Week II: Casa y Recuerdo

Manuel Álvarez Bravo

Week II: Casa y Recuerdo

Muy bonita la clase de ayer...un grupo con animo. Les agradezco. If we stay this large, everyone has to stay with it and keep the energy--pero eso no me parece problema!


Reading: This week we'll start Octavio Paz-- His first chaper, El pachuco y otros extremos. You can read in Spanish or in English. Write down three good questions--and maybe the beginnings of an answer--based on the reading. Think about them--bring them--for discussion in class next week. And post on your blog. (Label each week's post as I do so that we can follow and stay together--ie, Casa y Recuerdo--although what you post will be entirely your own.) I'll want you to come up with these questions from the reading each week--para la conversación que vamos a mantener... Also, bring your Don Octavio to class.

Para ellos que sean músicos--que lean bien (toma dos semanas) Yolanda Moreno Rivas, capítulo primero (La música en tiempos de don Porfirio), especialmente "el mestizaje sonoro." Use youtube para hacer investigaciones de las fuentes de la música (muchas veces se puede colocar a las canciones que menciona YMR en YouTube). Her first chapter will clarify many things about the origins of la musica popular mexicana a los inicios del siglo XIX...

For those with other interests, have a second book on your radar. (I want all of you to concentrate first on Octavio Paz.) Bonfil Batalla's México Profundo would be very good, for an understanding Mexico's indigenous cultures.  And Gloria Anzaldúa or Gregory Rodríguez for views on the Mexican-American experience... (Or Richard Rodriguez for an articulate and one-of-a-kind point of view...). We'll discuss these choices in class. See bibliography. Gloria Anzaldúa has been very meaningful for many kids who've done this class...especialmente para las mujeres...

And take a look at the Steve Lopez LA Times article I posted as a supplement in Week I (Don Heriberto). It's short, and an insightful description of a real experience--tiene mucho que ver con la clase...

Project:  Casa y recuerdo.  If Tierra y corazon took us to a landscape, this week we enter inside... In all senses... I'll show you some videos that apply, when we gather next week. (We ran out of time last night.) Ensimismarse es la palabra que usaba el poeta chileno Pablo Neruda...

Música. Make sure you listening to Chavela, and consider the lyrics (this is a gradual process!). And of course, el cancionero, which includes other songs, too. I'll give out more in class as we go along ... Listening to the cancionero download is important--that's how you need to absorb the songs...ensimismarse... La letra es cosa esencial. Hay que pensar en cada canción así--que nos dice? literalmente? y en términos metafóricos? El poema Madrugada de Lorca--los saltos de la imagínacion...

And be sure to bring your song folder to class eaxch week...

Cuadernos electrónicos. (OK, blogs.) Post your work (photo image of your project) with short written piece each week. I suggested 100 words or so. I don't want to burden you with too much writing--and the point here is to find evocative ways of using words--written language--in parallel with the visal. Los dos andan juntos... Also see my comment above, under Reading--three questions from don Octavio--and the beginnings of an answer... If you have questions about how to photograph, ask in class next week.

Auto-retrato. After last night's discussions, and the new folks--I think it would be good if your first post is a self-description--an edited version of what you sent me to join the course...

For the WRITERS in the group.  You'll need post your work, project by project, labelled accordingly, on your blog. We'll discuss in class how to alert everyone else in the group. You'll need to do this by Wednesday noon so that the class has time to read your post for the following evening, with comments and questions.When I have full email list, I will share with you.
It's also fine if everyone takes a shot at doing visual work each week. But let's see how this develops...
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And from last night's  class--unas canciones bonitas! Cantamos más...!