The Past, the Present, and Belli's Polyphonics

       Gioconda Belli’s “The Inhabited Woman” creatively relates the Sandanista opposition to the Somoza dynasty in Managua, Nicaragua in this magical narrative of female possession and resistance. Using the technique coined by Mikhail Bakhtin, Belli intertwines polyphonics with magical realism to create a dialogic between past and present in the socio political environment of Faguas, (a stand in for Managua) a city on the brink of revolution. In this manner, the main character, Lavinia, is “inhabited” by the orange tree blossoming in her inherited garden, which itself is inhabited by Itza, Lavinia’s indigenous female ancestry, and together they create multiple voices and perspectives from past, present, rich and poor. Belli, however does not just simply permit nature, in the form of a tree, and an indigenous warrior woman present the perspective of resistance in Nicaragua. Through Bakhtin’s dialogic, as Helene de Fay asserts, Belli “allows the different characters that populate her novel to present their own opinions on the questions at issue.” Since the testimony in the “Inhabited Woman” is “ of no one in particular, but rather a collective experience that was very important in “Nicaragua” it is important to recognize that in this novel Lavinia’s perspective is presented alongside of and in contrast to her “others.” That is, her perspective is presented in contrast and in conversation with Felipe, Flor, Sebastian, Adrian, and Itza. As Lavinia searches for her truth and identity in this intricate weaving of past, present, poor, rich, privileged and oppressed, she must formulate her opinion against and alongside that of all the representatives of Nicaragua. Belli presents the revolutionaries' ideology alongside the dictatorships disregard; the aristocracy’s apathy and ignorance alongside the resigned hopelessness of the impoverished and oppressed. She demonstrates the silence of the educated working class alongside the same sort, quietly and not so quietly, rebelling against the administration. This sort of constant dialog invites the reader to question and explore the very multi voiced multi faceted nature of the liberation movement in Nicaragua.

Ultimately, Giocondi Belli’s use of magical realism and polyphonics presents a realistic presentation of the civilian perspective in the development of the Nicaraguan liberation movement. Belli utilizes the flavor nascent in Latina American literature that, when combined with her lyrical style, enhances the student of politics’ understanding of the complexity of movements and rebellion, culture and history, and provides copious material for the lover of literature to dissect and analyze. Successful in both scholarly fields, this book comes highly suggested to all interested in the field of Nicaraguan literature and politics.

"Never Shall I Forget"

    

     The three novels, out of the many I have read on the topic of Holocaust Literature, that I have chosen to share are three that I think provide the most interesting narratives, mediums, and perspectives not considered previously. The first selection was my most current read. In fact, I just finished this novel yesterday. My selection is Primo Levi's "Survival in Auschwitz: If this is a Man." Originally titled in the Italian : "Se questo e un uomo" : If this is a Man, and later changed to Survival in Auschwitz: If this is a Man, the novel describes Primo Levi's experience in the Auschwitz concentration camp. A chemist and writer, his representation of the Holocaust, and Auschwitz in particular,  focuses on the decimation of the human spirit and the obliteration of "man" as human species. His account is written without the romanticized stylings of lyrical and symbolic motif driven narrative, but is rather philosophical and observational in its depiction of guard, prisoner, perpetrator, and victim interaction. Nuanced in its very methodical and poignant yet subtle approach, Levi's work perhaps gets to the very heart of the unique horror of Auschwitz death camp.

The next selection you may be more familiar with, as it was turned into a major motion picture starring Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet. Bernhard Schlink's " The Reader" (or "Der Vorleser" in the original German)  is a fascinating novel about the phenomenon of second generation German guilt after the atrocities committed during World War II and the Holocaust were revealed. Weaved and represented by a sexualized relationship between an illiterate former SS officer and a fifteen year old boy, the novel deals with the conflicts and dilemmas faced by the children of the perpetrator generation. An extended allegory done in three parts, the main character of this novel, Michael Berg, navigates the difficulties of at once loving and condemning those parents, uncles, lovers, and sons accused of grave crimes against humanity and genocide. A unique perspective and thought provoking novel, I highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in a fresh and interesting representation of perpetrator literature and I highly suggest that the book be read over the film, as the film does not do the novel justice.

                                                          

Finally, my last selection is a book of poetry called "Holocaust Poetry," compiled and introduced by Hilda Schiff. Written by some of the most talented and emotive writers of Holocaust literature, these selections are at times more powerful than any novel can or will be read on the subject matter and spans all range of styles, language, craft, and message. No exploration of such literature can truly be complete without reading the poetry inspired by the atrocities, the unimaginable and inconceivable, of the Holocaust.

 "Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself  ... Never."

                                                           

An Unlikely Coincidence

I just finished an amazing novel for a class I am taking this semester called: Memoirs and Biographies of Genocide. That should give you the hint that the selections for this class are both somber, and what some may call, "depressing".

"What is the What?" by Dave Eggers, an author who is famous for writing about tragic events in new and intriguing ways, is a story about the life of Sudanese refugee, Valentino Achak Deng. The novel, written in a collaborative effort between Valentino Deng and Dave Eggers, exposes the more than 40 year conflict that the African country of Sudan has faced while revealing the life of a Southern Sudanese refugee living in the United States. Crafted in a double framework, in which Valentino's journey is told in broken memories from the protagonist's perspective while engaged in a hostile situation in Atlanta, Georgia , the novel excellently juxtaposes struggles in America with the horror faced during the civil war of Sudan. Richly and cleverly written, Dave Eggers uses a very frank and human voice to intricately weave Valentino's experiences, and those of many Sudanese, into a poignant tapestry of humorous, touching, and horrific moments. Reading this novel is especially interesting if you are familiar with the Darfurian genocide. Darfur, now used in countless campaigns to stop genocide and raise awareness, is a city in western Sudan that has been in turmoil for much of the new millennium and is perhaps, after the Holocaust, the mostly widely known genocide of our generation. What is interesting is that many, including myself before reading this book, are not aware that Darfur is a conflict that grew out of the greater conflict the country of Sudan has been embroiled in for almost half of a century!

In fact, even MORE interesting and pertinent, is that while watching CNN earlier this week, I discovered that on January 9th, 2011, today, a historic Vote will begin to take place that could permanently cede Southern Sudan from Northern Sudan and change the disfigured face of this conflict as well as the map of Africa forever. Imagine my incredible surprise when just as I finished reading this eye opening novel, the events transformed from just words on a page, pages in a book, into a real life, historic, and life changing event! An Unlikely Coincidence! Indeed!




If you are interested in following the Southern Sudanese Referendum, here is the article from CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/01/09/sudan.vote/index.