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Reflection on a year of reading Salvadoran Literature
One Day of Life by Manlio Argueta
The Dream of My Return by Horacion Castellano Moya
Ashes of Izalco by Claribel Alegria & D.J. flakoll
The Big Cave by Elvis Valle
Assassination of a Saint by Matt Eisenbrandt
A History of Violence by Oscar Martinez
The books I read show El Salvador to be a place filled with death, there were some books that show how the poor people live in oppression, they can’t speak their minds or they are killed, it doesn't matter if you were a women or a child. The books showed how people in power would abuse their power. The books that I read this year share a common theme of death, violence, and oppression. Most of the books take place during the civil war, and during the war there were so many people that died, and in every other book with the exception of one they talk about all the dead, disfigured and amputated bodies that were found every day in the streets. The literate that i’ve read all center around El Salvador being a bad place, a place where peace does not exist. It doesn't exist because of the people that hold all the power and because of all the gangs that kill just to kill. Most of the books are real life events, stories from women that faced violence from soldiers, ex-gang members who betrayed their gang, women and kids who have been violated while coming to the U.S.
There's a lot that i’ve learned about the life from El Salvador. The book “One Day of Life” allowed me to learn that women in El Salvador face so many hardships especially when it comes to caring and feeding their children. This showed me the struggle that my grandma had when she was raising her kids and why my mother come to this country to make sure me and my sisters had a good life. The book “ The Dream of My Return” showed me that kids don't always have a choice when parents move them from their homeland. The author of the book was forced to leave El Salvador because of the civil war and now because of so many things in his life he isn't able to return. The book “ The Big Cave” is about a boy who tries to immigrate to the U.S because a military sergeant threatens to kill him, this allows me to learn that there are occasions when people have to immigrate even if they don't want to. The book “Ashes of Izalco” is about a diary that carmen found this book just showed me that sometimes you don't really know a person like you think you do. The book “assassination of a Saint” is about the Archbishop Romero who was assassinated because he was helping and encouraging the poor to rise up. What I learned from this book is that people in power are even willing to kill someone who speaks for God for the simple reason that he is helping the poor and trying to give them a voice. The last book “ A History of Violence” was the most intriguing book. This book showed me that evil has no limit, the gang members rape and kill for the mere fun of it. Gang members kill for no apparent reason, and innocent person could simply be walking down the street and the gang members will kill him.
Honestly i’ve learned that i don't really know about the history of El salvador. I thought i knew part of its history but all i knew was about what i lived while in El Salvador. I was young and i never experienced anything along violence or being hungry. By reading i’ve learned that i can gain a better understanding of life in El Salvador Through the reading of this year i’ve learned more about my country; that the Salvadoran people have lived in oppression since the very beginning, that trying to have your voice heard leads to your death, and that people who try to escape all the pain, the violence, the hunger dont always make it, and the journey of leaving isn't an easy one. By reading these books i’ve learned that i am interested in fictional books, and that they are not born but rather being able to read about someone thats faced just awful things and tries to become better is intriguing an amazing.
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Week 20 Blog
A history of Violence
S\Oscar Martinez
pg; 105-135
word count; 439Summary
Ticas continuous to dig into the well. He is still trying to find all the bodies that were tossed there by gang members. Abeja is a gang member that was captured by the police and retained in Agua Caliente this city really didn't have a police station, it was more so a small building without even cell. Abeja the delinquent was kept in the boiler room. Oscar goes down to Agua Caliente to find out how Abeja escaped. It as said that he broke the bars of the cell and escaped but there was no cell nonetheless bars.
El Nino is an Ex-gang member that putted many other gang members, he is under the government help he is supposed to receive a box of food every week, but he rarely receives it. To him it’s frustrating because he as a wife and a daughter that he must take care of but he can't get a job.
Critical analysis
I believe that, based on the fact Oscar said this, "The police hated him for the simple act that he’d been a gangster.” El Nino will not be perceived by the police as someone who shouldn't be protected and he will probably be treated badly by them later on.
Even thought Oscar only said this, “one of the girl’s rapists in now free; fourteen others are behind bars.” i am inferring that what he really meant was to point out the fact that a girl was raped by 15 guys and only one would pay for the crime while the rest were let free to continue terrorizing the city. Based on the fact that he just pointed it out.
Personal Response
When i picked this book i knew that it was going to talk about horrible things. It’s heartbreaking reading all the violence and disgusting things that the gang members have done and probably still continue to do. The stories are stories that are hard to bear. There is a story of an 8 year old who was raped by 15 men and then killed. They told the little girl that they wouldn’t kill her 5 year old brother if she let herself be raped. She was raped and then she and her brother were killed. Ticas found them in the well hugging. There are stories that stay with you, and it’s disgusting how men act, they have no care for someone's innocence, but the saddest thing is that one man payed for his crime and the rest are free. None of these men feel remorse, and they are human beings that shouldn't be alive nonetheless roaming the streets.
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The police hated him for the simple act that he'd been a gangster.
A History of Violence, Oscar Martinez, (135)
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one of the girl's rapists in now free; fourteen others are behind bars."
A History of Violence, Oscar Martinez, (119)
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Week 19 Blog
A History of Violence
Oscar Martinez
PG; 45-105
word count; 496
Summary
Pete is a northern state in Guatemala, this is where there are many indigenous people working on agriculture. It's how they make a living, by going their own crops and selling them. Pete is privatized by multinational organizations. There are companies that came in to Pete and convinced the family owned farms to sell their land or on many occasions they were forced too. These campesinos and called “narcos” by the law. They are the ones pointed as being the drug dealers but it’s not true. Narcotrafficking families take ownership of the lands and it’s the Campesinos that play the price.
We are introduced to the Narco from Rivas who explains that Nicaragua is a place where drug is kept in the tons, they make deal with other drug dealers by selling them drugs.
Turin, in Wester El Salvador; there is a well where testimonies from ex-gang members say that bodies were hidden. Israel Ticas is the only forensics scientist in the whole country and he descends the well to find the bodies, the needs machinery to dig up the bodies, he gets the tools for a bit but then the owners take them back. There are 43 men being held in prison for the charges on the bodies in the well, and if no proof is given they will be released. Due to rainy weather the well fills and Ticas can no longer continue the search and the men are released.
Critical Analysis
Even though Oscar only said this, “ There is nobody else but him in the entire country working to dig up graves, uncover bodies and send the evidence to court.” I am inferring that what he really meant was that there wasn't anyone else capable to look for the bodies of the countless people who were killed based on the fact that he is the only one and that there aren't enough resources to search for so many dead.
Even though Oscar only said this, “one stick Is stiff, and they use it to punish the weak; the other is soft, and the use it to make it seem that they are cracking down on their rivals, through they are ultimately leaving them unpunished.” I am inferring that what he really meant was that the government or the law doesn't want to punish the bad people. Based on the fact that he specifically specifies the different “sticks”
Personal Response
This book is truly an eye opener and like always so interesting, it’s a book that i don't want to put down. The truth of what happens in the Central American countries depicts the fault not only in the people but algo our governments. If the government truly wanted people to live safe and gangs to be exterminated and to end all cartels they would instill strict laws and enforce more police to crack them down. This is a book that speaks the truth and everyone should read it. Its an eye opener.
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There is nobody else but him in the entire country working to dig up graves, uncover bodies and send the evidence to court.
A History of Violence, Oscar Martinez, (96)
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They speak in tone, somewhere between shame and gratitude
A History of violence, Oscar Martinez, (76)
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one stick Is stiff, and they use it to punish the weak; the other is soft, and the use it to make it seem that they are cracking down on their rivals, through they are ultimately leaving them unpunished.
A History of Violence, Oscar Martinez, (66)
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Los Zetas have never fought under the flag of subtlety.
A History of Violence, Oscar Martinez(57)
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Week 18 Blog
A History of Violence
Oscar Martinez
Pg.1-45
words- 370
Summary
This book investigated the gangs in El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and other Central American countries. First it focused on El Salvador and how the different gangs were started. One of the leaders of a gang is Jose Antonio Teran who was known as chepe furia. He was one of the many leaders and once he got deported to El Salvador he started enlisting young kids into the gang, kids who would kill or conduct business for him. Oscar Martinez speaks with ex-gang members and they talk about how chepe furia used them. That he would send them to do the dirty business and he would keep the money. Eventually Chepe Furia was captured and sentenced to 20 years in prison for being involved in the killing of one of his gang members.
Critical analysis
The author uses a simile here, “For the first time I ask direct questions about El Paraiso, about its wealth, its heliport and the new mayor whos known to run like a fiefdom.” to camper how El Paraiso is controlled to a fiefdom. This comparison suggests that El Paraiso is a place where all people to is work and wok but have nothing for themselves rather everything goes to the mayor of the city.
I believe that, based on the fact that, “When the man saw the officer, he ran inside a house.” this guy is a fugitive of the law of was doing something illegal. This man will be captured and sentenced to prison for what he was doing since he seemed to afraid when he saw the cops so he will goo prison later on.
Personal response
This book is very interesting. I have just started reading it but it captures the truth of what El Salvador and other Central American countries face when it comes to gangs. It talks about how young kids as young as 13 are brought into the gangs with the promise of a better life but in really life isn't better for them because all the profit goes to the leaders. It also makes me feel upset and sad that my country has so much gang activity because if it wasn't for that, people wouldn't live in fear.
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for the first time I ask direct questions about El Paraiso, abut its wealth, its heliport and the new mayor whos known to run like a fiefdom.
A History of Violence, Oscar Martinez, (35)
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"When the man saw the officer, he ran inside a house."
A History of Violence, Oscar Martinez (23)
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He discovered that the MS was far more organized and had far more complex leadership system than its rival gang, barrio 18
A History of Violence, Oscar Martinez, (4)
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week 17 Blog
The Tree of Life
Mario Bencastro
pg.; 60-123
330 words
Summary
The spirit of things; this story is about a man who has been blind his whole life. He knows a lot about the world and has always wanted to meet the Salvadoran archbishop Romero. One day Romero visits the town where he lives and the blind man gets to meet him and Romero gives him his rosary.
Once Upon a River; this story is about kid and their girlfriends. Some of the couples leave their town because the parents don't want them together, other couples face hard times and many die. This is occurring during the civil war and they are fights between the soldiers and the guerillas and one day some soldiers come into their town and kill everyone; old,young, women and even children.
Critical analysis
I believe that based on the fact that, “Tila began to miss school, had a lot of pain in her back, became very thin, lost her appetite, and was vomiting blood.” Tila will die soon because she is showing really serious symptoms and since the story takes place during the civil war there weren't many resources to see what she had, so later on she will die because of her sickness.
The author uses personification here, “especially in silence objects give off energy, as if they are breathing.” to compare and object personal characteristics. The comparison suggest that since the boy is blind he can feel objects as if he were alive.
Personal response.
All the stories over all where extremely sad. I really liked the “the spirit of things” because it addresses a blind boy who must use his other senses in order to lead a healthy life. It also has a good point that even when people CAN see they are still BLIND to so many truths in the world. The last story really grabs your attention because it is the massacre of a whole town where barley anyone survived. Even kids, babies were killed by cruel disgusting man.
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Tila began to miss school, had a lot of pain in her back, became very thin, lost her appetite, and was vomiting blood.
the tree of life, Mario Bencastro, (93)
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" he dug the Spurs into his huge horse, making it rest and snort, and took of out the schoolyard as if possessed by the devil"
The tree of life, Mario Bencastro, ( )
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"especially in silence objects give off energy, as if they are breathing.
The Tree of Life, Mario Bencastro(62)
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