- Conferences – Don’t forget your individual conferences. These are mandatory. See weeks #13 and #14 for the link to sign-up. Contact me if you can’t find an available appointment that works for you.
- Modernism in Visual Art – Your posts are due by Monday, Dec.5. Don’t forget that I have asked you to provide me with proof of your visit. You can show me your proof in class on Wednesday, or send it to me via email.
- Essay Questions – By now, almost all of you have emailed me with proposed questions for your final essay. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help with this essay. I am happy to provide general feedback on drafts, outlines, etc….
- Reading for Monday, Dec. 5th – Jamaica Kincaid’s, “Girl” – Please read this short piece and answer two of the questions I have shared in a separate post.
- Reading for Wednesday, Dec. 7th – Isabel Allende, “And of Clay are They Created”. Choose one of the following questions to respond to in a comment on this post. Post your response before our class on Wednesday.
–What do you think the significance of Allende’s title is? What does it mean to be made of clay?
-What happens to Rolf in his encounter with Azucena?
–Why do you think Azucena becomes a symbol of the tragedy that is unfolding in the story?
–What did you make of the President’s visit to the site of the disaster? What kind of commentary is Allende making here?
–How can you connect this story with your own experiences of natural or other disasters? Are there elements of the story that you can relate to? How?
What happens to Rolf in his encounter with Azucena?
When Rolf encountered Azucena he started to help her out since the little girl was trapped after the natural disaster and Rolf wanted to do as much as possible. However, as time went on they started to share stories to keep each other occupied and forget about the situation for some time. Rolf shared stories that he didnt share with anyone else that gave a feeling that Rolf found similarities with Azucena and felt comfortable with her. Although Rolf tried to do everything in his hands, at the end both came into realization of the reality that they couldn’t escape death.
What kind of “similarities” does Rolf feel with Azucena?
What do you think the significance of Allende’s title is? What does it mean to be made of clay?
I think clay in the title is used as a metaphor describing how events and emotions in people’s lives are shaped like clay. Since clay can be molded and shaped in to different shapes and sizes, it is the same exact concept when it comes to how people’s lives are shaped through actions. For example, at the end of the story Rolf finally accepts that he can’t save Azucena and her death causes Rolf a traumatizing experience where he goes on route for self healing.
I think the significance of the president’s visit is to show how performative politicians are. The president comforts the people with vague promises which aren’t helpful. Honestly, this scene parallels how politicians react during crises in real life. He doesn’t even want to find all of the dead to give them a proper burial. The president uses religion as a way to save face.
Yes! Love your use of the word “performative” here.
How can you connect this story with your own experiences of natural or other disasters? Are there elements of the story that you can relate to? How?
The tragedy of the mudslide on the village is nothing I’ve ever witnessed before. However, with it being a natural disaster, it reminds me of hurricane Sandy which was the first natural disaster I got to experience. I remember the following day after it was over the streets around my home were all damaged . There were barricades all over stores and homes , trees that had fallen and water all over the place. Although it was nothing like the story , what made me relate to it was the newscast that was showing how other places suffered from it . Many places got the worst of the hurricane and the incident of Azucena reminds me of how bad other people suffered from hurricane sandy.
-What happens to Rolf in his encounter with Azucena?
During the encounter between Rolf and Azucena, Rolf saw Azucena as a little girl in the volcano’s eruption. He said that when the helicopter would rescue them from the eruption of the volcano. Azucena will follow good treatment in the hospital. He will bring presents for Azucena. he even wondered what presents he was going to buy for Azucena. During their stay, Rolf and Azucena shared their story of what they experienced. Both were used to each other. Ultimately, these two people saw the reality that they could not escape death. At the end of the paragraph, it said, “But he had come face to face with the moment of truth; he could not continue to escape his past. Azucena said to Rolf, “Do not cry. I don’t hurt anymore.” Rolf said, “I’m not crying for you. I’m crying for myself. I hurt all over.”
What do you think Rolf means in that last quotation?
What do you think the significance of Allende’s title is? What does it mean to be made of clay?
From what it seems the title has two meanings to me that go hand in hand. Firstly, it shows as a reminder that people are made up of clay. Then it shows how clay can be repeatedly remolded over and over again. This is what seems like the author is targeting, through Rolf. Rolf molds himself after every conflict he faces, beginning from his childhood nightmares of an abusive father and then working in a concentration camp. These life experiences of tragedy shape who he finally molds himself to become.
I don’t think we know that Rolf ever worked in a concentration camp. There are a few WWII references, but nothing that refers specifically to a concentration camp.
How can you connect this story with your own experiences of natural or other disasters? Are there elements of the story that you can relate to? How?
I connected this story with my own experience of a natural disaster in my home country, Bangladesh. There was a series of mudslides that occurred in 2007 and almost 200 people died. The heavy monsoon rains triggered major flooding and led to these dangerous mudslides that swept people away and they became trapped within the mud just like Azucena. The landslides had completely buried people’s homes.
What did you make of the President’s visit to the site of the disaster? What kind of commentary is Allende making here?
When Allende says, “The President of the Republic visited the area in his tailored safari jacket to confirm that this was the worst catastrophe of the century,” I feel like she is pointing out how useless his visit was. His arrival in formal attire kind of shows he really hadn’t moved a finger to help his people and came to state the obvious. It’s kind of performative too because there were cameras following him around, and sounded like he was saying what they wanted to hear. Like, when he went to visit Azucena, Rolf asked him for a pump and he couldn’t even do that. Just offered more words that did nothing.
-What happens to Rolf in his encounter with Azucena?
When Rolf encounters Azucena, stuck in the mud, it causes him to reflect on his own childhood. He is stuck, the same as Azucena, but in a metaphorical way. His troubled childhood gave him a lot of trauma that had not been dealt with, causing it to become repressed and hindering him from moving past what happened.
Yes, I think “stuckness” is an apt metaphor here.
What did you make of the President’s visit to the site of the disaster? What kind of commentary is Allende making here?
I think that the President’s visit to the site of the disaster captures how the majority of politicians are: phony and dishonest. As I read the part of his visit, the President seemed very disinterested in the disaster that happened and was putting on a show to seem like he cared. He mentioned how “it was impossible to remove all the corpses or count the thousands who had disappeared” (1230-1231) which is most likely untrue and comes off as apathetic. I think Allende is saying how performative politicians are and don’t do enough to help their communities. Additionally, this is a very similar sentiment to what a lot of people feel now.
What did you make of the President’s visit to the site of the disaster? What kind of commentary is Allende making here?
The president’s visit to the site goes to show how little he cares for the victims. The president left just as quickly as he had arrived at the scene, as if staying is simply a waste of time, he doesn’t make much of an effort to console victims or provide any sort of proper assistance. He made vague promises to Rolf, saying he would personally bring the equipment, but Azuenca still dies in the end. And later he simply settled the issues with religion, inviting priests and such, since giving a proper burial to all the victims is a hassle. He simply did the bare minimums for the sake of his own reputation.
-What happens to Rolf in his encounter with Azucena?
During Rolf’s encounter with Azucena, he is able to comfort her while he waits for the pump to be able to rescue her. He becomes close to her and he is able to connect with her since he lost his family and is also stuck in a mudhole emotionally. Azucena and Rolf both come to realize that neither of them can escape death and Azucena comes to accept the fact that she will die before Rolf does. This forever changes him and since the beginning of the story, it was stated that fear was never able to touch him but I believe it’s more than just fear that will be able to touch him now.
I like your suggestion that Rolf is stuck in an emotional mudhole! What do you think is making him “stuck”?
Q: What happens to Rolf in his encounter with Azucena?
A: Initially Rolf had wanted to help get Azucena out of the mud, but unfortunate circumstances had led him to be stuck in the mud with her for about three days. Regardless Rolf was determined to not leave the girl alone. When Azucena recalled past events of her life while they were in the mud, it had slowly reopened Rolf’s own past memories and the traumatic experiences he faced during the time of WWII. Though never telling Azucena what he went through, the time he had spent with her had resulted in him internally unpacking memories and emotions he tried so hard to suppress while also accepting the fact he may have to face death. At the end of the story, the narrator says up to that moment Rolf is dealing his trauma developed from the time spent with Azucena.
-What happens to Rolf in his encounter with Azucena?
I think with his encounter with Azucena he is able to start to heal over his part trauma. It’s mentioned that Rolf separated himself from the tragedies he covers as to not get himself hurt. “He could not look at the girl through a lens any longer.” This may have been the moments where his mental defenses broke down and really sympathized with her, Seeing himself in her and herself in him. He finally realizes the damage that was done to him and after Azucena he is still tying to heal from it.
The quote you’ve included here is really crucial!
Q: “How can you connect this story with your own experiences of natural or other disasters? Are there elements of the story that you can relate to? How?”
A: Well, this isn’t my personal experience but my parents experience. I want to talk about this because it’s a story i will never forget. So it was 1985 and an earthquake of a magnitude of 8 hit Mexico City. At the time my mom was there working with grandma. My mom and grandma would travel about 2 hours everyday to sell fruits from their hometown that my moms brothers (my uncles) grew in their land. My grandma didn’t have a proper place to sell, so they would stick to this small corner in the busy area of mexico city. When the earthquake they got really scared. My mom was really little so just imagine how she felt when the sirens went off super loud and all of the chaos going on. Her and my grandma saw buildings shake and windows breaking everywhere. The little homeless kids having no one to run to. They get emotional when they tell this story because this catastrophic event killed a little more than 10,000 people. If you go to netflix and search up “7:19” you’ll be able to see a movie where you can get a more inside view of what victims went through, especially those who unfortunately got stuck in the buildings that collapsed. Just like in the story where people got buried under the mud and could not come out, my grandma says she saw so many people the same night that got buried under the concrete and she was able to see the faces of some yelling for help. Hope this connection could work for this assignment.
Rachelle,
Thanks for sharing your family’s story. Your mother’s recollection of this sounds so vivid. I would imagine that an experience like that – and the terror it must have brought – would stay with you forever.
What happens to Rolf in his encounter with Azucena?
When Rolf encountered Azucena, it reminded him of his childhood. When the little girl is comforted by him, he realises that they both have similarities between them. He saw himself within her. Rolf, too, was in an abusive household. Due to these similarities, he was able to express his feelings and emotions even though he had to look professional when surrounded by cameras. He was able to sympathise with Azucena and also for himself. This feeling and emotion made him more human due to his encounter with Azucena. Now he is not only a reporter but also a human being who has an emotional roller coaster when encountering sadness.
I don’t think that we have any reason to believe that Azucena comes from an abusive family, do we?
–Why do you think Azucena becomes a symbol of the tragedy that is unfolding in the story?
Azucena becomes a symbol of the tragedy unfolding because her helplessness showcases the severity of what has happened. There is something about her situation which has the power to move hearts and capture the attention of the public. The appearance of an innocent girl fighting for her life, trapped underground by the hands of her family members and collapsed home, emits raw emotion. The image of this girl encompasses so much about the tragedy at hand, that her face became known to the whole world.
What kind of commentary do you think the story is offering about this transformation of an individual girl into a “symbol” of a national tragedy?
–What do you think the significance of Allende’s title is? What does it mean to be made of clay?
The title, “And of Clay Are They Created”, illustrates the idea that our experiences mold and shape who we are, just as clay is molded and shaped by an external will. Our experiences will always affect us, whether we want it to or not, the story illustrated this when Rolf jumps into the mud to save Azucena.
What happens to Rolf in his encounter with Azucena?
He trusts Azucena with stories about his life, which he only tells his closest friends about. He lets himself be vulnerable around her. She provides him with consolation and reassurance that everything will be fine. Rolf finally achieves the same level of acceptance of death as Azucena did when she was trapped. He assured her that he would assist her and kept encouraging her to remain brave. He had the courage and optimism that he passed on to the girl even when he faced challenges. He stayed with the girl until the end, despite being cold and exhausted.