Final Reflection

Well, where can we start. I've had such an enlightening time in this marvelous literature class. I haven't made much friends but at least I've laughed with all of my fellow classmates. I've processed the dynamic class structure we use on our classes and I've become very comfortable in our academic course. The journal made me realize I have so much potential in writing, I might even take more literature courses that I'm supposed to. The journey has been great until now, our task right now is to unfold what is leftt of the scarse semester.

I'm honored to be part of my English Literature class with Cynthia Pittmann "with two T's and two N's". I have taken previous courses in English and Spanish literature and by far this has been my favorite one. What I most love about our class is the professor's attitude and teaching methods. They remind me of when I was a mere child and was waiting anxiously for my favorite class in elementary school, for this, I thank our professor. The things we've read in class are key to the aspect of analysis the course wants to implant.

The things I've written in this class have helped me grow as an individual, structure my writing skills and improve my cognitive and critical writing. I am planing to continue this journal phenomenon when the time arrives, I esteem by the time summer comes up I'll continue. The pen must never stop, and it must go on and on like the life's journey.

- I also love this graph, it has so much to teach in just a few words and drawings.

Please people, you need to sign this petition, for the sake of Karso in Puerto Rico!

https://www.change.org/petitions/hon-alejandro-garc%C3%ADa-padilla-gobernador-firme-el-prapec-para-asegurar-la-conservaci%C3%B3n-del-karso-puertorrique%C3%B1o-2?recruiter=89258844&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

Reflection on my Journal

What a blast I've had in these couple of months with my Journal. The best part of it all is reading it when you've finished it. Just today I started reading the first page and I was amazed at how accurate the pages concurred to my thoughts and feelings on a daily basis. Each page has a date and every 2 days I had to do a compass. The compasses were so much fun, I made a different compass each time, applying my artistic skills in the drawing area. Each of the compasses was like a mathematical equation, while the sole purpose of it was to analyze your state in four different aspects. One was supposed to describe the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental state at the present time. 

I'm glad I got to write a journal, I've always thought of it, but I never had the proper motivation. Thanks to the English Literature class I'm taking in my university. I've come fond of non-stop writing thanks to the Journal, that's the way our professor taught us to write. I've noticeably enriched my writing skills thanks to this daily routine, or as other have called it: "chore".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zElAYXooppM

This is such a good Jimmi hendrix song, I love his music.

Reflection on The Rum Diaries.

            Well, where can we start? At first I was briefly astounded by the current situation of the protagonist Kemp (Johnny Depp), where he was in a “tight spot” as we call it. I say this because he woke up in a hotel as hungover as one can imagine, drinking all of the alcohol that was in the beverage fridge in his hotel room. As soon as I saw this scene, I thought the whole movie was going to be very crazy. And indeed it was. A lot of scenes involved violence and corruption, as well as poverty and richness (in terms of capita). The whole movie is about this New York Times writer/columnist that is offered a job in a very mediocre Newspaper Publicist Firm called the San Juan Star, that was at the momento was the paper of preference for the local community. The setting is in San Juan, Puerto rico in the 1960’s.

            When this journalist (Paul Kemp) progresses at his freelance job in Puerto Rico, he struggles to find a balance between the local culture and the external influences faced upon the island. He is accompanied by many friends, some more delisional than others. One can see in the film the margin planted by capitalism in social clases, the gap is extremely noticable. There are poor and rich antagonists in the movie, the poor ones are the “mates” Paul Kemp meets and the rich ones are the ones that offer Kemp a great amount of money for his services, concerning the spread of controlled information.

            The plot of the film is quite fascinating. The poor and misleaded come to an agreement to rise against the bankrupcy of the newspaper and publish one last paper for the sake of their dignity, which they are not able to achieve. The protagonist (Paul Kemp) felt in love with one of his rich friend’s girlfriend. They had a blast, and had many problems thanks to her, but he did defend her at the end, giving her asylum when she was lost in the small island. Overall I enjoyed the movie, I could sense a lot of dark humor in the film and that cought my attention. In relation to the puerto rican image portrayed in the film, it is very true. They portray the puerto rican community exactly how it was at the time.

Reflection on A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid.

Wow, what a great read. I enjoyed very much this text. I read many influential factors in this marvelous turn of events. The story is very much a narration of personal tourist experiences from the autor Jamaica Kincaid. It is set to be in her hometown, Antigua. The plot is very convincing of the idea that only an “insider can understand certains aspects and qualities of a place. One can relate this to the difference between a traveller and a tourist, where a traveller is there for the “full experience” and the tourist is there for the “full package”. The experience is different from the package, because one focuses on the Little things that only a true observer would notice and the other one is just a brief sroll through the place’s context/history/culture.

Many factors presented in the text are the total social and econiomic margins generated in those lands. Where everyone can see the expensive old cars in very poor conditions, and the majority of things deteriorating. These are all aspects surrounding the past and actual corruption of the place, that limits the funds used to “take care” of Antigua. Jamaika Kincaid also narrates what was her past memories of Antigua and her curren tones, comparing them and wondering endlessly which one was worst. Sadly, there are many negative and true factors presented in the text. Things discussed in her late experiences are her fellow townmate experiences, the library that was never repaired thanks to corruption and the aspect of the passage of time through Antigua and what are the changes that come with time.

At the end the idea I most percieved was the beauty of the island. After all the struggling things discussed in her experience, things came to sense for a moment, with the beautiful details of Antigua. The island was so beautiful that Kincaid use dan allegation to an “unreal” place, a utopic land of beauty. Many social factors of Antigua are discussed in the story.