Love

Referring to Rosaleen's question "Do you think a relationship is stronger when there is an intense passionate connection at first, or when a friendship blossoms into an intimate relationship?"

I believe that a relationship could blossom in many various situations. Regardless if there was a passionate connection at first or friendship at first, it all depends up to the couple or the individual as to where they would want to take their relationship. I can really relate to this question because my boyfriend, which I have been with for almost 5 years was just my friend at first. Never did I think I would consider him a boyfriend. But somehow our frienship grew stronger and as of now we have a strong and healthy relationship. Also if a relationship is intense at the very beginnning, that couple might be easily bored with their partner since all that excitement, curiosity, and intensity about having a relationship is done and over with. But as I said, it all depends on the couple and the choices they are willing to make to keep that relationship and bond strong.

Love in the time of Cholera

While I was reading Chapter 1 the beginning of the chapter was very slow. But as the chapter progressed Gabriel Marquez develops each individual character with great detail. So far I sort of like his writing style but at times there is just too much information, which distracts the meaning of the story. Dealing with the question about complexities in life in Hispanic America is some what present to this day. During the story Fermina’s father Lorenzo, wants her daughter to marry Dr. Urbino. The reason why he wants his daughter to marry a doctor is because he knows that he is rich and wants some part of the money somehow. This may or may not reflect not only Hispanic culture but probably cultures from around the world. The idea that the parents should determine who a person marries mainly for money. The parents want the best possible person to marry there son or daughter. In my opinion most of the time it seems girls are more pressured to marry someone with wealth or good social status. This is reverent in the story between Fermina and her father Lorenzo.

Relationships

In the novel, Fermina falls in love with Florentino and builds a strong relationship with him. She soon realizes that what is between them is nothing more than an illusion. On the other hand, when Fermina speaks with Dr. Urbino, she is disgraced with his behvior. What starts as a friendship between the two leads to something more.

Do you think a relationship is stronger when there is an intense passionate connection at first, or when a friendship blossoms into an intimate relationship?

Love in the Time of Cholera

García Márquez' novel reveals to us many of the intricacies of life in Hispanic America, its contradictions and mind-bending, reality-stretching, attachment to the absurd.

Are there any particular passages in chapter 1 that you can use to illustrate the above statement?

Mr Beéche

Pan's Labyrinth – thoughts on symbolism

As an example of Magical Realism, Pan's Labyrinth happens to be the best movie produced in this literary genre in recent years.

In class we will be discussing the symbolism found in the movie, but in particular, that represented by each one of the twelve characters: Ofelia, Ofelia's Mother, Capitán Vidal, Mercedes, The Doctor, Pedro (Mercedes' brother), The Faun, The Monster in the dining hall, The Sick Tree, The Fairies, The Labyrinth...

I invite each one of my students to share their thoughts on this movie, its characters and their symbolism and what the teaches us about Magical Realism as a whole...