Author: nguye16224@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg

Explain an idea that Vargas Llosa seems to be exploring and show how the two quotes you’ve chosen relate to this. You can use OTHER examples or ideas, too, if you like (250 – 300 words).

• reality and the imagination are in conflict / in a state of tension
• art sanctifies life
• life is better than art

In Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, Mario Vargas Llosa maintains variation in his book by alternating between narration from the first person, coming from his character’s point of view, to serials created by Pedro Camacho. There seems to be an underlying, recurring idea of reality and imagination constantly being in a state of tension. For example, when Mario has the pleasure of attending a recording session of one of Camacho’s serials in person, he finds the process quite different from what he imagined. The Bolivian scriptwriter delivered a ‘moving’ monologue where “naturally it was the words ‘art’ and ‘artistic’ that was repeated the most frequently… like some sort of magic formula that revealed and explained everything”. This quote continues, mentioning Mario’s surprise at the effect Camacho’s words had on the actors. This shows the two sides that imagination and art hide behind, where we question its authenticity but also the beauty of reality ad whether the sacrifice of authenticity is worth it. This might also relate to the sound effects man who was creating a cacophony of sound, yet managed to produce something that would be overlooked in real life all the time, yet managed to gain an appreciation and a sense of realism despite all the labour that went into the production.

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Explain the stylistic features that indicate the author’s intentions (audience, purpose, context, etc).

These videos that were released by Nike which featured Kobe Bryant and other famous people such as Aziz Ansari and Kanye had a very interesting way of approaching the consumers when selling these shoes. Initially, the first time I watched these videos I thought they were just trying to sell the set of ‘shoes’ that Kobe was referring to, but when we were talking about it as a class, it transformed into an underlying allure for Nike in general. The ads feature famous people who play to their own strengths in characteristics, for example with Aziz Ansari, he was actually quite rude, which caused a bit of resentment towards him, despite the fact that they were all being bullied by Kobe. With each level, a new famous figure was featured and they generally became more likeable. As a class, we analysed why, all of sudden, did we (the audience) feel more sympathy towards these people that we’ve never met instead of resentment. Some of the ideas that bounced around were that the fact that Kobe was bullying them and they were generally more submissive, shown by the occasional dipping of the head when they were told that they weren’t “a system” or “hadn’t achieved success”. This aroused sympathy in the audience and from then, we related and were subconsciously involved with them as underdogs.

If we focus on the style of the advert and what kind of scene it’s taking place in, people may recognize that it looks vaguely like a Ted talk. When it comes to Ted talks, people generally would associate them with success, inspirational origin stories, basically a respectful environment for people to learn something new or enrichen their thinking. What’s interesting is that Nike chose to associate this type of feeling, while simultaneously involving elements of comedy portrayed by the famous figures and a pop culture sense of humour.

Recently in class, we completed our first practice IO where we had to compare two texts studied in class: a non-literary piece and a literary piece. I chose to compare “The Help” and a photograph taken by Gordon Parks to discuss the refined global issue stating that “Education is vital for the upbringing of children and plays a major role in shaping their beliefs and values – not just in schools but education from adult figures in their lives.”

Of course in the moment of doing the IO, there were a few things that I wish I said but didn’t. That brings me to this list of things that I wish I said and wish I’d done.

• When I first introduced The Help, I jumped straight into how Miss Leefolt was setting a bad example for her daughter as she called Aibileen’s toilet “dirty” and “diseased”. However, if we take a step back, due to Mae Mobley’s age, she would now equate going to the toilet with getting scolded and spanked, which something you wouldn’t want for your child. Perhaps the point can be made about how prejudice held by most white women in this book (and time) affected how they “raised” their children by putting those harsh, preconceived beliefs stemming from society INFRONT of basic parenting.
• I started rambling a bit about what the woman in the photograph could be looking at. I should’ve just started with “the woman is looking outside through the window, perhaps signifying several things such as…”
• I should really work on being more concise because although I feel like I came prepared, it sounded like I was thinking of things on the spot and I was just having a conversation (with myself…) Maybe that’s a good thing, but it probably should’ve sounded like it had more structure and a more obvious line of thought instead of jumping from one thing to another.
• stop saying like. seriously.
• At the end when I was saying that The Help was more fictional and the photograph was more realistic, I could’ve elaborated and said that The Help was just “wishful thinking” while the photograph represented reality and, unfortunately, kind of present-day as not that much has changed. Only evolved.
• Abhu was a little sneaky because he stole my question but I did believe that people would’ve found the photograph as powerful as I found it, due to the obvious pain etched in her face. Even with a basic understanding of human nature and body language, people would have been able to pick up on the sombre mood.

In class, we’ve just finished scene four and so far I have a rough idea on who the characters are. Angel Cruz is a newly incarcerated Puerto-Rican inmate who’s in for shooting reverend Kim in the ass. He had an encounter with a lawyer, Mary Jane, who shortly became unobligated to help him as he had confessed. Mary Jane had an interesting monologue afterwards in scene 4 where she talked about how she ‘felt something’ when Angel said that he had “just shot him in the ass” and related it to her own experience with her father stabbing someone with a dessert fork for a racist comment.

Another story that’s being told is Lucius Jenkins who has been put in protective custody and seems to be taking it quite easily, however his assigned officer has just been led away and appears to be not returning. In his place, another officer, Valdez, immediately establishes his stance and where he is relative to Lucius.

I’m very curious to see how this play will pan out, and what role the profanity might serve.

It’s quite subjective. If we think about it as a theoretical question such as “should a white man be able to write a story from the point of view of a black woman”, it feels like the majority of people would say no. Mainly because it could be inappropriate as this man doesn’t really have any experience of being a black woman. HOWEVER in a fictional book where we’re witnessing this, to me personally, it feels like it’s alright. I wouldn’t mind if someone would write from the perspective of other people. To be honest I kind of enjoy and I think that that’s the whole point of a book?

It also depends on the intent of the author and the reader. If the reader is looking for something truthful and factual, maybe it’s better to go the book whose author is a pro at that. It works the other way too. Authors can write for purely fictional reasons and have fun with creating characters (however stressful and brain racking it might be).

It depends. But I’d say it’s really okay for anyone to write about anything. It’s up to the readers whether they take it as the truth or not.