Of Love and Other Demons

I am about 2/3 of the way through this book by Gabriel Marquez and am really enjoying it. He has a very distinct writing style in this book. Marquez uses flowery language and writes in long, winding sentences. The following is a classic example: "She ended with a furious denunciation of Cayetano's Delaura's arrogance, his free thinking, his personal animosity toward her, and the abusiveness of his bringing food into the convent in defiance of the prohibitions of their rule." (94). I love Marquez's diction. However, (I am not sure I'm allowed to admit this as an English teacher) I tend to lose patience with such elevated diction in longer texts. This story seems to be an exception to my general boredom with excessively flowery language. Somehow Marquez's slow-rolling sentences fit the twisted plot well. The lofty words he uses make it easier for me to put myself into an 18th century South American setting. They help me to believe the story of a golden-haired girl who has been inprisoned in a convent as a result of a rabid dog's bite. They help me feel compassion for Father Cayentano Delaura as he falls in love with the girl he is sent to perform an exorcism on. Marquez's words lull me into his odd tale and keep me reading for more. This is a strange strange story. But I am eager to find out what happens in the end...

A window into North Korea

Over Chuseok break I read this graphic novel by Guy Delisle, a French Canadian who spent several months working as an animator in North Korea. Delisle's book traced his experiences and showed some of his interactions with the people and the country. I thought it was a very interesting read.


One of the things that really struck me while reading this book was how deliberately Delisle's guides and the government worked to make North Korea look like a peaceful, affluent, happy, and proud nation. There were so many examples of monuments constructed purely for foreigners' sakes, luxeries denied to the people yet allotted to tourists, areas hidden from outsider's eyes, etc. Before reading this book, I was already aware of many of the hardships that Delisle described. I was not particularly surprised by the poverty he noticed or his descriptions of the excessive honor paid to Kim Jong il. Nor was I surprised that Delisle's tone was condescending at times as he questioned North Koreans' allegiances. I can relate to this attitude--it is difficult at times to restrain some of our disbelief and try to really understand what people experience or believe. However, I appreciated that Delisle tried to restrict his judgement and show some of the more human aspects of the people in North Korea. While it is still clear that he disagrees with most of the practices of the people, Delisle strives to paint a more balanced view of the country.



I would recommend this book and would love to discuss it with anyone who has read it. Has anyone else read other books that give good insight into North Korean culture?

Directions for Independent Reading

“To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” –Edmund Burke

Every week you should post at least 1 new entry to your blog related to your independent reading. In this entry you should state what you are reading and how far you have read in the book. Then you should write a reflection on what you are reading. This reflection should be at least 2-3 paragraphs in length. For each post, please also include an image that you feel connects to the themes, characters, or plot of your current reading. Through these posts, I want to see that you are reading carefully and that you are engaging with your book. Posts can range in format and content. However, when I look at your blog for the semester, I want to see that you are thinking critically about what you read.

You can include comments on some of the following in your posts:
-Feelings evoked by the book (try to express why you feel the way you do)
-Themes
-Character comments
-Author’s writing style
-Connections to yourself, the world, or other texts
-Quotes significant to the plot, theme, character development, etc.