33 thoughts on “Asynchronous Assignment on The Poet Slave of Cuba (Pages 1-43)”

1. Juan Francisco Manzano was mocked and treated like a circus animal by his enslaver, Dona Beatriz, and her pompous friends. Taken out and about since he was a young child, paraded around, told to recite poems that he eventually learned by heart, his and the intelligence of his entire race was mocked by the Spaniards who found hilarious the notion of a Black person knowing poetry. But Juan didn’t let the humiliation get to him and began creating his own poems. “Here is the house I live in / imagine, listen, look, see / breathe in the fragrance of blossoms / and fruit trees / tall and green in the roofless central courtyard / under that tiny square of sky” (30) Juan’s writing progress is visible in the prose used for these verses, improving from simple details of his life to vivid imagery of his state. Right in this verse can also be noted a positive change in Juan’s emotions, poetry helping him build strength against his unfortunate circumstances. But Juan’s progress regressed and what strength he had built plummeted after Dona Breatiz passed away and betrayed her promise of freedom by sending Juan to live with La Marquesa de Prado Ameno, a vile and bitter woman who didn’t hold back from torturing her slaves. Juan initially attempts to not let his new surroundings affect him, he enjoys his moments of solitude in the new mansion, but La Marquesa is merciless and punishes him whenever she catches Juan taking glimpses of book pages or reading in secret. The punishments take a toll on Juan and hinders his creativity. His verses that were forming into artistic prose turned monotone, colorless, dull, painful. “This is the cellar, / imagine, the fear / no floorboards, no blanket, no food / even though it’s only for one day / and one night / or maybe a little more” (42) Juan appears to begin losing hope while in confinement, losing track of days, too exhausted to even add some emotion to the description of his surroundings. Neither of the Marquesas were right in their behavior towards Juan, but the shift in creativity from one experience to the next demonstrated evidently the impact circumstances can affect mental stability.

   1. I agree with your arguments that Juan Francisco Manzano was treated awfully in both houses, La Marquesa de Prado Ameno was physically abusive towards him while Dona Beatriz dehumanized him. Dona Beatriz abused Juan by parading him around like you stated a circus animal. People found entertainment in the fact a black boy was able to recite such works which was part of his dehumanization. Juan states throughout this section of the book that he felt like her dog, ““My first owner was sweet to me. I was her pet, a new kind of poodle.” Although Dona Beatriz may have not been starving him or hiding him away for days at a time like La Marquesa de Prado Ameno, she was still dehumanizing him enough for him to feel like an animal. Another observation I had was that it was mentally abusive for Dona Beatriz to also make Juan recognize her as his mom considering she has committed awful acts towards his real parents. To want to separate the boy from his parents doesn’t make her the saint she portrays herself as or as kind as Juan may have thought when he was younger. I also agree that we see how the punishments affect Juan in his poetry as it becomes darker when he is moved to be with La Marquesa de Prado Ameno. He vividly describes the home and tries to find the beauty in where he is living even though he said it doesn’t feel like home. However, when Juan describes his punishments in the cellar we see that poetry loses a bit of life.

   2. I agree with the idea that Dona Beatriz is treating Juan as an object instead of a human, Juan understands that because he says, “ 「I become the companion of my owner, noble ghost, no, not a companion, remember?
      a poodle, her pet
          with my curly dark hair
          and small child’s brown skin
          suitable
          for the theater
          and parties.” Even though Dona Beatriz is dehumanizing Juan but she is treating Juan better than La Marquesa, and when Dona Beatriz is dead, Juan “scream, shriek, weep, pray” because he knees that when Dona is dead, he will not be free, he will instead be sent to another owner’s house, that madwomen La Marquesa. Juan’s nickname, the Golden Beak, was given by Dona Beatriz and is something he used to live peacefully under Dona, however when he was sent over to La Marquesa’s, his talent is forbidden, he will be punished if he peaks her book. From a poodle, Juan becomes a stray dog in La Marquesa‘s house.

   3. Her point of view says a lot of Juan. While reading the text, all I was able to see was the cruelness and horrible experiences Juan was going through. The hope he will be free once Dona Breatiz was dead. It just made things worse, but at the same time, he was improving and learning how to write. All through the horrible events, he saw things differently and did not let his heart turn black. The fact these people used their power to mistreat their slaves every chance they got was insane. From Dona Breatiz treating Juan like a pet besides how talented he was. Then La Marquesa de Prado Ameno over using her power to treat Juan so miserable. It hits differently when reading these experiences, you get to feel so many emotions. Compared when listening to stories. The text itself is proof how these slaves were treated and foremost, how they were seen as. That’s not all, it also shows how the Spaniards and slave owners acted.

   4. I definitely agree with what you express about Juan Francisco Manzano being treated as an animal and being objectified by his owners. It is interesting to consider the ways in which he is affected and that he changes because of this treatment as he grows up. Juan is essentially ripped from his parents’ arms and he is forced to grow up primarily with his first owner, Doña Beatriz. Doña Beatriz refers to him as the “child of her old age” but she does not actually treat him like her child at all. She does not care for him or respect him in any way. She simply treats him as if he were a show dog, like you said “parading him around” for the purposes of amusing her friends and guests. It is only under these pretenses that she allows Juan to learn poetry and memorize verses, so that he is able to recite them for her guests and make her look good. Otherwise, any other slave during the time would be uneducated and illiterate. However, despite the horrid treatment that Doña Beatriz gives Juan Manzano, he develops an emotional bond with her nevertheless, and he does not wish for her to die. When she does eventually die of old age, although this is meant to signify his freedom at last, Juan is very disturbed and upset by her death, similar to a case of Stockholm Syndrome.

2. The author Margarita Engle fictionalizes a historical character to interpret the life of poet Juan Francisco Manzano. Juan poetry was an escape to his difficult life as a slave. As slaves they were mistreated, overworked and lived a very unfair life and the only way Juan was able to find some happiness and drift his mind away from his current situation was through poetry as he states in the lines “Poetry cools me, syllables calm me”. You can say that poetry took Juan to his safe space. Juan memorized and read poetry that Dona Beatriz showed him but eventually he had a new master La Marquesa who saw her slaves as nothing more than animals and profit machines, she didn’t like how Juan had the ability to read poetry and she’ll punished him for it which affected Juan and his safe space greatly. “I read the verses of others, the free men and know that I’m never alone”. Poetry allowed Juan to experience what the poets who were free men expressed in their poetry. The poet’s emotions, expression and descriptions brought comfort to Juan and it allowed him to connect with their poetry but also to the poet themselves. Juan felt as if he had a friend comforting him as he read their poetry, he didn’t feel alone in his challenging life as a slave.

   1. I agree with your analysis of the role of poetry in Manzano’s life. For Manzano, poetry is an outlet for his emotions; they transform his pain and his hopes into syllables spoken and later written. In the lines “Poetry cools me…” that Manzano writes it is evident that poetry, as you put it, “took Juan to a safe space” but poetry also allowed Juan to feel rage. Manzano writes, “Poetry sets me aflame / I grow furious / dangerous, a blaze / of soul and heart, a firey tongue / a lantern at midnight” (4). In these lines, Juan is comforted by the lines of other poets, inspired even. The words fill him with a passion that is mixed with the anger of a wingless boy. Poetry is the fiery light in the darkness of his world. It is a common theme throughout Manzano’s writing that poetry allows him to tell two stories at the same time, “one of sorrow / the other hope” (3). Just as Juan knows that the relationship he has with Doña Beatriz is that of owner and slave, he was still attached to her as a child and he grieves over her death, despite believing that her death would free him. The emotions he felt for her were complex and were only able to be expressed through his poetry. Even after Juan’s promised freedom is taken from him and he goes to La Marquesa, his poetry is all that he has to comfort him in the silence and pain of his torment.

   2. Hi Jhon, this section of the reading brings truth to the reality that anything can take you outside reality. I would say the author used Juan to stem away from his own reality and made a amazing piece of work with out. It shows reading and writing to be very influential to reflection. It also stems away from the Latino stereotype of being strong and spicy all the time. Poetry in this section is used as a beacon of hope and safeness during the hard times.

   3. I think you made a great assessment of how significant poetry and words are to Juan Francisco Manzano. As soon as the story starts, we learn that recounting the stories he overhears is his form of escapism and that words to him are one of the only things that allow his mind to be free from the physical control is under. I also really like how you compared it to a “safe space,” because I think that’s really a great way of describing his ongoing relationship with words and the world around him.

      I think another really key thread/motif that is established in this passage at the very beginning is a dichotomy between Juan’s words and the words of the people he recites, or “the free men.” This is illustrated both literally and symbolically throughout the text. Juan begins to craft his “own private alphabet/of make-believe letters/ and words.” But this juxtaposition between Juan’s poetry and the words of other people that he remembers is represented through the imagery and symbolism of the bird. This is a recurring motif, but one example is when Toribio says Juan “…amuses them with his French operas,/ a jumble of sound/ meaningless in my ears.” Toribio goes on to describe this situation as Juan “playing with these toys/ in his cage.” Even though these aren’t Juan’s words, I thought this short refrain really contextualizes Juan’s relationship to poetry that isn’t his: it’s words and toys he plays with in hopes of one day obtaining complete freedom both physically and lyrically.

3. OPTION 2

   When Manzano is speaking aloud it is simply for the entertainment of others. Feeling that need of approval from his other mother he plays along, putting on a show for guests who do not understand his relationship with Dona Beatriz. She truly takes pity upon him, also acknowledging how he is similar to a poodle in appearance, she assumes that he feels like he belongs to her but not in a slave mentality type of way. In reality Manzano sees how these higher positioned people view him and so do his parents. Poems are not a luxury or an escape anymore, rather something he is obliged to do for his master. He does not sound happy about this situation but he likes Dona Beatriz so he plays along anyway. His mother is also in fear that if she leaves her son he will not be properly cared for, she opens her section on page 10 watching her son who is a trained animal for play in her eyes. She believes that he has become too compliant asking herself, “Why doesn’t he just play and pretend to forget like the rest of us do” (11). Being a mother she decides not leaving him to be the best option, she instead waits for Dona Beatriz to inevitably die so her son can be free. When things do not go as planned Juan goes from a slave with special treatment to just another dark skinned person under someone else’s shackles. Now poems are viewed down upon when he is under La Marquesa, she states that it even annoys her when she hears him, this forces Juan to internalize his poetic thoughts and restrict the one thing keeping him sane and helping him escape. Not only is he kept away from his family, he is forever in a state of compliance.

   1. Hey Justin, I love your position on the relationship between Dona and Manzano as well as translating it. You bring me a whole different perspective on the relationship between them as I completely perceived the situation as Dona having a territorial ownership on Manzano but more of a wicked form of love that she had for Manzano. She saw Manzano as a puppy, something you can love as family but something that you would not see as a human being. This would then translate in her treatment of him which was when Manzano when he was not perfection or even moved in a way that did not please Dona. As one does when a dog does not listen. Manzano behaves in a way however in a Stockholm syndrome, as he has somewhat of a seeable liking towards Dona regardless of the slave treatment that he receives from her. In a way trying to make the best of a situation. This completely changes when he is under new owner as he is a very dangerous situation in a way where he had some what of freedom. This new ownership actually saw him as a slave, hating him to every extent. Even making him feel uncomfortable with his poetry something that was used as his serenity. He is not allowed to be happy which was at least an offer that he was allowed to have when he was with Dona.

4. Option one:

   Juan Francisco Manzano was born in Cuba in 1797 as a slave owned by a slave owner who lived in luxury. Even though Manzano lived most of his life as someone’s property, being treated as less than a human being, and living isolated from civilization as a civil citizen; his dynamic with poetry created a form of therapy and a sense of freedom from his reality as a slave. When Juan Francisco Manzano says,” Poetry cools me, syllables calm me”(p.g. 4), this signifies that writing poems has become therapeutic for him, which has helped him overcome the stress caused by the labor his slave owner enforced. In other words, reading poems has become a stress reliever that makes him feel at peace. Because slaves were viewed as property, they were not educated on how to read however, some slaves were educated through self-teaching or were taught by others. A slave having the ability is like a sense of freedom because it is viewed as a way of connecting with society. When Manzano says, “I read the verses of others the free men and know that I’m never alone”(p.g 4). It shows that Manzano is able to find a sense of freedom through the poems of free poets as he has built a connection with them and is able to view himself as someone who is free. Also, the emotions he feels as a person feels mutual in a relatable sense and not so lonely.

   1. I agree that writing poetry has for all intent and purposes helped Juan relieve some stress caused by the labor since writing poetry allows him to express himself in ways that he might not be able to physically show, which is very significant since it shows that he knows the safe place for expressing his true self. Also, since slaves did not have the education to know how to read or write, being able to write poetry allows for Juan to be somewhat free as he has an ability that most slaves unfortunately do not really have. I also would like to add on that since Juan knows that since others poets exist, he knows that he can feel connected to society instead of having a routine life of working., which signifies the importance of poetry more since it shows that he is more than just a slave. Also, the lines “Poetry cools me, syllables calm me” shows that after a hard day of free labor, he always has one thing to look forward to: his calming poetry. So overall, I agree with this statement as these lines show a connection between being free and enslaved in every major way.

   2. I agree with your statement about Manzano finding a sense of freedom through the poems of free poets. Despite not being free in a literal sense he still views himself as someone who is free through poetry. Although he wasn’t granted the chance of receiving a proper education, Juan is still able to find comfort and hope through poetry and literature. A lack of education doesn’t stop him from his creativity, it’s his source of freedom. We see this on page 42 when he is locked up and denied food, warmth, and water Juan finds solace through one of the voices inside his head “this silence except for my voice trapped inside my head whispering verses, rhymes, curses, songs..” He ends this same verse by saying “meaningless words” which suggests to me that despite him finding a sense of freedom through poetry and literature it’s all meaningless as what gives him freedom also keeps him from the actual freedom he desires. It’s what kept him enslaved to Doña Beatriz de Jústiz and it’s what kept him from experiencing freedom along with his family. Even during his stay at La Marquesa, poetry and literature are things that get him in trouble. Manzano seems to grow a love/hate relationship with it.

5. The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano, a book by Margarita Engle, follows Juan Francisco Manzano’s life as a slave to a wealthy slave owner in Cuba. Juan spent his early childhood years with Doña Beatriz de Jústiz, la Marquesa, who made Juan call her Mama. Juan used poetry as an escape from the mistreatment and labor he had to endure, which is illustrated in the line “Poetry cools me, syllables calm me.” Juan is forced to recite poetry, so he remembers every syllable and word, which tells him stories of sorrow and hope. Juan loved poetry because of the words in his “feathery mind,” his dreams of becoming free. “I read the verses of others/ the free men/ and know/ that I’m never alone” signifies Juan’s connection to the free men, the poets, because of how they expressed their emotions through poetry, allowing himself to feel as though he was not alone in his struggles. This relates to Juan’s relationship to his mother and father because Juan envies their freedom and sees himself as a “little bird left behind in this haunted nest.” Juan uses the imagery of birds to represent his life because the bird-mother is “caged but winged,” thus Juan is left to dream “with [his] feathers/ [his] wings.”

   1. I agree that Juan used poetry as a form of escapism to temporarily distract himself from his harsh reality. I also how Juan mentioned birds a lot and that seems very significant or an important metaphor throughout the book. This book is honestly so beautiful because of not only the way that it is written like a poem, but also it encaptures the sadness with words and pictures. I felt myself feeling sad and reading with tears in my eyes. It is so messed up how Juan’s parents got to be free, but their son was still “caged but winged.” He should have gone with his parents but Doña Beatriz treated him as entertainment for her peers. Why would she do that if she knew she didn’t like the color of his skin and he was just a child? A child who didn’t belong to her. I was hoping he was going to be free when Doña Beatriz died, but that evil woman, La Marquesa, took him. Why would she want him if she claims he is small and annoying? It’s so terrible how Juan can’t even read or recite poems or else she would put him in the cellar without a blanket, food, and floorboards. Not only that but he would receive whippings too. It seems like his form of escapism is going to be more difficult now.

6. Juan Francisco Manzano’s poetic activity initially is very much reflective of being a child and thus is very when he is writing. He is very intelligent as a child and is self-aware of the things that are going on around him. Juan knows that his mother is a slave and that he is also a slave to Dona Beatriz. Juan refers himself to as a pet since he does not know the logistics entirely of what is going on but adheres to this lady despite her not being his actual mother. He is aware that he cannot read or write just yet but is also able to recite “rhymes of sonnets and ballads” (18) which is why when he does so in front of the owner’s friends as a trick to impress them. As someone who is reading this one can see that there is more to him than just reciting words and that he is being used for entertainment purposes to an extent this can be seen as exploitative, placed in a child’s perspective he is enjoying himself and enjoys when people are cheering for him as he does not know better. As Juan changes from one owner to the next one can see that this owner does show the same care for him and think of him as a nuisance to the living estate. The new owner La Marquesa de Prado Ameno is this lady who does not seem mentally stable and questions what Juan does. From Juan’s perspective, he has now matured and has had the opportunity to learn from “secret tutoring”(43). Prada Ameno locks Juan down in the cellar and leaves him without food or water. While down in the cellar his thoughts like the room become much darker and he questions if the voices in his head are his as he refers to his voice as “dreadfully shrieking” and states that the words in his mind are “meaningless”(49). This change in poetic activity is due to the change of owner and corresponds to how each one treated him.

7. OPTION ONE

   It is more than obvious that Poetry was an escape for Manzano. When being enslaved there isn’t a physical freedom, he couldn’t roam free and do as he pleases. I mean in theory he could, but that would mean there would be negative repercussions he would face. During slavery those who “rebelled” against the rule of the Spaniards would be punished, facing emotional or physical abuse. In fact just as seen with Juan while living under La Marquesa de Prado Ameno, when he decided to act on free will and read, he was punished by being starved in a dark locked cellar. Even then to Manzano it is clear through his words for Juan that poetry serves as an escape from the unfortunate, heartbreaking and infuriating realities of being deprived of one of the best parts of being human, being able to do as you please. Although we all have constrained freedoms today, enslaved people faced worse repercussions for the most basic aspects of the human experience (at least in the first world) such as simply being literate. The lines also mean to me that there is some sort of comfort in reading something you relate to. The free men at some point were also constrained, at least most were. As Juan reads he sees hope of him too one day being able to be able to write his own story, just like those free men were able to overcome the same circumstances. It is a glimpse of hope. Literature allows him to hope for a better reality, no matter what he is actually living. If they could escape, so could he.

   1. Correction: “ Even then to Manzano it is clear through his words for Juan that poetry serves as an escape from the unfortunate, heartbreaking and infuriating realities of being deprived of one of the best parts of being human, being able to do as you please. ” The book is written by Margarita, and is a Biography NOT an autobiography. Therefore it is Margarita writing as Juan, and obviously Juan is Juan Francisco Manzano

   2. Hi Isabela! I agree, I believe that Manzano used poetry to escape from the sad reality of what being a slave was. While reading the idea that Juan needs something to escape from the abuse that slaves often went through is seen. Like you said the idea of not having any freedom is the worst kind of torture anyone could go through, and it was what slaves were suffering through for hundreds of years. For Juan having the opportunity to escape from his reality is in a sense something that prevented him from going mad, as with those awful living conditions I can imagine many slaves were driven to madness.

8. I agree with what you said about poetry offering Juan a sense of freedom, especially since it was one of the few things he could freely partake in. on pg.3 Juan states, “telling two stories at the same time, one of sorrow, the other of hope”. In this instance, the narrator conveys that while Juan’s story is one of sorrow, he has something in his life that fills him with hope and that something is poetry. Juan is in a very powerless situation and there is very little he can do about it, but the knowledge that he carries inside allows him to take back some of that power his enslavers have stripped away. Furthermore, wings are a recurring theme throughout the beginning of the story, and it appears that they symbolize freedom for the enslaved characters we are following. Juan, unlike the rest of his family, is not granted wings by his owner, Dona Beatriz, but this fact does not kill his hope. Through his poetry, he is able to craft himself beautiful fictional wings, ones that might not be able to free his physical form, but that allow his mind to fly high and escape the constraints of his enslavement.

   1. P.S : This is in response to Bryan Cava’s comment

9. OPTION ONE

   Going from these lines about Poetry, it is very clear to me that for Juan Francisco Manzano, poetry was not an only an escape from the grim reality of his life as an enslaved person, but also a form of literal liberation. One of the many ways enslaved individuals were deprived of freedom and liberties that were otherwise granted to white men was a lack of education and literacy. It was preferred by enslavers that enslaved people did not have any proper education or were illiterate; literacy was a threat to the institution of slavery and investment in it; provide access to information and education could give space for incitement/rebellion amongst enslaved peoples. This was clearly demonstrated in La Marquesa de Prado Ameno, who punishes Juan for his ability to read and write by starving him in a dark cellar, as a direct opposition to Doña Beatriz.
   In a figurative sense, poetry is an escape world for Juan, using words as his weapons of rebellion, cooling him from the hell he lives, providing him with the power of his figurative liberation. Literature and the ability to read and write provides him with the tools to publicize/access education on the realities of the institution of slavery. Frederick Douglass was able to give the American public a first-hand account on the realities of life as an enslaved person, furthering the abolitionist movement, all through the written word. Access to the world of literacy gives Juan literal and figurative freedom.

10. Option 1-
    Juan makes it very clear from the beginning of the book that poetry is very important to him. As a slave, having an education, or own thoughts and opinions are very frowned upon. Juan sees poetry as his escape from the burden imposed on him as a slave. He knows that he will not be given the freedom that his mother has, but his poetry is still positive and a breath of fresh air in his horrible circumstances . Juan states “Even though I am not free there are things that I love in this world, this mansion, palace, this strange home where I live….” He does what many in his place do not, he explores what is around him. Instead of dwelling on the negatives he uses poetry as an outlet, and describes his life through his words. Poetry also makes him feel connected to others. As a slave, he feels as if his struggles are only his and are not shared with others. When he memorized the poetry of those who became free, he saw there is hope that someday he will also be like them. His literature gives insight on not only his life but his thoughts surrounding his slavery, which give everyone a better understanding from his own perspective.

    1. I agree with the statement that Juan sees poetry as a form of escapism and he relies on it for comfort from the life he is currently living. Although Juan understands that he is treated better than other slaves, he is also made aware of how he is being used as a token of wealth. When his owner Dona Beatriz shows Juan’s unique talents and abilities, he does not feel like her child but more like a “poodle”. She even goes as far as to give him additional resources to help expand his knowledge, and with his ability to remember this information he creates a world. This world consists of having wings and cages, as a way to express his lack of freedom. This concept is exacerbated when Dona Beatriz grants his parents liberty but not him, “Imagine showing mercy so far ahead of time what a grand act of compassion !” It is also important to point out that many slave owners did not believe that slaves could learn to read or write nor do they want them to have that. However, because Juan only remembered and recited he is looked at with amusement and amazement. Juan’s mother expresses “Why doesn’t he just play and pretend to forget like the rest of us do when we’re watched?” While Juan is owned differently, the bond that is forced between him and his owner still makes him feel confined and trapped.

11. The book “The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano” by Margarita Engle gives various points of views of people in the life of Juan. Juan was brought in as a slave as a little kid and was taken away from his biological mother. He was forced to call his slave owner, Doña Beatriz de Jústiz, La Marquesa, Mama. While being enslaved with Doña Beatriz he learned to recite poetry and was very aware of the things he’ll see when he would go out with his slave owner. Juan writes, “Here in the house I live in / imagine, listen, look and see / breathe in the fragrance of blossoms / and fruit trees” (30). While living in Doña Beatriz house or mansion as he later on describes it like that you notice that although he is enslaved he finds a sense of comfort in his poetry and a sense of freedom. Whereas when Doña Beatriz dies he thinks he will now be able to be free but that is not the case. He is now with another slave owner, La Marquesa de Prado Ameno who is the total opposite of his previous slave owner. Juan writes, “This is the cellar, / imagine the fear / no floorboards, no blanket, no food / even though it’s only for one day and one night” (42). You notice a change in his poetry. He goes from living in a mansion to now being locked up in a cellar with nothing but a voice trapped in his head “whispering verses, rhymes, curses, songs, prayers / strange, meaningless words” (42). He always turns to poetry as it is a way of comfort in the current situation he is in.

12. Option 3:

    Juan’s voice and tone changes when his enslaver changes, literally and metaphorically. When it comes to speaking for Juan, under the enslavement of Doña Beatriz he is made to be a parrot, singing and memorizing poems, songs, stories, as he puts it he is basically a puppet. It is obvious to the audience that while he sings as a bird, he wishes he were free like one, but he feels trapped. This feeling of being trapped doesn’t change as La Marquesa becomes his “owner,” but what does change is that his writing voice becomes more solemn and grim than the beginning of the book. He had this hope of being free once Doña Beatriz died, but this dream was taken away from him. The audience can see that while he is made to be a puppet for Dona Beatriz he has a tone of contempt under his words, each of his stanzas filled with hidden rage except as La Marquesa becomes his “owner” his tone is no longer filled with rage, but with emptiness and grief. It feels like he’s almost given up on his hope of being free and with his family, specifically his mother.

    1. I also noticed the change in Juan once after being enslaved by La Marquesa. He obviously was not living in good conditions with his previous enslaver, but he had his mother and the hope that he might one day be free. However as time went on and his conditions worsened, it’s almost like he loses the energy to be angry like he was before. It’s as if he starts to accept that his life will not change, and he feels defeated and loses hope that he will ever be free or be with his mother again. He still uses poetry as his only means of expression and releasing his emotions, but he does not seem to have the same will that he had before to persevere.

13. Option 1:
    In the beginning of the poem, we’re able to analyze and understand the passion and unity that the young boy has with poetry. Enslaved at a young age, Juan has been owned my numerous enslavers, while at the same time trying to find his true self; Juan struggled throughout the poem with self identity. However, throughout the course of the first forty three pages we see how Juan is the the key to his families freedom, however, the sacrifice is him being enslaved and away from his “mother”. In the opening of the poem, Juan voices, “Poetry cools me, syllables calm me” this actively demonstrates one of the most important aspects of his life, in other words his outlet to disconnect from his situation during the course of his early life. Juan also mentions, “I read the verses of others the free men
    ,and know that I’m never alone”. Juan compares himself to other “free men” actively throughout the poem, I feel that Juan may feel some sort of loneliness, and also losing his sense of belonging. However, I also believe that Juan has hope that he will be a “free man” one day.

14. (3)Juan and his mother describe what being enslaved was like through poetry. The author provides us with two very different experiences: of child and mother. At some points, while living under Beatriz, Juan sometimes finds joy in little ways. For example, he would wander around the mansion they lived in, and began to write his own poems and songs. She saw him as a trophy, compared him to owning a pet, and would parade him around for the entertainment of her and her guests. His mother would think to herself “Why isn’t he frightened, /so young, so observant?/Why does he just play and forget like the rest of us do/ when we’re watched?”(Engle pg 11). Maria Del Pilar sparked a change in his tone. Of course he is not actually speaking, but his word choice in describing that experience is drastically more morose, as if a main point of tragedy in the story. Her impression of Juan is that he is almost too free for her. He attempts to grow his literacy and curiosity, which she tortures him for by locking him in a dark and dirty room for entire days without any means to stay alive. He truly feels as if he is in a prison now, which is not entirely different from his previous experience. Although he was put on a sort of pedestal by his previous owner, he was still seen as less than human, something to be owned and used.

    1. La Marquesa De Prado Ameno sparked a change in his tone.***

15. From Jordan Khani:
    We can see throughout the poem that he was struggling to identify himself and that being a slave has directly affected that vision of himself. These lines that are mentioned in the poem show that there is meaning behind words that are being used and when he says “the freemen and know that I’m never alone” relates to him being a slave during that time. He never felt a sense of freedom because as a slave someone owns you and you are not your own person. Having a sense of belonging as a slave is something that I feel like isn’t a good thing because how could you feel comfortable knowing that you have to things without pay. He endures a life that isn’t ideal but has high hopes that his future is bright and that his situation right now is only temporary.

16. Option1
    Poetry is very significant in Juan’s life because he uses writing to express his feelings. Juan is trying to make the best out of his situation and the only way to do so is through poetry. Juan is finding himself with poetry and it’s also a safe space for him especially with his circumstances. Juan is going through a difficult time and his way of escape is by using his ability to write. Juan is trying his best to project his feelings because he doesn’t have anyone to share these feelings with. I respect Juan because he’s trying his best to look ahead even with what he is going through by being enslaved especially as a child. Juan could completely lose himself but instead he’s dedicating his time to something he loves. I could understand Juan by trying to focus on his writing because when I’m not at my best, I turn to writing as well. I feel like writing is a good and healthy way of expressing yourself and any situation you’re going through. Juan is using his writing to remind himself that he will be free one day, he’s using his writing as manifestation. I believe that you can manifest with the words you put out. Not only on paper but physically too.

Comments are closed.