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Reflections on a Year of Reading Brazilian Literature

Books:

“Hippie” By Paulo Caello

“The Witch of Portobello” By Paulo Caello

Word Count: 517

Brazil. When the word is said, many different things come to mind. Things such as vibrant colors, festivals after festivals, dirty or even a corrupt environment, and even more words to describe it. Brazil has a very strict learning system when it comes to education down there. A whopping three to four tests a week. Sometimes you would have to have classes outdoors over there counting in what state you're in. Then we have the different kinds of resources we need to get used to. But the main thing that’s mainly served there is bbq. Then we got what Brazil is known for many Americans: the favela. Basically a very dangerous neighborhood that has been known for its most dangerous acts of crimes and where the peak of corrupt government began. Although I will agree that Brazil has its ups and downs, these two stories that I have read give an excellent showing of Brazilian culture from the characters to the environment these characters find themselves in. They give powerful meaning to subjects like love and life, just like Brazil when you take a good glance at it.

Hippie By Paolo Caello was about Paulo himself actually, a true life story full of Paulos experience all around the world as he adventures who he is and what he truly wants with his girlfriend who traveled all around the world with him. This book has taught me that true love will be there with you until the end. When Paolo talks about his exes progressing about everything he loved about his recent women was a roller coaster. It made me jealous at times but I could actually picture these scenes perfectly in my head as I was reading the book.

The Witch of Portobello is actually by the same author, Paolo Caello. This book was a bit more confusing but it was about a woman born in Transylvania to a Romani mother in a gypsy tribe without wedlock. The main character was abandoned by her birth mother because the father was a foreigner and later adopted by a wealthy Lebanese couple.

My Favorite book was most definitely Hippie by Paolo Caello. The story progressively got more interesting over time and the story of love between the main girl and the main guy became heartwarming, with a pretty big plot twist near the end.

What I learned about myself while reading is that these books give a different “view” when actually reading from a hard book copy instead of reading it from the phone, computer or whatever it could be. It was an interesting ride and keeping up with the blogs was a little challenging, but overall, it was pretty fun. I had a lot more books on my list to read but the books I was reading were long enough to the point. I did also read this how to be a millionaire book that seemed interesting, but not going to lie, it was fairly boring.

[guicas04]

“Two months later, when I was just about to have lunch, a colleague at work phoned me. The body of Sherine Khalil, the Witch of Portobello, had been found in Hampstead. She had been brutally murdered.” Page 261 of “The Witch of Portobello” The End

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"Love is not a habit, a commitment, or a debt. It isn't what romantic songs tell us it is, - love simply is. That is the testament of Athena or Sherine or Hagia Sofia - love is. No definitions. Love and don't ask too many questions. Just love.” Page 255 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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"Forget all about that. You can read all the books you want, do all the exercise you want, punish yourself as much as you want, but you will still have only two choices- either stop living or get fat.” Page 247 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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“And the crowd agreed, but that wouldn’t last long, because We were living in an age in which slavery was the only path to happiness. Free will demands immense responsibility; it's hard work, it brings with it anguish and suffering. I need you to write something about me.” Page 243 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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Week 16

“The Witch of Portobello”

Pages: 210-239

Word Count: 374

Summary: We are going to skip a few pages ahead and talk about the short story Heron Ryan, a journalist. He talks about a report he got about a plane from Ukraine, what a coincidence. Horrified by what he was reading in the article, showing pictures of broken windows, a furious Reverend Buck, a beautiful woman and her son laying in her arms, appeared dead. He saw both good, and bad in those photos. After all of that, he went to the airport of Portobello, where there was a meeting on Monday, which was one of the most successful events in the area’s history. In the same event, Athena made a speech for them talking about the generic “we have a duty speech.” So after a while, the article that Heron posted was doing good, until the bad side of his prediction was coming in at full force. Employing services were basing the case on the published statements made by Athena, causing them to get sued for defamation, calumny, and moral damages.

Critical Thinking: The quote that caught my interest the most in the following week was “Nothing in the world was more important than my daughter's happiness, even though I'd never understood why she always had to choose the most difficult and painful of paths.” On page 239. This quote caught my attention because it’s something most parents struggle with today. Doing what’s right for their kids but their kids not are not doing a thing for themselves. Choosing the paths that will lead them down a path of pain and regret. In a way though, everyone has their side of the story, and their beliefs and ideals in life, which causes others to become the enemies of those stories when everyone believes they’re the hero in their story.

Personal Response: Wasn’t able to read too much but some more short stories about different characters. This one was interesting because the unfortunate event of the woman and her son being published like that for the public was definitely going to stir some controversy, one way or another. Overall good week for the story, as a we are closing towards the end of it.

[guicas04]

“Nothing in the world was more important than my daughter's happiness, even though Id never understood why she always had to choose the most difficult and painful of paths.” Page 239 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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“This brought me closer to nature, to the oral tradition, and no plants. Back in Britain, I decided to talk to other doctors and I asked them: "Do you always know exactly which medicines to prescribe or are you sometimes guided by intuition?" Page 221 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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“I was in despair. What kind of world was this? One night, I set off into the icy forest, cursing God, who was unfair to everything and everyone.” Page 214 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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Week 14

“The Witch of Portobello”

Pages: 160-209

Word Count: 372

Summary: We continue on with Andrea McCain, an actress. At the start of her character, she starts to blame herself for something quite a lot. Complaining about some god that hasn’t been teaching them anything while Athena, one of the many characters, trying to calm her down. They seemed to be doing an activity a little after her “freak out”, the activity was to lay down on the floor with their eyes closed and Athena would say a few words and their jobs were to immediately associate things with the words given. The first word was “sacred”. Most people opened their arms to make a cross, others put their arms in as if they were embracing something. The next word was “earth”. Andrea didn’t move, representing soil. The third word was “center”, and this put Andrea in a very vulnerable position, she felt as if her stomach was open and if someone just as touched it, she could die. So she puts her arms in to cover her stomach and Athena replies with “correct”.

Critical Thinking: A quote that caught my interest pretty much immediately while reading was “I am seeing a stranger, a woman I would like to have by my side, then I realize that she is by my side and is in no way a stranger to me.” On page 208. This quote is my favorite because I know exactly what this feels like. Imagine you meet someone and for some reason you want to hang out with them a lot. Next thing you know, you hang out with them so much that you basically can’t say that they’re a stranger anymore. It can heal but then again it can hurt, be careful of what you wish for because things can happen even if you haven’t thought of it ever happening.

Personal Response: In conclusion of this current week, the book is overall pretty good. I feel as if as the book goes on, new characters show up and tell their side of the story on how they met Athena and how they affected their lives. The main character is there sometimes to but Athena is basically the talk about the book.

[guicas04]

“I am seeing a stranger, a woman I would like to have by my side, then I realize that she is by my side and is in no way a stranger to me.” Page 208 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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“It was morning, and I'd slept for ten hours. Beside me was a note, in which Andrea said that she hadn't wanted to wake me, that she'd gone straight to the theater, but had left me some coffee. The note was a roman-tic one, decorated in lipstick and a small cutout heart.” Page 191 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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“One of the most aggressive things a human being can do is to go against what he or she believes is nice or pretty; and that's what we're going to do today.” Page 186 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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"I feel miserable and guilty because God blessed me with tragedies that I've managed to overcome and with miracles to which I've done credit, but I'm never content. I always want more. The last thing I needed was to go to that theater and add a failure to my list of victories!" Page 175 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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"Athena's a difficult person to get to know." Andrea laughed. "That's precisely why men must find her so fascinating. She awakens that rapidly disappearing protective instinct of yours” Page 166 from “The Witch of Portobello”

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Week 13

“The Witch of Portobello”

Pages: 101-159

Word Count: 349

Summary: We find ourselves talking about the Divine Light, the greatest reality a human being can experience in a tradition that contact cannot be made alone, because they suffered for centuries of persecution and this has taught their people numerous things. After talking more in debt about the light, we move on to Vosho “Bushalo”, a restaurant owner at the age of 65. It starts off with the narrator talking down on the Europeans, mocking them and their intelligence, that they think they are above everyone else and deserve the most. Vosho was born before the Nazis swept through Europe, who saw their father march off to concentration camp in Poland. They then go on about how they feel offended when a young lady comes into their culture and claims to be there ever since and claims that they’ve been part of the race too, so it would be normal to be on your guard if someone claims such things out of nowhere. The same woman then tries her best to get comfortable with Vosho and buys them alcohol. Apparently she knew the mother and everything about her, which threw everyone off.

Critical Thinking: The quote that I found most interesting was “Don’t try to convince anyone of anything. When you don’t know something, ask or go away and find out.” On page 149. I find it interesting because people tend to judge really quickly. Thinking that they understand everything when they don’t, so the other person tells them to either ask for help to search for the answer, or find the answer out themselves.

Personal Response: Personally speaking, I have yet to understand what this book is or what is even happening. My guess is that we switch through characters and their perspective of this “Divine Light”? Or somewhere along the lines of Athena and what she represented to each of the characters. But I’ll be 100% honest with you, I have absolutely no clue still, and its been 150 pages.

[guicas04]

"And what greater merit shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, may the charity, of receiving? You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” Page 159 from “The Witch of Portobello”