House of the Spirits Analysis Chapters 2-4

In this section of the reading Clara emerges as a strong leading character. Because of her psychic abilities she is able to take control of her life and doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do. I really like this quality in her; she inspires a confident and strong woman. Clara also seems to be taking the place in everyones hearts where Rosa used to occupy. The people closest to her are awed by her powers and gravitate to her emotionally, which used to be the case with Rosa. I find it interesting that this family has two daughters that are beautiful, powerful and have an air of mystery. Another interesting part in this section is the union of Esteban and Clara. Esteban was originally Rosa’s fiance, but after her death Clara took her place. It is strange to me that Clara marries him, just because of a premonition, and not out of real love. I think that Clara lets these premonition rule her life a little too completely. This could cause her problems in the future. 

Isabel Allende

Isabel Allende 

Life and Work

• Isabel Allende was born in Lima Peru on August 2, 1942. She came  from a broken family and was raised by her grandparents. However, she did not let this affect her, working her way up in the world working as a journalist, writer and documentary film maker. In 1973, after the assassination of her uncle Salvador Allende, Isabel left home for Venezuela. It was in Venezuela that she began to write her first and possibly most influential book The House of Spirits. Isabel drew on her own personal experiences in order to write many more novels that elevated her to the high levels of literature. Isabel was married twice and had a daughter. She moved to the United States where she taught literature at several universities. 

Themes of Work

• Isabel Allende style of writing falls into the category of magical realism. This is the blending of the real and the imaginary in a unique and intriguing way. Why Isabel's writing is so good is because she uses her own experiences in life as the guide for her writing. This quality of her writing adds depth and meaning to her writing. Isabel also has political and feminist themes in her writing. She has always supported women's rights and had strong political opinions.

Reflection

• Isabel seems like a strong, intelligent and creative woman. I really admire how she infuses her writing with her own passions and opinions. I would really like to know more about how she became a writer. What inspired her to overcome all of her hardships and make something out of herself. 

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Assessment 2.14.11

"If they noticed similarities between Past and Present they did not speak of it."

• This quote is taken from the part of the book when Oscar is in the hospital recovering from his horrific beating. It is referencing the beating that Beli receive many years earlier. The significance of this quote is that it backs up the belief that Oscar's family is cursed. What are the odds that mother and son both had to live throughout something like that in their lives? It makes you question the forces surrounding that family.

"I must be away to Paterson. I have a date."

• Oscar says this to Yunior after he has recovered form his near death experience in the DR. It seemed to Yunior that Oscar was a new man and was at peace with himself in a way that he had never been before. In this quote Oscar tells Yunior that he has a date, but not where or with whom. It turns out to be Ybón back in the DR. This quote is significant because when Oscar returns to Ybón it is the beginning of his downfall.

"I'm a new man, you see, a new man, a new man."

• Yunior says this after the death of Oscar. He has drastically changed his ways. He has a beautiful wife and is content. Yunior had learned so much from Oscar when he was alive, but is was only after his death did he begin to apply that learning to his won life. This shows that Oscar did live an important life, in that he helped the lives of the people around him.

"So this is what everybody's always talking about! Diablo! If I'd only known. The beauty! The beauty!"

• This quote is from a letter that Yunior received from Oscar after he was dead. Oscar and Ybón had managed to sneak away for the weekend and Oscar had achieved his life long dream.  In the course of the weekend Oscar had several realizations about life. He had gotten to experience intimacy with a woman, and it was as if this experience made him forget all the injustice in the world (at least for a moment), and he was able to revile in the beauty of the world instead. 

"Ybón was the one who suggested calling the wait something else. Yeah, like what? Maybe, she said, you could call it life."

• All his life Oscar had been waiting. Waiting for a girl, a kiss, for his life to actually start. Most of all he was waiting for love. He said this to Ybón while they were together for the weekend. This quote illustrates that Oscars journey to that weekend was just as important was the weekend itself. All the bad things that he had experienced in life made him recognize and appreciate the goods ones all the more.

"Love was a rare thing, easily confused with a million other things…"

• This quote contains some of Oscars final words to his killers. In his last days, Oscar had come to some powerful realizations. This quote is one of them. This conviction that Oscar has about love, all throughout the book astounds me. The strength that he pulls from it gives him the courage to finally stand up for his love for Ybón and to begin living his life. Although it ended badly, Oscar died having experienced love and wonder that come with it.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Quote Analysis

" His luck ran out earlier then expected"

• Abelard was wealthy, smart and  a respected individual in his community, during the time of Trujillo. His downfall in life was his beautiful daughter. When Trujillo discovered his daughter and tried to have her as his own, Abelard risked all of his good fortune in order to protect her. In response to this act of defiance, Trujillo utterly destroyed Abelard and the lives of his family. This quote shows the extreme unpredictability of the time of Trujillo. One day you can be on the top of the stack and the next day you are on the bottom. Essentially Trujillo was the bad luck of the entire country.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Narration Questions

Question 1

• There are three narrators in the first 211 pages of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junto Díaz. The first is an omniscient narrator which describes the early life of Oscar. The second narrator is Oscar's sister Lola, who chronicles Oscar's teenage years. The third narrator is Yunior, a friend of Oscars while he is in college.

Question 2

• I think that Junto Díaz changes narrators in order to change perspectives on the lives of Oscar and his family. Each person related, in any way, to Oscar has a different experience of him. Why Oscar is not the narrator is because the humor, view of the world and raw feeling, the IS Oscar, would not be so visible from his perspective.

Un Señor Muy Viejo Con Unas Alas Enormes Preguntas

1. La vida de Pelayo y Elisenda fue promedio y ellos no tenían muchos servicios. Su casa no era muy agradable. Cangrejos fueron siempre arrastrándose sobre su patio y en su casa. Pelayo tenía un buen trabajo con el ciudad, pero él no hizo mucho dinero. Ellos tenían un hijo que estaba enferma.

2. no me puedo concluir que el ser extraño aquí descripto es un ángel. Yo creo que Márquez destinados a que se trata de un misterio. Yo creo que Márquez quería la audiencia para decidir solo. No puedo decir pero me gustaría creer el ser extraño es un ángel.

3. El más prominate parodia in este cuento fue Márquez comentario en religíon. Márquez se burla de la gente de América Latina dependencia en religíon. Cada vez que un problema la gente de América Latina  siempre llamar un clérigo. Esto sigue ocurriendo en el mundo hoy.
              

Vocabulary from "Un Señor Muy Viejo Con Unas Alas Enormes"

•  Cangrejos: crabs
• Alas: wings
• Navegante: sailer
• Vicino: neighbor
• Gallinero: hen house
• Alambradas: wire
• Sobrenatural: supernatural
• Porvenir: future
• Gallina: hen
• Carta: letter
• Cautivo: captive
• Cobrar: charge
• Único: only
• Cristales de Alcanfor: mothballs
• Papillas de Berenjena: eggplant mush
• Paciencia: patience
• Piedras: rocks
• Mayoría: most
• Averiguar: to find out
• Araña: spider
• Costillas: ribs