Naipaul's "Reading and Writing"

This is post is dedicated to last class which was Wednesday 10/21/2015 and the literature named “Reading and Writing”.  Basically we talked about the fiction put in autobiographies to make them more interesting.  This is what Naipaul used his autobiography to make it more interesting and to not be a flatten story.  Is interesting how Naipaul says he never considered himself a reader but a writer even though he never wrote a thing, but now he is doing well and we can observe it in his autobiography.

In addition, is interesting how the “Reading and Writing” starts, with a quote by Stendhal that says: “I have no memory at all. That’s one of the great defects of my mind: I keep on brooding over whatever interests me, by dint examining it from different mental points of view I eventually see something new in it, and I alter its whole aspect.  I point and extend the tubes of my glasses in all ways, or retract them”.  What the author is saying of his memory is a hyperbole, also I don’t consider it a defect.  I consider that helps him give more fiction to the story and help to not think a lot about.  What Stendhal said about how he keep on brooding over whatever interests him, you can relate it to the unconscious writing of Carl Jung, where you write your first thought with a second thought and relate them trying not to think, just putting the ideas logically.  Like we have said, Naipaul, has used this technique to make his story more interesting, he may may also be influenced by Carl Jung. The purpose is not about lying in your story but to not put all the truth.  This help to spice the things up, give interest to the readers. 

My Journal Experience

Dedicated to my Father...

What is my journal about?  Like I said in my last post and in my informal presentation, is not like the average journal from my classmates.  The cover of the journal has a different meaning; it represents my way of thinking, my passions and my work.  My inner journey, represents my goals and my most meaningful things in life, like the picture in the left which you can see my first tattoo, it represents my last day with my Father. I was their for you until the end, I LOVE YOU...

What I learned from this writing project?  Easy, I have developed better my writing process for an essay or something easy, as this post hahaha.  I have always practice the unconscious way of writing but I did not know Carl Jung conceptualize it.  This way of writing I have always done it in Spanish writing.  Doing this journal project has help me a lot directly in my English.  

Throughout the entries, I notice a big difference towards my fluency.  I also notice the most present entries, I went to the jugular easily, did not cross out or stop writing.  I was surprise of my consistent writing and how I got better doing this in English.  In my compasses I did not see a consistent pattern, I noticed that my point in every characteristic depended of the day and my college stress. 

What I learned about me?  I learn that I have a potential writing anything, it could be an essay or even poetry.  I never imagined I had those writing skills until now that I put them in practice for my journal.  I learned you can write anything you have in your mind without knowing you have it and has logical thoughts as finished or as a whole.  This journal will be useful in a few years to see how I changed in my way of writing or even in my way of thinking.

Inner Help, Reflection of "Life is a Trip"

We read chapter 5, chapter 8 and chapter 13.  Chapters, 5, 8 and 13, from the book “Life is a trip” are reflecting essay and I can easily relate to them in my live.  Chapter 5 “Searching for forgiveness in Vietnam” was an entertaining reading.  This chapter talked about the war of USA against Vietnam and how it was their relationship after the war.  It showed us the guilt and the way veterans from both countries felt because of the acts done by both countries.   Is fascinating how the American is searching for answers and wanting to know what Vietnamese feel in the present about Americans.

Surprisingly, the Vietnamese didn’t care no more and didn’t want to know about the what.  They forgive the Americans and the main character was surprise about their present way of thinking of Americans.  This reading make us reflect in our life about the things that we should forgive and just continue in our life.  We need to live the present and try to not remember the past because it will always be there. 

In chapter 8 “Meeting Maximon in Guatemala”, talks about a human God that smokes and drinks.  This is a ritual from the people that live there.  People think that he me relieve you from your sin because himself is a sinner.  The main character didn’t believe and stayed away until he understand what was the procedure of the way of the Maximon works.  He felt relieve when Maximon forgive him and he felt relief.  This we can relate to it as the as the last chapter.  But this time we can add that it doesn’t what kind the person that for example had a personal conflict with, you should always forgive to “relief” yourselve of inner damage.

In chapter 13 “the other side of the Pilgrims’ Road in Spain”, talks about the experience people have walking or traveling the “Camino”.  We can understand that this road is not any road, is a special road because the experience people have when they travel it.  Is a long distance road, people start working together to complete the “Camino”.  Is a pilgrim thing to do this walking and serving in the “Camino”.  People had empathy with the others while traveling the “Camino”, they served and help each other.  This reminds me of the way Christmas is in Puerto Rico.  Is the only season that people are happy and neighbors help each other or when you’re in the “Campo” or in a hurricane.  That is that sad reality we live in in the island.  Reflecting in the chapters, can help us understand and reflect on the way we are to others, how we should forget and forgive the past and help others for our inner help.