Introduction and Hello! (Week 1)

Hello everyone! My name is Julia and I am a third year dual degree student majoring in sociology and business with a minor in Latin American studies. I was born and raised in Canada, but I love reading and studying about other countries. I am really looking forward to learning more from the literary perspectives of Latin America as it has not often been discussed throughout by degree so far. One of the things I love about studying Latin America is learning about the diversity and cultural change that Latin American has undergone throughout history. Most of my degree has been centred around Latin America before the 20th century, so I'm excited to learn from more modern perspectives. Even though every other Latin American studies course I have taken has approached the topic from a historical view, I agree with the lecture that there is a seperation between literature and life. Therefore, I'm looking forward to reading from perspectives not often attached to what I have been previously told as fact about history. I think this will be a really eye opening and engaging experience. 

I'm also looking forward to examining how these perspectives have changed over time during the readings. Particularly how the roles and narratives of women have shifted. Having already read The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela, I am looking forward to discussing the role that female characters play throughout the novel and how it differs from the female centred narrative of Mama Blanca's Memoirs by Teresa de la Parra. 

To respond to the question in the lecture, my idea of Latin American literature is that it is full of creativity, colour, conflict, and lightheartedness. My partner is Mexican so I am often exposed to traditional Mexican stories and find that they are often very meaningful and insightful, while also maintaining a sense of playfulness and fun. 

My expectations for this course is that it would encourage and engage in diverse discussion. I'm really excited about the blog format as I get to read how different people have interpreted things differently from myself. I hope that this course encourages original and creative thought and harbours a place for great debates and discussions. I'm also looking forward to discussing the texts with you all considering we all come from different backgrounds, countries, and majors. I believe this is going to create the chance for a lot of fantastic learning opportunities! 

My question to you: How do you think reading Latin American literature is going to differ from reading literature from other countries?