#spanishlit

[denisspanishlitblog]

Week 19 Blog

Homeland

Fernando Aramburu

Pages: 33-74

Word Count: 680

Summary:

Bittori’s inability to move past the death of her husband is revealed here. Despite having portrayed this facade of what essentially appeared to be coming to terms with his passing, living her life peacefully and hardly ever mentioning his name, Bittori still remembers. She still goes to the house they used to live in, making him dinner and offering him a dance. The same house where herself and her children, Nerea and Xabier, found out what had happened. We also find out exactly what happened that tragic day, as well as why she has grown apart with the people who wwer most closest to her such as Miren. Bittori’s husband, Txato, was killed in the streets of the city after ETA members, a separist group seeking “liberation” in the area from the government, sought him out. It turns out that Joxe Mari, Miren’s son, is a part of that group now, which enraged Bittori enough to cut ties with Miren, though not completely. Bittori’s reliance on her son, since her daughter lives away from home now, is heavily portrayed in this section. She seeks to spend time with him in any way possible – whether that be a cup of coffee at home or a walk in the park. In the reading there are signs that point to some hope in reconnecting the Bittori and Miren and restoring their friendship to what it was before Txato’s death, though that would require Miren’s condemnation of her own son.

Critical Analysis: 

One of the most prevalent themes in this section of the book was loyalty. Sure, Bittori seems to express a grateful amount of love and admiration towards her son. But may it be just a result of him being one of the only people who have stayed with her to this point? To show you what I mean, in page 37 Bittori talks about how not even Alzheimer’s Disease, an illness that destroys the memory and mental functions, could make her forget how Nerea had “denied” her and her husband “her company” when they “needed her most.” Nerea’s disloyalty to her own family is something that still revolves around family conflict to the present day. Furthermore we can take a look at Bittori and Miren. On page 53 they are described as so close that they “understood each other without listening.” Lo and behold on page 55, BIttori accuses Miren of picking sides saying she changed because she “sided with her son.” That begs the question: wouldn’t have she? The entire section portrays loyalty as often being the factor that enhances or even just maintains friendships, or any relationships for that matter. While love, resentment, admiration, and guilt all play a role in the story of the lives of these characters, a majority of those are aligned with the loyalty or lack thereof with Bittori(this section has been Bittori’s point of view). In order to maintain a healthy relationship with someone, you have to show you can be trusted to begin with, which is why Bittori has strained relationships with Miren and her own daughter but is obsessed with her son. Those who stuck with her and did what she deemed appropriate gained her trust and respect, and subsequently her loyalty.

Personal Response:

I love the conflict in this section. It revealed why a lot of the character interactions in the beginning of the book appeared to be so off, so forced or “fake”, to put it one way. Bittori is obviously still struggling with the passing of Txato(her husband) and has seemingly found some solace in spending time with Xabier. Whether or not she mends with Miren is yet to be seen. All clues hint to a dramatic climax where every personality has to confront their issues and each other. Bittori will have to have a conversation with her daughter, who since my first impression has a shady side to her, or that may very well be Bittori’s point of view rubbing off on me. That brings me to another point: the sequence of this book. The timeline moves chronologically but there are also flashbacks thrown into the mix so seamlessly it made me do a double take on what I was reading. I enjoyed it. It makes you pay attention and follow closely or risk missing out on the current happening of the town of Basque.

[sofiajadeotero]

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[denisspanishlitblog]

Reflections on a Year of Reading Spanish Literature

Word Count: 538

Titles Read: Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Homeland by Fernando Aramburu

What I learned about Spain

Before my independent reading on Spain, I didn’t know much about the country except that some of the most prolific and iconic football teams and players were from there. I knew that this assignment/project would definitely allow me to explore more than what I already knew about the European country. It was my first choice and I’m glad I got it because I have learned quite a bit. All of the books I read have repeatedly mentioned the country’s beauty, from small, quaint towns to big cities. From the high mountains where some of those small towns are found, to the lowlands and beaches. In the book some buildings are described almost as majestic. There was one reference about “Gothic architecture” that made me look up what that meant and was not disappointed. It’s definitely noticeable by its arches and its “oldish” appeal, as well as how decorated and ornate it is. With that were also common themes of what appear to be war wounds. I learned about Spain’s long, deadly civil war that greatly influenced the writers whose books I read. In both books the protagonists were directly impacted by the war as it was happening or during the aftermath. It was kind of an insight into how, despite the characters in the different books not knowing each other, their lives were kind of shaped by this one huge event. One that is a major part of Spain’s history.

The first book I read, Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, taught me a lot about loss, and how loss may not be what it appears to be. The entire “Cemetery of Forgotten Books” was essentially part of a bigger theme of how the loss of a person is not synonymous with the loss of that person’s thoughts, ideas, and contributions to the world since someone will in some way be impacted by them.

Fernando Aramburu’s Homeland was a novel that taught me forgiving and forgetting is never always easy and that grief is handled differently by different people. Bittori(the protagonist) could never really come to terms with her husband’s death. The result was a sort of delusional yet heartbreaking reality where Bittori would visit her old home and speak to her deceased beloved. From this tragic event also stemmed her strained relationships with a lot of people who she decided to push out for not being on her “side.” The cost of war in this book is both people and long-lived relationships cut short.

Reflecting on Myself

This independent reading assignment was a more daunting task than I thought it would have been for me. I have read books before. I have done independent reading assignments before. What was new? Well I have never had to do them every week day for 20 weeks, though. I have learned I am outright horrible at making time in my day for the long list of assignments teachers make students do nearly every day. I imagine other people have because reading when having the time versus reading when under time constraints are two totally different experiences. The former actually allows me to focus on what I’m doing and become engaged in the reading. The latter is just forced reading and unenjoyable.

[denisspanishlitblog]

Don't deny it. You feel sorry for her because she's an intimate part of your past. But aren't you indirectly feeling sorry for yourself?

Fernando Aramburu, Homeland, pg. 92

[denisspanishlitblog]

They said goodbye, souls in pain, with cold affection, with affectionate coldness.

Fernando Aramburu, Homeland, pg. 86

[denisspanishlitblog]

It's nice to have a son who, despite all his many and important concerns, sets aside for his mother the morning of a workday.... Some people's sons become terrorists. Mine became a doctor.

Fernando Aramburu, Homeland, (pg. 65)

[denisspanishlitblog]

...my friend Miren has changed.... In a word, she's sided with her son. I haven't the slightest doubt that she became a fanatic out of maternal instinct. In her place, I might have behaved the same way. How can you turn your back on your own child even when you know he's doing bad things?

Fernando Aramburu, Homeland, pg. 55

[denisspanishlitblog]

Sister Bittori, Sister Miren. They had their hair done, they rehashed the village gossip, they understood each other without listening, since they usually spoke both at the same time.

Fernando Aramburu, Homeland, pg. 53