Week 10 - Rigoberta Menchú, I, Rigoberta Menchú - Nicholas Latimer - On repeated themes, culture, and tradition.
Another alluring, and thought-provoking read this week. Rigoberta’s recounting of the many stories and ‘highlights’ of her life, although sometimes very hard to wrap my head around or to come to terms with their severity - I was eager to continue reading, almost out of respect and admiration for such a strong character. My initial thoughts while reading were about this book in relation to our past readings. Albeit unique, there were some parallels I felt - such as the themes of death, reflective tone, and even some of the cultural beliefs that Rigoberta had shared with us. When her little brother passes as a result of the brutal conditions on the Finca, not only are we reminded that this could happen to any individual unfortunate enough to live their life, but we see a shift in Rigoberta’s perspectives of their poverty. A reflection of this growth, on page 34 she recounts: “That’s when my consciousness was born”. Although many instances of violence occurred (like the performance-k...