Nicholas Notes

Thirteen weeks later, in conclusion, I echo my peers’ comments, saying that it is definitely a proud moment to be finishing up this course knowing how much we have covered together. From gaining a perspective of the most influential moment in Latin American literary history, to the fine grain details that have made some of the most complex, rewarding, and imaginative work many of us will ever read. From poetry, to thriller, to puzzling Borges, there certainly have been preferences - but also exposure to work I would not have sought out myself.  As Jon mentions in his concluding lecture, there was never any “right” way we were told to read or interpret a text, and this was one of the features of this course which I am sure many of us respected most. Approaching each week with a spirit of play, hoping to learn from each author but not feeling a need to learn “correctly” was a huge relief that made these difficult works so digestible. That, in combination with the extremely informativ...

My final reading of this class, despite the confusion and blurriness that defines this nightmare of a story, would have been my favorite reading of the semester. Perhaps not because of its amazing complexity or influence on the field, which we have seen consistently throughout the course, but because of its uniqueness. Our first psychological thriller of the year comes and goes just like the title suggests, as a fever dream,  that we wake up from wondering what the heck just happened. I actually went into the reading completely blind to the genre or back story of Scheblin’s work - so was more than shocked when met with the intense and vivid imagery that supplemented each character's experiences (from watching David burry dead animals to the way Nina would sit legs crossed always grasping her precious stuffed mole.  More about the title though, was something I found interesting, noticing the very different meanings the Spanish vs. English version seemed to offer. For example, r...

Lemebel’s writing was very interesting to read this week, juggling some heavy themes while sharing a meaningful perspective of the realities of revolution, but also a movement for social justice. While shining light on similar complexities he would have endured in his own life we are given a small window into the lives of the courageous minds, and charismatic personalities behind the revolutionary movements in 20th-century Chile. The story was super engaging despite dealing with concepts most modern readers (myself included) have not personally met. However, there were many ways that we are presented with timeless themes, and invited to empathize with the characters we follow throughout the story. There was one example of such a timeless theme I wanted to discuss this week which I have expanded on below. Reflecting on “the politics of the pose” - or perhaps the “truth” which lies beneath it, Dr. Poblete makes a fascinating point in this week's conversation video, about the near iro...