Surviving through the Arts - Part 1/2

In the book, Arenas says, “I write and I survive.” I think many of us can agree in that writing is a form of release from all of which we tend to bottle up at times. At times we want to say certain things, but know that if we did, we would have negative consequences. So, writing becomes a “way out.” In another class I am taking, Writing as Social Action,” a student said, “I know how to write without cursing. I do it all the time in e-mails I never send.”

From the notes I took, I perceived that to Arenas, writing is more than a “way out,” it is a form of survivorship. If the author was forbidden to write, I think he would enter the arsenic hour (as Matthew Stevenson refers to in the “Letters of Transit”) in which all of his intrinsic elements will unite and he will explode into death! 

A sudden twist came about when Arenas compares the communist and capitalist systems. He states that there is not much of a difference with regards to the treatment he received. The only difference is that the communist system expects to be applauded; however, the capitalist system allows people to scream.

“And I came here to scream.” ~ Arenas

There are many interpretations of “scream,” as Arenas uses it. One of them being a deeper level of writing. Hard core writing. Something he might not have been able to do in Cuba because of the left wing publishers.  

On a side note, I actually liked how the class was designed this past week. Specifically, I found it interesting how the professor read a few pages to the class. It reminded me of the years I really "learned;" my High School years. I think it is more effective when students compose their own notes, as oppose to having professors create powerpoint presentations providing students with all of the notes needed for exams. (Professors, please do not stop creating these poerpoints though! As a student, I must say it is great exam preparation.) When I analyze it from a different angle of vision, pedagogically and psychologically, I think the brain goes through a deeper process where it engages in the task.

In short . . .

1. Professor reads

2. Student has to quickly jot down key notes

3. Student has to actively sound and spell the words in the brain while writing it on paper.

4. To do so effectively, the student has to quickly summarize the important points in a few      words to avoid missing out on other key points. 

5. Afterwards, student has to elaborate on the key points.

(the learning process)

These tasks requires students to be actively engaged and analytically involved in the subject.

When notes are provided by professors, to pass the exam, all the student must do is read and memorize the notes. If these two steps fail, then the student attempts to understand the concepts of the notes provided.