I have to start off by saying that up to this point, El señor presidente has been a relief and much more enjoyable compared to Facundo. One similarity that I have noticed is that though the novel is titled The President, there has not been much talk regarding the President yet. Perhaps this was because both books were written as an act of revolting with words; thus having to be subtle in accusations.
Within the first half of the novel, characterization seems to have been the main focus. I thought this was in ways very similar to Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold (which is a really good book, if you haven’t read it). It also seems a bit like a mystery novel, sort of. It’s hard to describe, but it’s like reading about their attempt to solve the mystery of who killed Colonel José Parrales Sonriente; although us as readers already know who it was by the end of the first chapter.
Thus far, I am most intrigued by Miguel Angel Face. (“He was as beautiful and wicked as Satan.”) It is quite clever of Asturias to constantly repeat this description of Angel Face as if to remind readers of his two sides. First off, his name. I can’t help but wonder why Asturias chooses to use the same name as his own, Miguel Angel. It couldn’t simply be coincidence, could it? Perhaps Asturias is trying to point out similarities between the character and himself. The juxtaposition of looking like an angel (and having Angel as his name), as claimed by the wood-cutter (27-29), and of looking like Satan. These contrasting opinions have prevented me from being able to create an image of this character in my mind. I felt that in the beginning of the book, Angel Face appeared to be a very polite, respectable, and composed gentleman. However, as the story progresses, we begin to see the internal conflict of this character and he comes into contact with Camila. I am definitely looking forward to what happens with his character.
Secondly, my first impressions of the President are not as bad as what I would have thought. Though I can see evidence of the violence and aspects of dictatorship, I also feel like he is in some ways a sincere man. My reasons for this include his condolences and three hundred pesos that he sends to the widow of the “swine” (though, yes, he was the one who ordered him to be given two hundred lashes which resulted in his death), I felt as if he actually cared enough to provide her with money for the funeral instead of leaving her high and dry. (37) Also, he seemed to show a very subtle concern for the unknown man (the Zany) who was beaten up in the streets as Angel Face was telling him about it. (38)
I very much like how Asturias names all the characters with different by unique names, such as the Zany, the Mosquito, the Widower, Flatfoot. However, I am surprised and wonder why is it that Angel Face is known as “the favourite,” and not “the Favourite?” (Or perhaps this is of no relevance whatsoever and I am simply overanalyzing.)
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Facundo, el fin.
Like a few others had said, I didn’t find the novel all that intriguing. My first impressions prior to reading it were that the first half would consist of dull details and geography; and the remainder would be fast-paced, exciting but gruesome stories of Juan Facundo Quiroga and Don Juan Manuel Rosas. However, the novel (can I even call it a novel? Biography? History textbook?) turned out to be quite the opposite. I found the beginning to contain hidden little stories like that of the tiger story; whereas the remainder was simply a recollection of invasions and conquests. There were simply too many names of generals and cities and I began to skip over the names immediately upon seeing it, knowing I would not be able to follow unless I drew out a map and traced their paths. Though I can understand why Sarmiento would want to explain in such great detail the many battles for territory so as to give the reader the full picture of how the society was at war; which was strongly emphasized by the identical titling of three consecutive chapters.
The two most interesting aspects of the last half was first, the short story of Facundo and one of his officers on page 175. This story was about how Facundo attempted to attack the officer with his lance but the officer grabbed the lance from him, and then returned it back to him. This repeated three times, and each time the officer “respectfully” returned the lance back to Facundo. After the third time though, Facundo calls for assistance and six men held the officer down while he repeatedly stabbed the officer. Anyone else see some similarities with the tiger story? It seems strangely similar to when Facundo waited for his friends to help rope the tiger, after which he avenges on the tiger by repeatedly stabbing him, except that time, with a knife.
Secondly, I couldn’t help but notice the number of times Sarmiento used the word “red.” Page 132 – red flags, red cloth, red blankets and clothing, red cape, red robe, red ribbon; page 134 – red bow; page 187 – red marker, red rag. That was simply a small sample but I’m sure there were more references to the colour red. I’m starting to think Sarmiento is trying to suggest the bloodshed that characterizes Facundo, Rosas, and society during that period of time. (That was my attempt to express thoughts with a note of sarcasm in case you didn’t catch it.) Sarmiento even writes about this on page 133, “Is not red the symbol expressing violence, blood, and barbarism? And if not, why this antagonism?”
The two most interesting aspects of the last half was first, the short story of Facundo and one of his officers on page 175. This story was about how Facundo attempted to attack the officer with his lance but the officer grabbed the lance from him, and then returned it back to him. This repeated three times, and each time the officer “respectfully” returned the lance back to Facundo. After the third time though, Facundo calls for assistance and six men held the officer down while he repeatedly stabbed the officer. Anyone else see some similarities with the tiger story? It seems strangely similar to when Facundo waited for his friends to help rope the tiger, after which he avenges on the tiger by repeatedly stabbing him, except that time, with a knife.
Secondly, I couldn’t help but notice the number of times Sarmiento used the word “red.” Page 132 – red flags, red cloth, red blankets and clothing, red cape, red robe, red ribbon; page 134 – red bow; page 187 – red marker, red rag. That was simply a small sample but I’m sure there were more references to the colour red. I’m starting to think Sarmiento is trying to suggest the bloodshed that characterizes Facundo, Rosas, and society during that period of time. (That was my attempt to express thoughts with a note of sarcasm in case you didn’t catch it.) Sarmiento even writes about this on page 133, “Is not red the symbol expressing violence, blood, and barbarism? And if not, why this antagonism?”
Oh and lastly, I found this quote extremely intriguing. Page 135...
“What happens is that terror is a disease of the mind that attacks a people like cholera, smallpox, or scarlet fever. No one, finally, escapes the contagion. And when work is done for ten straight years to inoculate it, even though already vaccinated cannot resist in the end.”
Could the reason why Facundo/Rosas were so “successful” lie in the fact that they understand fear so well?
“What happens is that terror is a disease of the mind that attacks a people like cholera, smallpox, or scarlet fever. No one, finally, escapes the contagion. And when work is done for ten straight years to inoculate it, even though already vaccinated cannot resist in the end.”
Could the reason why Facundo/Rosas were so “successful” lie in the fact that they understand fear so well?
Monday, January 14, 2008
Facundo, take 5.
Where to begin?
First, when I looked at the table of contents and read the title of the first five chapters, I was expecting simple, factual details and long, excruciating descriptions. But instead the first few chapters were actually a very good insight of Argentina at that time. As mentioned in his introduction, it is necessary to understand the country to understand what Sarmiento believes was responsible for shaping the development of Rosas and Facundo as he writes, “It too avenges the evil the provinces did to it when they trained Rosas!” (48) However, I was surprised to find that even in writing about the physical aspect of Argentina, Sarmiento was able to let his resentment shine through ever so brightly. Any reader could clearly see what Sarmiento felt about the dichotomy between European civilization and indigenous barbarism. I also found it very interesting that he would choose to name this indigenous barbarism as “American.” Though I have to agree that Europe was likely the most civilized, considering the fact that the American Civil War was in progress, I still found it somewhat difficult to think of America as “barbaric.”
One thing that I also noticed was Sarmiento’s use of the word “physiognomy” in referring to the physical appearance of the country, since the word itself essentially means to judge from appearance or one’s face. Though he is describing his judgments of the cities, one can correlate this with the latter judgment of Rosas’ character from his facial features and outward appearance.
Despite his attempt to portray the barbaric nature of the various characters of the rastreador, the baqueano, and others, I instead got the image of a society that “works.” Though Sarmiento considers it to be barbaric, I found that there was some order in that, for instance, “the testimony of the rastreador is absolute evidence: to deny it would be ridiculous, absurd.” (65) This shows that at least the society can still function. I found Sarmiento to be slightly contradicting as he writes, “…its institutions, and the wealth and liberty that come from it, it cannot be denied that this situation also has a poetic side, and aspects worthy of the novelist’s pen.” (59) In addition, by writing this, Sarmiento seems to be praising the power of the pen, explicitly stating that something has to be “worthy” to be written about. Of course, this is no surprise coming from an author who believes he may bring about change expose truths through his words.
Thus far, Sarmiento’s style of writing appears to be much more graphic and emotion-ridden, as opposed to, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, by whom I’ve read two books and found them less filled with judgment. But it will be interesting to see whether or not my opinion changes after reading The General in His Labyrinth, since the two are more similar in their topics.
First, when I looked at the table of contents and read the title of the first five chapters, I was expecting simple, factual details and long, excruciating descriptions. But instead the first few chapters were actually a very good insight of Argentina at that time. As mentioned in his introduction, it is necessary to understand the country to understand what Sarmiento believes was responsible for shaping the development of Rosas and Facundo as he writes, “It too avenges the evil the provinces did to it when they trained Rosas!” (48) However, I was surprised to find that even in writing about the physical aspect of Argentina, Sarmiento was able to let his resentment shine through ever so brightly. Any reader could clearly see what Sarmiento felt about the dichotomy between European civilization and indigenous barbarism. I also found it very interesting that he would choose to name this indigenous barbarism as “American.” Though I have to agree that Europe was likely the most civilized, considering the fact that the American Civil War was in progress, I still found it somewhat difficult to think of America as “barbaric.”
One thing that I also noticed was Sarmiento’s use of the word “physiognomy” in referring to the physical appearance of the country, since the word itself essentially means to judge from appearance or one’s face. Though he is describing his judgments of the cities, one can correlate this with the latter judgment of Rosas’ character from his facial features and outward appearance.
Despite his attempt to portray the barbaric nature of the various characters of the rastreador, the baqueano, and others, I instead got the image of a society that “works.” Though Sarmiento considers it to be barbaric, I found that there was some order in that, for instance, “the testimony of the rastreador is absolute evidence: to deny it would be ridiculous, absurd.” (65) This shows that at least the society can still function. I found Sarmiento to be slightly contradicting as he writes, “…its institutions, and the wealth and liberty that come from it, it cannot be denied that this situation also has a poetic side, and aspects worthy of the novelist’s pen.” (59) In addition, by writing this, Sarmiento seems to be praising the power of the pen, explicitly stating that something has to be “worthy” to be written about. Of course, this is no surprise coming from an author who believes he may bring about change expose truths through his words.
Thus far, Sarmiento’s style of writing appears to be much more graphic and emotion-ridden, as opposed to, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, by whom I’ve read two books and found them less filled with judgment. But it will be interesting to see whether or not my opinion changes after reading The General in His Labyrinth, since the two are more similar in their topics.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
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