Week 13.2 - Concluding Remarks - Nicholas Latimer - So that was Latin American Literature?

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 informative lecture videos which put the writing in perspective of the historic time periods that our texts were written. And of course, with the support of comments along the way, including the most encouraging and thought provoking comments from Daniel - who I remember telling me in week 4 that he was only able to understand Borges’ insanity after taking courses on his work. Although not all of this knowledge was translated to me this term - blog comments and class prompts where always presented in a way that was easy to interact with. Finally, of course, is the aid of the entire class’ blogs, who not only gave me somewhere to leave my weekly comments, but also offered so many different takes on the same readings as me, allowing me to challenge my thinking and see new ideas emerge. 

We’ve seen patterns of complexity, absurdity, satire, labyrinths, nostalgia, political tension and revolution, and much more across the texts this term, but at the end of the day I am still left believing that each of these readings were so unique - mostly managing to confuse me in a completely new way - but also teaching the value of “pushing onwards” while reading with an open mind, and allowing myself to make sense while reflecting on my reading, rather than at first glance - a themes which was most over-arching in this course.  

Thanks all for a great class, I look forward to discussing with you on Thursday. To leave a final question for you, I’d like to know: has the way you read / approach books changed throughout this class? Is it something you will adopt in readings outside of the class?


Comments

  1. kara qstApril 10, 2023 at 1:26 PM

    Hi Nicholas! Yes, I think my approach to readings outside the class has changed too. Mainly the theme of play was new to me. Despite the sometimes dark themes, I have learned that recognising play within them is important and can provide a totally fresh outlook on old ideas. Within magic realism some of the fantastical elements can seem rather serious and ominous but by considering that an active choice has been made to play with reality the reader can see a more optimistic view of things that recognise new realities and the possibility of change.

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  2. Daniel OrizagaApril 10, 2023 at 4:02 PM

    "... but at the end of the day I am still left believing that each of these readings were so unique..." I think Dr. Beasley-Murray will be very happy to read this! It has been a pleasure for me to read your thoughts on what we are discussing in the blogs and in class. Thank you for mentioning my comments, I hope they have served you! As you noticed, Latin American literature is very vast, although we always try to find common traits... and the most important thing for us has been that you have the opportunity to find new experiences so that you can make them your own.

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  3. DaisyApril 12, 2023 at 2:18 PM

    Hi Nicholas! My approach has definitely changed quite a bit throughout the term. I think I've gotten better at accepting what is and not trying to read with any strict intentions. Instead, I've been reading them a little more casually and having some fun with them too. My friend Jordan and I started reading them to each-other which has gotten me comfortable with reading out-loud again and has actually ended up being a lot of fun. I definitely think the idea of reading a book at the same time as a friend will stick for me and is something I hope to leave this class with.

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    Replies
    1. JonApril 15, 2023 at 5:42 PM

      I love this reading with a friend, btw. :) I also like "accepting what is and not trying to read with any strict intentions."

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  4. AnonymousApril 12, 2023 at 9:28 PM

    Though I've been a big reader in the past, I often go through phases of not being able to make it through books; having to read a book a week for a couple months helped to remind me how quick finishing novels can actually be. I don't know how much that's really changed the way I read/approach reading, but it's certainly made me a) want to read more novels and b) made me feel a bit guilty about not having read more in the past.

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