Márquez, Márquez, Márquez

The works of Márquez in Latin America can arguably be said to be some of the best writing pieces of their time.  These great works include both of Márquez's short stories entitled "A Man With Enormous Wings" and "The Most Handsomest Drown Man in the World."  Both stories generate the same theme that allows deep thought for the reader.  The theme, in it's most basic form, is don't judge a book by it's cover.  Now for us intellectual people, the theme is the perception that human beings have on certain things.  Márquez criticizes human perception on all levels and feels it is absurd that humans feel some things have to look a certain way or be in a certain state in order for us to recognize or acknowledge their presence.  The appearance of normalcy, created in our mind, is the only way we tend to recognize things.  With two totally different scenarios in both stories, Márquez's underlying theme is portrayed in an exemplifying way.

The first short story, "A Man With Enormous Wings," describes the perception human vanity has of "pretty" things.  This is demonstrated with an angel in the story.  First, when I think of an angel, I typically think of something very beautiful, pure, white, with gorgeous wings and feelings of compassion, like most other people.  However, the angel portrayed in this short story isn't your "typical angel".  The angel is describes as "his bald skull and very few teeth in his mouth...his huge buzzard wings, dirty and half-plucked, were forever entangled in the mud."  As you can see, the angel is quite ugly, and not the everyday typical perception of an angel.  However, the townspeople, after realizing that the angel wasn't beautiful, couldn't speak Latin, and didn't come with blessings, were determined that he wasn't an angel sent from heaven.  The importance of the appearance of the angel and the denial of the angel's presence allows Márquez's criticism to come into play.  Márquez feels that you can't put a price on beauty.  It's wrong that human vanity will only accept "pretty" things and that people will lock themselves into their perceptions with no room for acceptance.  It's actually life itself that is the true miracle.  Yes, it's safe to say that sometime the conception of the divine is hard!  You have to be open to the divine and accept it in all of its shapes, sizes, and forms.

When connecting this story to myself personally, the first thing that comes to mind is what all of us are taught at such a young age:  don't talk to strangers.  Okay, that's true and fair, but think of our perception of a stranger:  a man who looks nasty or homeless, no teeth maybe, a beard, and definitely scary looking.      Is this true that all men who have a beard and look homeless are actually strangers who are going to  kidnap you?  No, not at all.  Some men who look homeless and/or nasty are actually really nice guys, or maybe even geniuses.  I mean look at Albert Einstein, he's not the most attractive or groomed man but he was super intelligent.  I feel that this story allowed me to change many of my already conceived perceptions of certain things.  But, in all honestly, are they really nasty looking or is that just what we have locked our heads into perceiving them as?

In the second short story, "The Most Handsomest Drown Man in the World," Márquez demonstrates the same theme of our perception of certain things but in the opposite way.  Instead of someone being ugly, someone is actually very beautiful, or handsome.  A dead man floats ashore from the sea into a village.  The women of the village view this man and become obsessed with him.  They feel he is the tallest, strongest, and best built man they have ever seen.  The irony of the story is the perception of this man by the women of the village.  The fact that their conception of beauty in a man is that of one that is dead.  This seems bizarre to me, and it should to you too.  The underlying message that Márquez's has created for his readers is this story is that people limit themselves in perception.  The women are so fixed on this dead man only because of his physical looks.  This shows that humans are limited to the norms and ideals and are blinded by the reality.  The reality is, well, the man is dead!  

When thinking to myself about the second story, I think of one man's ugly is another man's beauty.  Just because you perceive something as ugly doesn't mean that someone thinks it's ugly too.  We tend to believe it's wrong for that person to think something you feel is so ugly is beautiful, when in fact that's what I would call perfection.  That's the spice of life and what makes the world go around.  For example, I own a pug and I'm am seriously obsessed with him and think he is the cutest thing ever.  To others, a pug is an ugly dog that only snores and breathes loud.  

In a final note, I feel that Márquez's theme of our perception brings up the idea that I love and that is "one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist."  My history teacher in high school had a bumper sticker in his room that said this and every time I saw it I had to read it over and over again and think in order for me to finally understand it's meaning.  This quote describes our basic notion on the view of those in the Middle East fighting against our troops.  We think that they are ALL terrorists, which is obviously without a doubt false.  However, those in the Middle East think that the American troops fighting against them are in fact terrorists.  So, we as Americans feel our troops are the freedom fighters and the militias in the Middle East are terrorists.  The militias in the Middle East feel that American's are the terrorists and that they are the freedom fighters helping maintain their idea of normalcy within their country.  So, who is right?  

Cortazar's Writing

The writing of Cortazar is complicated.  There are many underlying messages that the reader must discover when reading his stories.  When you first read his stories, you can get a literal understanding or sense of what the text is trying to convey.  However, when you begin to analyze the text, you come to find that Cortazar inserts many metaphorical messages or meanings.  Cortazar transforms literal reading into metaphorical reading in an effective way that challenges the reader.  Some great examples of his classic style are "The Continuity of Parks", "Our Demeanor at Wakes", and "Axolotl".

After reading the "The Continuity of Parks" I was asking myself the question of "what the heck just happened?"  I was thoroughly confused on how easily Cortazar was able to turn the man reading the story into the man who was about to be killed in the story he was reading.  Furthermore, Cortazar was also able to turn me, as the reader, into the stalker of the man who was about to be killed.  This was my first experience with Cortazar's style and I was intrigued. It challenged every normal, literal understanding of a story that I had ever experienced or understood.  He proved that art is transformative.  Reading is real and as you read, you can become apart of the story.  Cortazar interacts with his reader in this particular story and he is able to manipulate his readers.  He "messes with you" within his writing.  He was able to manipulate me!  

In "Our Demeanor at Wakes", Cortazar proves that hypocrisy is bad.  In my world, just like Cortazar's, hypocrisy IS bad.  Believing in something you don't believe in is a crime.  You shouldn't make yourself believe in something that you truly don't agree with or feel passionate about.  An example of this within the story is in regards to the funeral.  The author proves that if one works on being sad, you can actually become sad even if you aren't.  This reminds me of actors.  Sometimes actors think about sad things on set just to make themselves cry.  Is this okay?  It's questionable.  A little more random if you ask me.  I mean thinking about your dead grandma just to MAKE yourself cry is well...weird to me.  But, Cortazar also proves within this story that once you begin telling so many lies that you begin believing in your own lies.  Then, your lies become your reality.  This also isn't okay.  This is an example of that friend that you have that lies about everything just to make themselves look "cool" or better.  Liars normally don't do too well in life because lying is a bad, bad habit.  In the end, this story brings up many relatable topics to its readers which makes this story even more interesting to read and to understand the underlying messages.

Finally, "Axolotl" is more than just a cute story about salamanders.  It explains the suffering of those who are silent.  Isolation, one of the major themes within "Axolotl", is portrayed through the axolotls.  They have the ability to think, but they don't have the ability to communicate and they are trapped inside of an aquarium.  I feel strongly for the axolotls, and further, those who can't speak.  Being isolated, or alone is a tragedy.  I feel that no one should experience loneliness or isolation. The axolotls are very comparable to those who are deaf.  They can't speak, but they are able to think.  It is like they are trapped inside their own bodies because they can think, but they can't communicate and express themselves.  Their voice can't be heard, just like the axolotls.  On the flip side, isolation can be alleviated through art.  You hear all the time about the guys who are exiled but they write the most amazing novels.  That's because they are able to express themselves through art to help ease the pain of being alone.  This piece of literature makes you stop and truly think about those around who are alone.  Take time out of your day to say hi to someone you don't know because they might need it; they might be alone.

Popul Vuh - Reader Response

After reading Popol Vuh, I found myself more connected and interested in the text contrary to my first judgment of the story.  I never thought I would be able to engage myself into mythology, let alone Mayan mythology.  I was able to learn the concept of circular time used by the Mayans which truly differs from linear time in which I live my life, allowing me to further understand the ideas and concepts inside the story.  But once I read Popol Vuh, I realized I truly enjoyed the context and overall message the story has to offer.  The beginning of the story reminds me of some of the creation stories found in the Bible.  I am familiar with the Bible, but don't no it word for word.  Throughout the beginning, the Christian Bible seems relevant and relatable.  In Chapters 1-2, the Mayan creator Gods are like the Christian God, both creating the Earth and inhabiting it.  In Chapter 3 when the great flood kills the wooden people, it quickly reminds me of the Christian story of Noah's Arc.  When reading Chapters 4-5 about the God who possesses the evil quality of vain which is looked down upon by Mayan civilization, surprisingly my mom comes to mind.  I was always taught to never flaunt the things you are blessed with and to always be humble and not prideful; opposite of vanity.  Once again, the Christian faith is relatable because one of the seven deadly sins is vain.  In the end, my family values seem to be on the same page as the values of Mayan civilization!  Popol Vuh was a successful and enjoyable first exposure to Mayan mythology.