Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Endgame and Act Without Words


Endgame and Act Without Words
By Samuel Beckett

This was my first time reading Beckett I have to admit this play was very hurt for me. Maybe I will do better if I read it again. So, on Monday March 19 I can not wait to here Professor Kimberly P. van Noort explanation regarding Beckett's play and also about Existentialism. I did felt better after her enlightenment in the matter. Beckett purpose was for the reader to experience the absurd; also I believe that he wanted us to think out side the box. I really enjoyed how Beckett plays with language in his text. As an example Nell – nail – Nelly.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Los Murmullos 1954 first versión of Pedro Páramo

Pedro Páramo 1955

Juan Rulfo was a writer born during the Mexican revolution. “La Revolución Mexicana es un movimiento armado, social y cultural que empezó en 1910 al final de la dictadura del General Porfirio Díaz y que culminaría legalmente con la publicación de una nueva constitución siete años después, la Constitución de 1917.” The war of the Cristeros “Guerra de los cristeros al enfrentamiento entre el gobierno y la Iglesia mexicanos que tuvo lugar entre los años 1926 y 1929.” Both events were very hard for the writer native state. According to the author in his state of Jalisco there were many deaths, isolation, and poverty that can take youth to the criminality. These subjects are presented in his works. Rulfo was critical of the revolution as we can observe through his works. In the novel Pedro Páramo Rulfo makes reference to two historical events: Mexican revolution and War of the cristeros. I enjoy the novel because in this narrative the author does not guide the reader. We the readers are active readers of the novel. Also, enjoy the colloquial language in the text. For example chintola / rechintola = hijo de la…/hijo de la gran… [Este es un eufemismo con un sentido muy despectivo y despreciativo]. “A usted ni quien le menoscabe lo hombre que es; pero lleva la rejodida con ese hijo de la rechintola de su patrón”. (Rulfo 95) Also, I was fascinated by the references to the indigenous language that Rulfo introduced in his text. An example of this is found on page 113. Petaca (del Náhuatl petlacalli) according to Rulfo “es una arca de cuero, de madera o de mimbre con cubierta de piel. Se usa en casi todo Hispanoamérica.”