate daughter.  In her own personal torment, she takes out her internals suffering on Tita.  This story also illustrates that oppression can kill the soul as demonstrated with Tita’s emotional breakdown. Additionally, there is the scene in the story when men raid the ranch and rape Chencha and push Elena over the cliff, killing her, which illustrates another type of oppression, physical and sexual abuse.

Transcends All Borders...

I immediately fell in love with this book when I first read it in the early 1990’s.  Needless to say I was thrilled to find it on our syllabus.  To me, it is not just another love story.  It is a story of how love can penetrate the entire senses and transform a person beyond the physical realm.  The story illustrates how love and passion can be kindled through food, glances, thoughts, etc.  Although many love stories have the common theme of overcoming obstacles, this story is a classic because the obstacles are generated from years of family traditions, of which there is no known reason why it started.  The story sub-theme illustrates how pride can prevent people from taking the steps toward healing and love as shown when Elena refuses to cry or feel anything when Gertrudis runs away with Juan.  (Similar to the classic, “An Affair to Remember” when Terry is too proud to tell Nickie that she’s unable to walk and that is why she didn’t meet him.) The story also illustrates the power of love and how it can transform and motivate a person to do things they would not normally do.  Such as when Pedro marries Rosaura and Gertrudis running off with Juan.  This story captures some of the qualities of the Post Modern Era with its element of Magic Realism, with Tita’s unwilling ability to infuse magical properties and consequences to the food she prepares; Morning Star’s apparitions when Tita is suffering from her mental breakdown (book version), Nacha’s appearance and placement of candles after Alex and Esperanza’s wedding; and the effects of the food on the people consuming it: Rosaura’s wedding, quail and rose petal sauce, and Alex and Esperanza’s wedding.  In summary, this love story illustrates the power of love, how love can conquer evil and/or oppression, and how love is eternal.

Classmate Reviews of Week 12 
Alyssa noted that this is both a love story and a true story.
Brandon wrote how the execution and persecution that Camila and Ladislao faced were all part of the oppression in Argentina at that time.
Candace wrote that the people were oppressed by the rules of the dictator and Camila was oppressed by the obligations of her family.
Kim wrote that one of the reasons her death caused such turmoil among the people was that execution of pregnant women was against the law.
Maria wrote how from the beginning of the movie, the theme illustrated that knowledge can make a person stronger.
Melissa wrote how no one can control whom they fall in love with. This transcends borders and time, today people are being oppressed because of the sex of the person they love, gay marriage is being shunned by our government and by many people who believe it is wrong. 
Michael wrote that this story transcends borders as it could happen in any country with strong cultural views on a religious custom, cultural style or belief. 
Robert feels it was very hard not to admire her courage and perseverance given the male dominant culture she was born into, and her free-thinking ways. 
Sara wrote how Camila transcended many borders. She read and hid books that she was not supposed to have, was more educated than the government would have like her to be, and fell in love with a man that was forbidden to love.
Susan wrote that the people in Argentina were afraid not to follow the dictator and Camila's execution is an example of oppression if you did not obey and follow the rules.

Week 12

"Camila, Love Against All Odds"

Nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign film in 1984, the movie, "Camila, Love Against All Odds", recounts the true story of a young Buenos Aires socialite, Camila O'Gorman, and a young Jesuit priest, Ladislao Gutierrez who fall in love.  Challenging parental, religious and state authority, the elope and run away.

The story begins in the 1830's when Camila was a young girl and her paternal grandmother is exiled to her father's home for scandalous love affair with a prominent politician and accused of being a spy.  During this time, a ruthless and tyrannical dictator, Juan Manuel de Rosas, who rules through fear and absolute power, runs the government.  Likewise, Camila's father, Adolfo O'Gorman, runs the household through intimidation, far and oppression. 

Camila's brother, Eduardo, introduces Ladislao to the family at Camila's birthday party.  Ladislao and Eduardo were friends and attended seminary together.  In spite of his own attraction toward Camila, he resists her advances.  However, he is unable to repress his feelings and desires and they allow their love to blossom.  They struggle between their love for each other and their obligation and commitment to the church and family.  They finally decide to elope.

Their action causes serious upheaval in the government, the church, and in Camila's family.  Adolfo O'Gorman writes a letter to Rosas with exaggerated embellishment describing their action as "the most atrocious and unheard of event in this country".  Rosas views their actions as extreme disobedience of a moral and social code imposed by his regime.  Rosas issues a warrant for their arrest to prevent further cases of immorality and disorder to religion, family order and the law.

Unwilling to accept their love as a crime, Camila and Ladislao take on new identities, Maxim Brandier and Valentina Desan, and settle in the small village of Corrientes, where they become the village teachers.  The villagers grow to love and accept this young couple that are devoted to each other.  As their popularity grows, they are invited to a gathering at Justice of the Peace, Esteban Perichon's place.  Perichon is Camila's grandmother's brother but the two of them only met once when Camila was an infant.  Although aware of the dangers of public exposure at this gathering, their absence would cause suspicion and they cannot refuse this invitation.  Unfortunately, Miguel Gannon, a priest, recognizes them and although they had an opportunity for escape, they stay together to await their fate.

The two are arrested and sent to Santos Lugares de Rosas.  They continue to express their love for each other and show no signs of repenting for their actions because they know in their hearts that their love for each other is not a crime.  In spite of his wife's pleas, Adolfo O'Gorman refuses to intercede on his daughter's behalf and helps to seal Camila's fate.  Rosas is  enraged by the two lovers and their defiance toward his authority and power, and orders their execution.  Camila is found to be pregnant and the Argentine law states that a pregnant woman should not be murdered until the baby is born.  Rosas disregards the law and without any trial, the two are condemned to death.  On the day of their execution, Camila is given holy water to drink in order to baptize the unborn child.  The two are brought to the execution yard, blindfolded, and placed side-by-side.  When the order to fire is given, Ladislao falls over, dead.  Understanding that this is not an ordinary execution, not one soldier aims his rifle at Camila.   The commander orders his men to fire again at Camila and their shots are aimed away from Camila.  The commander, aiming his firearm at the soldiers and threatening their lives, orders them again to fire at Camila.  This time, their shots kill Camila.  On August 18, 1848, Camila O'Gorman, a pregnant 20-year-old socialite and her lover. Ladislao Gutierrez, were executed for their attempt to escape from a society that would never understand their love for each other.

Freire's Ideas...

This story exemplifies the struggles of oppression in the Argentine society as a result of Rosas' dictatorship and the affect of his rule over personal and political freedom.  Freire believed that people have the desire to become more complete individuals and breaking oppressive situations is one of the paths toward completeness and personal freedom.  Refusing to give into the repressive roles dictated by society, Camila and Ladislao attempted to escape that world and create a better life for themselves.  The current political conditions and their experiences in their lives, made them realize that their love for each other would never be accepted by their family, the church, the government and society, so they chose to elope to honor their love for each other.

What I find interesting is that Rosas felt his power and control threatened by this couple.  Not just from Camila and Ladislao but also by the unborn child.  If the baby were allowed to be born, the baby would symbolize the disobedience of the moral code and his regime and illustrate to the world the possibility of choosing a way of life where there is personal freedom.  Therefore, Rosas had to murder both the mother and unborn child to get rid of any reference to this attempt on his control and power.  In hindsight, Camila and her unborn child's death created social awareness and defiance to the dictator and government which contributed to Rosas' fall from power in 1852. 

Human Story that Transcends Borders

Like a Shakespearean tragedy, the story of Camila and Ladislao stirs emotion in the depths of our soul.  Love stories are universal and this story, just like "Love in the Time of Cholera", proves that you can't control whom you love.  What makes this particular story transcend borders is that Camila and Ladislao were willing to follow their hearts by refusing to become victims of an oppressive society.  The fact that this is a story based upon true events captures our attention and helps to make us aware of injustices in our world.

Classmate Reviews from Week 11

Beatriz - Florentino never lost faith and never gave up the love that he felt for Fermina.

Kathy - Love exists across all borders and is stronger than social standing.

Kelsey - believes that throughout the movie, Fermina loves Florentino, but wants to obey her father's wishes of her being with a man of high status.

Michael -  Florentino's life is is about the relentless pursuit of lost love and Juvenal's life is about stability and doing everything the "right"or properly accepted way. This is what makes the story interesting and spices it up with real world meaning.

Michele - Money provided a class significance that Florentino was unable to achieve in the beginning to win over Lorenzo. This class stigma is what Paulo Freire worked so hard to eliminate through education.

Nancy - Freire’s themes of liberation through learning are important in this movie as Fermina and Florentino both come to know themselves in a way that is needed before they can be united together.

Nicole - Florentino made the choice to become rich and successful like Dr. Juvenal Urbino in order to be worthy of his true love.

Robert - It is the human aspect of any story that is usually the most interesting and wrote in his blog about the characters, their motivations, and the feelings they experienced which effected their motivations and actions.  I like how you pointed out that Fermina is a metaphor for Cholera - good point.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog.

Shannon - This is a is a story of love and rejection, struggle and triumph, good, evil and the gray area in between.

Stacy - Freire's idea that people fear freedom also hold true in this movie. Fermina played a part of ridding her own ideal and heart out of fear of the challenges and pressures of stepping out of class. This was carried into a seemingly superficial marriage of security.

Week 11

Love In The Time of Cholera

"Love in the Time of Cholera", directed by Mike Newell, is based upon the novel written by Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Márquez.  The story takes place in the late 1800's and early 1900's in Colombia.  Florentino, a poor young man, falls helplessly in love with Fermina, the daughter of a rich mule owner.   After exchanging love letters, they confess their love and agree to marry.  Fermina's father discovers her love letters, confronts Florentino and threatens to kill him if he does not stay out of Fermina's life.  Florentino responds to this threat by saying "there is no greater glory than to die for love."  Fermina's is sent away to live in her father's village located far into the mountains.  In spite of their distance, their love doesn't dwindle while they are apart.  Upon her return, Fermina's father gives her the keys to their house and declares that she is in charge of their home.  In doing this, Fermina becomes the lady of the house and has acquired a higher social status. Fermina and Florentino run into each other at the market and Fermina rejects and denounces their relationship by saying that their love was an illusion.  Florentino is devastated and heartbroken to the point he becomes physically ill.  Florentino's mother sees his physical symptoms and declares he has cholera to which Florentino replies, "Mama, you confuse cholera with love.

Fermina becomes ill and fearing cholera, her father sends for Dr. Juvenal Urbino, who specializes in treating cholera patients.  Upon seeing her beauty, he falls in love with her.  They eventually marry and have children.  Dr. Urbino states that "hapiness is not the most important, but stability."  Although their family has money, power and status, their marriage lacks fulfillment.

Meanwhile, Florentino vows to remain faithful to Fermina and continues to suffer with his loveless heartache.  Seeing Dr. Urbino and Fermina upon their return from their honeymoon, Florentino comes to understand that he will be nothing to Fermina if he does not improve his social and financial status.  Florentino visits his uncle, Don Leon, to ask for a job so he can become rich, just like his uncle.  Don Leon responds by saying, "I am a poor man that has money.  It is not the same thing as being rich."  Over the years Florentino eventually becomes the president of his uncle's riverboat company and achieves wealth and social status.  During this time, in an effort to mask his heartache, Florentino begins a lifelong habit of seducing women into casual sex and journaling these encounters, all the while, still remaining hopelessly in love with Fermina. 

While trying to capture a pet parrot, Dr. Urbino falls off a ladder and dies.  After the funeral, Florentino visits Fermina and announces that he has for over 51 years, remained eternally faithful and declares his everlasting love for her.  She yells at him to get out and leave her alone.  Unwilling to be defeated, he writes her letters and eventually, Fermina agrees to see him where they develop a friendship.  Now, in their 70's, they board one of Florentino's riverboats and take a trip together.  Breaking all family, society, and cultural boundaries, they finally end their torture and give themselves to each other.  In order for them to be alone without any outside influence, Florentino orders the captain to raise the cholera flag so that the two of them can be alone on the riverboat.  Their love finally fulfilled, Florentino says, "Think of love as a state of grace; not as a means to anything, but the alpha and the omega, an end itself."

Love in the Time of Cholera and Freire's Philosophies

There are many of Freire’s philosophies illustrated throughout this movie.  Freire believed that humans are incomplete beings and have the internal desire to become complete.  Florentino could only become complete with the love of Fermina. In the movie, Florentino was told to “enjoy your pain.  Take advantage of it now.  These things don’t last you your whole life.”  Florentino’s life experiences along with his pain, provided him with the awareness to bring about personal change. Additionally, Freire worked to break class barriers through the education of poor and rural people.  Through Florentino’s life experiences, he realized that in order to win Fermina, he must become rich and therefore went to his uncle to request a job.  Tired of being rejected by Fermina, he devoted his professional life to improve his social status.  Freire believed that oppression was a term used to describe someone who was not heard.  Florentino was oppressed because Fermina was rejecting his love (not hearing him) and society would not accept him because he was poor and uneducated.  Additionally, there are many other illustrations of social and gender oppression throughout this movie.

A Human Story that Transcends Borders

One of the main reasons this story transcends borders is because of its analogy to cholera.  During this era, cholera was uncontrollable.  The illness was random and people contracted the disease regardless of social status, wealth or education.   Love is universal and is also uncontrollable.  During the scene in the movie when Florentino asks for Fermina’s hand in marriage, Fermina’s aunt/companion says, “Love is strange.  You can’t control who you love.  If you say no, you’ll be sorry for the rest of your life.” Fermina was ultimately remorseful that she did not marry Florentino resulting in both Florentino and Fermina entering a period of eternal suffering in their lives.  Similarly, cholera was a death sentence for many who contracted the illness, just like Florentino’s death sentence when Fermina rejected him.  A part of him died, but he still remained hopeful – almost persistent – that he would one day reclaim her love.  Just like a family watching their loved one suffer from cholera.  They suffer as they watch this person with the illness, all the while, hopeful that they will recover.  With death, all opportunities to make changes in life have ended. As long as Florentino was alive, he refused to give up on Fermina and was willing to do what he could to make changes to win her love.  The story proves that “it is life not death that has no limits".

Review of Classmates work of Week 10

Alyssa wrote about Cesar Chavez and how he wanted people to become aware of the struggles of labor workers. 

Brandon noted that Cesar Chavez was dedicated to his dream of helping farm workers.

Candace researched post modern music.  Nueva canción was a new type of music during this Era that seemed to me to be a statement of how artist's and people felt.

Jamison  also researched Cesar Chavez.  He noted that Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association.

Kim wrote about Maya sign languages and noted that they are used in Mexico and Guatemala in communities with unusually high numbers of deaf residents.

Maria wrote about the The Nicaraguan Sign Language and noted that
in the 1970's, deaf students established a permanent sign language so that they could all understand each other.

Melissa wrote about Carlos Fuentes, a Mexican novelist, playwright, essayist and journalist. His most famous international breakthrough came in 1962 with the novel La Muerte de Artemio Cruz or The Death of Artemio Cruz.

Paul wrote about the Maya sign language and that it is more of an expression of the mental ideas so it is just as complex and diverse as the spoken language.

Sara researched the Bracero Program.  This program was designed to bring migrant farm workers from Mexico to the US as temporary migrants. More than 4 million Mexican farm laborers came to work the fields, converting the agricultural fields of America into the most productive in the world.

Susan reserched Rigoberta Menchu who promoted indigenous rights in the country.

Week 10

The Boom, Post-Boom and Contemporary or Post Modern Era of Latin America

The Boom time period from 1960 through 1970 refers to a literary movement in Latin America when a small group of writers from Latin America had their works published in Europe and received literary recognition outside of their homeland.  Due to the political climate in Latin America, writers from this time period challenged the established practices of Latin American literature by producing experimental works often with political themes or undertones.  Magic Realism also became a popular writing technique during this era.  This literary mode is characterized by two conflicting perspectives where the writer has the ability to create normal settings and infuse an element of the supernatural whereby the reader is caught up in a dream-like situation that leaves the reader wondering if this is true or could actually happen.

The Post-Boom era is the literary movement of the 1980's and 1990's for authors who's works had reached public awareness during the Boom era and continued to publish new work.  Additionally during this time, woman authors, particularly novelists, were being recognized.

The final literacy era, Post Modern, is difficult to define.  This literary period tends to overlap and extend into and beyond the Boom and Post Boom eras.  It tends to link all the time periods while embracing "fluid and multiple perspectives, typically refusing to privilege any one truth claim over another...Truth points only to other ideasand artifacts, themselves subject to interpretation and re-interpretation" (Knowledgerush).  In summary, the Post Modern Era links all the literacy eras together while allowing all the disciplines in life - art, philosophy, theology, film, TV, music, fashion, technology, literature, communications, etc. - to influence and challenge preconceived ideas and concepts.

References

I used the following references because the information was either confirmed by a different source and/or the author noted their references, which were verified.

Teh Boom Novels, Latin American Literature. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2009. 19 October 2009.  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/331811/Latin-American-literature/236896/The-boom-novels

Latin America Boom, Wikipedia. 19 October 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American_Boom

Post Boom Writers, Latin American Literature.  Encyclopedia Britannica.  2009. 18 October 2009.  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/331811/Latin-American-literature/236897/Post-boom-writers

Post Modernism. Knowledgerush. 19 October 2009. http://www.knowledgerush.com/kr/encyclopedia/Postmodernism/

Post Modern Literature. Wikipedia. 19 October 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodern_literature

Rigoberta Menchu

When researching the different topics for this week,  I began to read about a woman who I had never heard of before:  Rigoberta Menchu.  Her story of events that occurred 13 to 30 years ago was compelling, frightening and encouraging.

Rigoberta Menchu was born in 1959 in the small village of Chimel, located in the northern highlands of Guatemala.  Her family was Quiche Indian and very poor.  Her family owned a small plot of land but it did not produce enough to sustain the family.  So, like most of the people in their village, they had to work on the coastal coffee or cotton plantations for most of the year.  Working on the plantation was harsh and as a result, two of Rigoberta's brothers died.  One died from malnutrition and the other from poisoning from the pesticides that are sprayed on the coffee plants.

Similarly, as in the time of the Conquest era, the indigenous people in Guatemala, including Rigoberta's family, did not have rights of citizenship.  Only people of Spanish descent were eligible for citizenship.  As a result, Rigoberta's family and the other people in her village were vulnerable to the military-led government and the wealthy landowners that were starting to take over Indian occupied lands through force.  Her father began to petition the government and organized protests to help secure the lands rightfully belonging to the people.  Her entire family became activists in the movement her father organized:  The United Peasant Committee.  In 1979, Rigoberta's 16-year-old brother was kidnapped by soldiers, tortured and burned alive while the family watched.  A year later, her father was killed and in 1981 Rigoberta's mother was kidnapped, raped, tortured and killed.  Wanted by the Guatemalan government, Rigoberta fled to Mexico.  While in exile, she dictated her autobiography, "I...Rigoberta Menchu" (1984).  She was 25 years old.  Rigoberta wanted to tell the world not only her own story, but also the story of other Indians in Guatemala and their conflict with the military government.  She wanted to bring about international attention to this conflict with the purpose of pursuing peace and jsutice for indigenous and poor people in Guatemala.

In 1992, Rigoberta Menchu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.  She used the cash prize to set up a foundation to continue the fight for the rights of the indigenous people.  As a result of her efforts, the United Nations claimed 1993 the "International Year for Indigenous Populations".  The efforts of Rigoberta and this foundation has focused on actively pursuing the case against soldiers involved in the Xaman Massacre where on October 5, 1995, eleven people were killed and 27 injured during a celebration for a group fo Guatemalan refuges who had just returned from Mexico.

In the YouTube video "Rigoberta Menchu  Live at the Human Forum", Rigoberta spoke about being a light of goodness for others.  She said that she's been asked if she has hatred for those who murdered her family and she said, "Hatred is a disease of the spirit and I don't want to get sick.  But, I do fight for justice."  She sums up her life work with, "The final goal is to do something that produces results.  Not to focus on just yourself - To do something for others and other life.  Awareness and action.  Awareness without action is useless.  It doesn't do any good."

References

This is a great reference because Bois lists his sources that confirm his information.

Bois, Danuta. Rigoberta Menchu.  Distinguished Women of Past and Present.  1996. 19 October 2009.  http//www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/menchu.html

The YouTube source is a valid 1st person source.  Rigoberta Menchu is the actual speaker.

Rigoberta Menchu - Live at the Human Forum. You Tube.  22 May 2007. 20 October 2009. http://youtube.com/watch?v=yvnUEup1hC4

Credits were not noted in the following article.  However, I was able to confirm most of the information on this site and many of the exerpts are taken directly from her autobiography.

Rigoberta's Story. World Trek for Service and Education. The Odyssey Latin American Stage. 20 October 2009. http://www.worldtrek.org/odyssey/latinamerican/rigoberta/rigoberta_story.html

Week 9 - Classmates Reviews
Julisa researched Our Lady of Guadalupe. One interesting fact - The bishop told Juan to bring back a sign of is apparition and he came back with some Castillian roses, which were native only to Spain.

Kathy researched Simon Bolivar who was a South American political leader who played a key role in Latin America's independence from Spain.

Kelsey was researched the Virgin of Guadalupe because she wanted to learn more about her and how she became the symbol of Mexico.

Logan researched Father Hidalgo of Mexico.  Hidalgo’s liberal ideas led him to join forces with a group of people who opposed the Spanish Dominance and together this strong group of liberals would begin a revolution. 

Michael wrote about Camila O'Gorman who at 8 months pregnant was executed, along with her priest-lover. These events contributed to the demise of then Argentine dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas. 

Nancy researched José Martí, national hero of the Cuban liberation movement in the late 1800’s.  he is often called the Apostle of Cuban independence because his writings inspired and helped produce the independence movement

Nicole also wrote about Virgin of Guadalupe.  Many Catholics believe that it was Our lady of Guadalupe who told Juan Diego to build a church in what is now known as Mexico City.

Robert also researched Father Hidalgo who was an integral part of Mexico’s independence movement.  Robert felt that Hidalgo should be recognized for his contributions and ultimate sacrifice.

Shannon researched Jose Marti, a Cuban revolutionary who died in combat fighting for independence for Cuba from Spain.  Additionally, Shannon noted that Marti had an intense passion for Cuban independence but even more so for the decency of mankind.

Stacy wrote about Camila O'Gorman who is a portrayal of the consequences of a woman asserting her own will.

Week 9

The Independence Era of Latin America

Between the years of 1807-1826,  freedom from Iberian (Spain and Portugal) rulers came suddenly for those living on Latin American soil.  Many reforms or laws imposed by Spanish government in the 1700's created a strained relationship between the colonial rulers and their subjects.  Creoles, children of Spanish parents who were born in the Americas, felt these laws were unjust and undermined their wealth, political power and social status.  The long-building tensions, the loosing of trade restrictions and the influence of the French and American Revolutions fueled the desire for independence.  By 1826, all of Latin America, except the Spanish colonies of Cuba and Puerto Rico were free from Spanish and Portuguese rule.

This site provides references for the information stated in the article:
History of Latin America.  Encyclopedia Britannica.  2009.  Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 17 October 2009.  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/331694/Latin-America.

Although I don't generally take information found in Wikipedia as "gospel truth", there was information in this article that collaborated information found in other sources I used.
History of Latin America. Wikipedia. 12 October 2009.  http://enwikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Latin_America.

Latin American Independence Movements.  YouTube.  17 October 2009.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PmNPyLGE_o

Latin American Architecture

Architecture is a compelling art form.  Whenever in a new city, I'm always drawn to old buildings and churches.  I find beauty in the arches and geometric patterns found in the construction of each building.  I am interested in learning more about the architectural styles found in Latin American buildings and monuments.  The Conquest, Colonial and Independence eras in Latin American history are inter-related and this is clearly evident in the architectural styles found throughout Latin America.   As a result, I will include concepts and examples for these eras.

Latin American Architecture after 1500 and to the early 1800's is called Ibero-American architecture after the Iberian colonists who build settlements in the Caribbean Islands.  During the European conquest, architecture was a tool to be used for urban planning and many town planners used a grid or checkerboard plan for the layout of new towns and cities.  According to Encarta, the on-line encyclopedia, the use of this type of layout was "intended to impose rational order and European administrative control on the new settlement".  Each town featured a central plaza with an adjacent main church and governmental buildings with residences of the town's authorities facing the square.  In port cities such as Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and Cartagena in Columbia, the streets connected the central plaza to the warehouses and docks of the port and to the surrounding military fortresses.

Many early colonial buildings resembled fortresses due to military engineers designing and building these early structures.  The simple design and solid military function of these early buildings mirrored Spain's priorities for the colonies:  the removal of native raw materials and the protection of trade.

Another priority of the conquerors was the conversion of the indigenous people to Christianity.  They created a new type of architecture for this purpose:  a large, open-aired sanctuary called an atrio, which was similar to those built for the Franciscan missionaries in Mexico in the 16th century.  Each atrio included a large square courtyard with a large stone pavilion or posa, at each of the four corners.  The local native people were forced to build these atrios and then were brought to them for conversion.  The mission at Huejotzingo (1545) reflects this style of architecture typical to this period in rural areas.

However, in major cities, colonial architecture took on Spanish classical features.  The first cathedral in the Americas was the Cathedral of Santo Domingo (1512-1541).  This building features classical archways combined with elaborate ornamentation, which reflects the plateresque style of architecture that was then popular in Spain.  Plateresque is a combination of Italian Renaissance architecture with the detailed carvings of the late Gothic influence.

In the 1600's, many Iberian artists were arriving in the colonies.  These artists and architects took on native apprentices and trained them to faithfully follow European styles and techniques.  Additionally, the Baroque style was introduced during this time and is depicted in the massive use of ornamentation.

It wasn't until the 1700's when church designs of Brazilian sculpture and architect Antonio Francisco Lisbôa (known as Aleijadino) provided examples of "cultural mixing" in Latin American architecture.  The Church of São Francisco de Assís (1764-1774) in Ouro Prêto, Brazil reflects Aleijadinho's adaptation of traditional Portuguese themes and materials with his use of whitewash finishes, dark stone trim and graceful curves.

During the period of independence in Latin America, the Creole population became more assertive and competitive with Iberia resulting in architecture and decorative arts becoming more lavish, reflecting the dominance of French-inspired styles of art.  The Churrigueresque style of architecture, a form of extravagant Baroque, developed from this time period and can be identified by the intricate and ornamental columns that are more decorative than structural.

Although most of Latin America achieved political independence by 1826, this independence did not bring forth any form of artistic independence due to Europe's economic influence that was still in effect in Latin America.  From an architectural point of view, many of Latin America's great cities were just a western version of Paris with its broad streets, art museums and opera houses.  The Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro is an example of the Parisian architectural styles and fashions of the time as a result of economic dependence on Europe.

Resources

Antigua City, Guatemala. YouTube. 13 October 2009.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OkfUyLJ4xI 
Antigua Guatemala. Jim Rogers Around the World Adventure. YouTube.  15 October 2009.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBpKMd-Vzfs

Bolivia - Sucre and Festival of Santa-Travel.   Jim Rogers World Adventure.  YouTube.  15 October 2009.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXaQoeZevws

The following articles listed sources for the information noted in their articles which provided credibility to the site.

Latin America Architecture. Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2009. 14 October 2009. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761555003/Latin_American_Architecture.html

http://au.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761555003_2/latin_american_art_and_architecture.html

Spanish Colonial Art and Architecture:  Colonial Architecture in Central America. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia.  1994, 2000-2006, on Infoplease. Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. 14 October 2009.  http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/ent/A0861254.html 

Week 8 - Classmate Reviews


Gray researched the California Mission San Juan Capistrano.  He wrote how the bells played an important part of the life in the mission.  He was drawn to this specific mission because it has a unique look to it. 

Kim researched Aruba because she has an interest in traveling there in the future.  The native Arawak Indians were the first inhabitants and their population was wiped out due to diseases brought to their island by the European conquerors.

Maria researched the California Missions.  She noted that the first mission was established in 1769 and the final California mission was built in 1823 and was only in operation for 11 years. 

Melissa researched Mission San Fernando Rey de España.  This mission was founded on “The Feast of the Birth of Mary” on September 8, 1797 by Father Fermín Lasuén and was the 17th California Mission. 

Michael researched pirates.  He found the topic of pirates and privatering in the Caribbean interesting because it seems to parallel the behavior of many countries in the world today.  Fascinating topic. 

Michele researched Palacio Virreinal de Diego Colon or Castle of Colon.  This palace was built from 1510 to 1512 for Diego Colon, Son of Christopher Columbus. 

Paul researched the conquest of Mexico and the Aztec empire.  In his interesting fact #1, he wrote "before Cortez had ventured into Mexico to go after the Aztecs and their gold, he had all but one of his ships sunk as a challenge to see if any of his men were feeling weak and wanted to go back. This action made them all the more serious that if they chose to venture forward with him, they would have to be 100% committed and very brave."  Talk about incentive!

Sara researched American Colonial architecture.   She learned that the small windows in the Jamestown Colonial houses was due to the scarcity of glass.

Stacy wrote about Latin American colonial art.  She wrote that "The colonial integration produced many conflicts which are depicted in the art as well."

Susan wrote how Spain took control of the Caribbean islands to pursue financial wealth through mining but came to realize that the islands were best for the production of sugar.