SPAN 312C

 I hope everyone is doing well!    This week, I finished reading Pablo Neruda's Twenty Love Poems and A Song of Despair. This collection of poems had both pieces I enjoyed and some I didn't. In order to fully understand, I had to read some poems more than once. I honestly don't like poetry since it causes me to overanalyze and become confused. Poetry, in my opinion, has lovely patterns and artistic writing. Still, it also teases and holds back, leaving you with unanswered questions. I do not like to be left wondering. Although, I enjoyed Twenty Love Poems more than other poetry that I have read.     Neruda's poetry, which deals with themes of romance, destruction, and solitude, takes more work to put into straightforward words. Though I'm not a fan of love-style writing, I found it enjoyable since I've experienced all of the emotions, ups and downs, and thrills that come with it, so I could relate to some parts.    The lines "the memory of you emerges from

   I found Cartucho to be certainly on the weirder side. The book itself was definitely unique, carrying a series of short stories - kind of like a diary. I'm not really sure if I liked it or just kept reading out of morbid curiosity.     I viewed it as a little girl's journal detailing the unfiltered and genuinely unpleasant events of her days living with her mother in the time of the Revolution. Although the novel's fundamental topic surrounds the Revolution, because the story was portrayed through the perspective of a little girl, there was no attention on the Revolution's savagery. There were, however, countless killings, almost as if the child was ecstatic about the sight of it. I want to pull this quote to reference what I mean; "my sister and I climbed up to peer out a window... we didn't see a single body, which we really regretted (p. 28)." Although the child may not be old enough to grasp the concept of war, deaths, and possibly tragedy, I would

   Mama Blanca's Memoirs by Teresa de la Parra was a beautiful read that brought back memories, experiences, and longing for one's youth. It is authentic and offers readers compassion and sorrow. However, this novel also employed words in which were powerful and reassuring remarks. Brilliantly describing memories from the past and a youth spent in a world that no longer exists, Teresa de la Parra writes about the previous days. She shows us the brutal shift from an ideal childhood to the real world and everything that it entails. This sweet and compassionate novel depicts the lives of a girl and her sisters as they grow up in Venezuela. It surprised me because I had expected the book to be "boring." Here are a few quotes I thought were particularly noteworthy:    "I walked into the hall, pushed open the heavy door with its great knocker and wooden bars, stuck my head in, and stood gazing at the pictures, the rocking chairs, the ornaments, and the circle of flower

Hello to everybody! My name is Julia Wouters, and I'm now in my third year at UBC, pursuing psychology. This course fulfills my requirement for literature in Arts, which is why I'm taking this course :). I'm excited and anxious to study and read new literature, discuss the topics and concerns in class and observe how other individuals interpret the books. Considering I only read a little, I've always wondered about taking a course like this one. However, my friend highly recommended this professor, so I'm giving it a try now. According to hearsay and what I've read in the syllabus, this kind of teaching will relieve strain as each student chooses their study plan. Here is a brief introduction of myself: I was born and raised in North Vancouver, living in just about every area there is there. I love animals with all my heart. I've had over 16 animals in my life (like birds, snakes, lizards, hamsters, etc.), but now I live on my own with my old chihuahua named