Writing Across Cultures

When we write we should be trying to make a point or explain an observation about the human condition as it relates to ourselves and our characters or fictional world. In 100 Years of Solitude the themes of time and solitude (isolation) (see previous posts) are central to understanding the point of this book. By considering these themes, we, as readers and students, can at least try to grasp what Marquez is trying to teach or tell us about ourselves as human beings. Ah, the power of literature! The novel's central theme is solitude or human isolation. The Buendia Family, as our protagonists, represent the human condition. Protagonists usually represent the common man or woman (Everyman). Critics have noted that the Beundias "are solitary individuals living together as strangers in the same house. As such, they personify the predicament of the human race." Other themes include fate . An individual in this book is not free to control his/her own destiny....

Gabriel García Márquez does not number his chapters in this book. A reader may wonder why? Perhaps this is the author's way of making us notice time. You do not necessarily notice your life passing day by day. Taken into consideration the flow of human experience we notice that which is important or life altering, but the days themselves slip fluidly away. This experience is likely to become more pronounced as your life continues. The bewilderment of the older generation looking back and saying: "where did my life go?" is a very human experience. An author not using the traditional fiction conventions draws attention to a work. Without chapters readers think of a book as a single entity. In 100 Years of Solitude Marquez presents us with twenty unmarked subdivisions (chapters) that are "not [treated] as discrete segments but interlinked members in a unitary whole: one text." The work is fluid, with descriptive, detail-filled paragraphs interspersed with...

Solitude is a state of isolation or lack of contact. It may stem from bad relationships, deliberate choice, diseases or mental illness or circumstances of employment or situation--for example being shipwrecked as a castaway on a LOST island. Short-term solitude is often valued as a time when one may work, think or rest without being disturbed. A distinction can be made between physical and mental seclusion. People may seek physical seclusion to remove distractions and make it easier to concentrate, reflect, or meditate. Solitude and loneliness are not the same thing, although similar. In this sense solitude is positive. As humans we all need a little solitude now and then, as well as socialization. Teenagers especially need time alone, but also are very social (as you experience every day--usually during a lecture class). In terms of South America the concept of solitude is at once something peaceful--like dusk in Summer, but is also something intangibly sad. This concept b...

After our set up for today's lesson, please retire to the library lab and work on your portfolio . 1. Create an imaginary setting and place a story there. Use contemporary fantasy or magical realism in your story. 2. Revise and re-edit any single piece of your previous writing. Most of these pieces needed further development. 3. Write a poem/script/story about Argentina or Columbia. Research these places more fully than we have in class, and set your work there. To develop a story, consider what you've included as plot. Try rearranging plot to make the story more unique.  Your protagonist should be interesting, motivated to act (that's what protagonists do!), and developed fully as round or dynamic characters through characterization: a character's dialogue, what other characters say about the protagonist, what actions, what thoughts the character has.  Get into the mind of your protagonist. What is the protagonist thinking?  Develop setting and consider mood t...

Authors often use a well designed or imagined fictional setting for many of their stories. A writer who writes a series of work in a specific place is called a "regional writer." Stephen King's Castlerock, Ray Bradbury's Green Bluff, Illinois, and Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha county are examples. Like Dorothy, you don't need to look beyond your back door for an interesting setting--but you may want to. Macondo is draws from García Márquez's childhood town, Aracataca . Aracataca is located near the north (Caribbean) coast of Colombia , 80 km South of Santa Marta . Macondo was originally the name of banana plantation, and literally means "banana" in the Bantu language. In June 2006, the people of Aracataca organized a referendum to change the name of the town to Aracataca Macondo. Although the yes vote won, the referendum failed because of lack of voters and Aracataca kept its traditional name. The town first appears in García Márquez...

Thank you to all who turned in your portfolios on time with all the required materials. Some quick observations: 1. Good job, overall with the tv scripts. Many of these were very funny and well done. 2. OMG! It's time for a little grammar lesson--mainly because you can't leave high school doing these stupid elementary mistakes: Its (is a possessive pronoun) It's (is a contraction; it means it is...) Your (is a possessive pronoun) You're (is a contraction; it means you are...) Then/than . THEN is an adverb. It indicates time or sequence (next) THAN is a conjunction often used after comparative adjectives or adverbs. Periods end sentences. Proofread your work and pay attention to when your sentence stops. Put a period there. Punctuation goes INSIDE a set of quotation marks (not outside).  A semi-colon connects two INDEPENDENT clauses or sentences. If either sentence is not a complete sentence, you can't (can not) put a semi-colon there. Microsoft wo...

Please check Mr. Bodensteiner's blog for the agenda and instructions.  LABWORK: Hint fiction projects to be worked on in the computer lab. HOMEWORK: Read the rest of chapter 2 (ends at page 40).  How is the scene between Jose Arcadio and Pilar (pages 28-30) an example of magical realism?