NEW IB ENGLISH LITERATURE COURSE BD SOMANI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MUMBAI. EMAIL andrew.callahan@bdsint.org
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DEATH AND THE MAIDEN ARIEL DORFMAN
MORAL AND LEGAL ISSUES AROUND TORTURE.
THE COLD WAR - A BRIEF VIDEO
BELOW PRESIDENT NIXON AND HENRY KISSINGER
DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS REVEAL USA ROLE IN CHILE COUP
These videos have been very helpful in forming the context of my essay. The review of the novel 'Exorcising Terror' gives us an insight on Ariel Dorfman's views. A co-relation of Dorfman's views of the events of 1973 and his novel the Death and the Maiden can be made. Therefore, recognising Dorfman's views helps me look at the novel in a different light as well as the conclusion of the novel. These videos have certainly been very useful and were interesting to watch.
These videos give a great clarity and context to Death and the Maiden. The historical background and the theme of torture make the understanding of the text more wholesome and enriching. It helps me appreciate the play more.
From the video on the Cold War I understood that in Death and The Maiden, Paulina's struggle is symbolic of the struggle of oppressed nations all over the world.Chile, an “oppressed” nation, held in fear for approximately fifteen years (1973-1990). Through the kidnapping of her oppressor and forcing a confession out of him, Paulina represents the wishes of all the others in her situation, as she takes action to gain justice for herself. Dorfman brings out the idea of, forgiving and forgetting, which is portrayed through her conflict with not only Roberto, but also Gerardo. Conflict risen with Gerardo when she caught him cheating on her, fifteen years ago and when he accepts his duty in the new Investigation Commission without - getting approval/reconciling Paulina. The videos helped me visualize and make a connection between the Cold War and the context of Death and the Maiden. I am now more familiar with the background/inspiration for Dorfman to write this play.
Through the torture and torment of a tyrinical government, Dorfman shows the political suppression and its consequences. Paulina Salas, the only female character, epitomizes women in society. The male domination plays a crucial role, in the way they were left to ‘fix the world.’ This conveys the discrimination and gender inequality that exists in the 1990’s. Dorfrman’s writing reflects the plight and inability of the women to express or stand up for themselves. Paulina’s paranoia and feeling of being trapped is reflected by the horror caused by the shackels of her past.
It is easy to look at a piece of literature as purely a fictional work of art. Even though this is not an 'incorrect' perspective, it creates a sense of disconnect to the real world. It makes it harder for the reader to believe that these horrid episodes of torture were in fact a gruesome part of our history. Ariel Dorfman creates a story which is in itself a fictional one, but is based on true events. The fictional nature of the story helps us understand the emotions of a victim of torture, while the ties to the real world helps bring out the reality of the concept. Small deliberate choices made by Dorfman, like mentioning the date or having a conversation about Chile's transition to democracy, solidifies the story into the real world. The resources above helped me understand the context of the story. The video on torture helped me understand Gerardo's approach to the commission. Even though he cannot punish the criminals, the Commission does more than deem the act as immoral. It establishes the crime as the denial of human rights and illegal.
The video on Torture helped me to understand how, Death and The Maiden is a play which brings the readers very close in understanding of the hardships of a person wronged for no fault of his or hers. The stories of such victims in Pinochet’s regime makes one understand the impact history has on lives of generations together. The dilemma to forgive, forget; bury the past and move on, keeps the victim constantly in the loop of stress. The videos made me question the involvement of powerful countries into the domestic issues of Chile.
These videos helped me understand how important Ariel Dorfman’s play was in bringing to light the suffering of the Chileans. The video on ‘Exorcising Terror’ displays the damaging and long lasting effects that political struggles have on the lives of ordinary citizens. I also realized the extensive harm that the American policy of containment caused from the video on the Cold War.
These videos, especially the one that spoke about the Cold War, helped me understand the background against which 'Death and the Maiden' has been set. The literary devices and techniques used by Dorfman make this fictitious play seem even more real, as it isn't implausible to think that such and event might have actually occurred in Chile. It also made me appreciate Dorfman's writing style more, as the background of the play is specific and timeless at the same time. Although it is based in Chile in the 1990's it can easily be interpreted as taking place in any democratic country that has a communist history.
These videos have helped me understand the context of Death and the Maiden. The video on torture questions the ethics and legality of the same. The hostility between communist and capitalist countries explains why Pinochet had the support of the USA. These videos enhanced my knowledge of the Cold War and Pinochet's rule, and although I do not agree with what was done, I understand and acknowledge why it was done.
These videos helped enhance my understanding of the play the “Death and the Maiden” by Ariel Dorfman. We can only analyse the play at a superior level if we don't understand the political history behind it. Dorfman has written the play in such a way that it reflects the political background and period it was set in.
These videos helped putting the novel, ' Death and the Maiden' into context. The videos explain the different perspectives that lived during the times and how such inhuman activities came to be. It not only helps understanding the book but also tells us a story, that was beyond my imagination, of how some petrifying and inhuman incidents are actually a part of our history. Tension between any two bodies can create unwanted problems whose ghost always continues to haunt us. Ariel Dorfman has recreated human history in his book by the help of these fictional characters with souls anything but fictional.
Death and the Maiden is a play that juxtaposes fictional events with a political backdrop.These videos helped me appreciate the play at a greater depth rather than a superficial level. I understood the political setting and ideologies that prevailed in society during the 1990s. This made the play more relevant to me because despite having fictional characters and events, there was an element of realism attached to it.
I discovered a correlation between the videos on the Cold War and Nixon’s involvement in Allende’s disestablishment. While the latter criticised USA’s involvement in Chile, the former provides reasons for USA’s motivation in doing the same. I was able to evaluate USA’s fear of the spreading of communism through its foreign policies of containment and the Truman Doctrine. Understanding USA’s aim of containing communism helped me answer a question, which I had developed in my mind while reading, the afterward of Death and the Maiden: Why was USA so eager to disestablish Allende despite him being elected democratically? While this is no justification for USA’s interference, it helps explore the situation in Chile from all perspectives.
These videos have been very helpful in forming the context of my essay. The review of the novel 'Exorcising Terror' gives us an insight on Ariel Dorfman's views. A co-relation of Dorfman's views of the events of 1973 and his novel the Death and the Maiden can be made. Therefore, recognising Dorfman's views helps me look at the novel in a different light as well as the conclusion of the novel. These videos have certainly been very useful and were interesting to watch.
ReplyDeleteThese videos give a great clarity and context to Death and the Maiden. The historical background and the theme of torture make the understanding of the text more wholesome and enriching. It helps me appreciate the play more.
ReplyDeleteFrom the video on the Cold War I understood that in Death and The Maiden, Paulina's struggle is symbolic of the struggle of oppressed nations all over the world.Chile, an “oppressed” nation, held in fear for approximately fifteen years (1973-1990). Through the kidnapping of her oppressor and forcing a confession out of him, Paulina represents the wishes of all the others in her situation, as she takes action to gain justice for herself. Dorfman brings out the idea of, forgiving and forgetting, which is portrayed through her conflict with not only Roberto, but also Gerardo. Conflict risen with Gerardo when she caught him cheating on her, fifteen years ago and when he accepts his duty in the new Investigation Commission without - getting approval/reconciling Paulina. The videos helped me visualize and make a connection between the Cold War and the context of Death and the Maiden. I am now more familiar with the background/inspiration for Dorfman to write this play.
ReplyDeleteThrough the torture and torment of a tyrinical government, Dorfman shows the political suppression and its consequences. Paulina Salas, the only female character, epitomizes women in society. The male domination plays a crucial role, in the way they were left to ‘fix the world.’ This conveys the discrimination and gender inequality that exists in the 1990’s. Dorfrman’s writing reflects the plight and inability of the women to express or stand up for themselves. Paulina’s paranoia and feeling of being trapped is reflected by the horror caused by the shackels of her past.
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to look at a piece of literature as purely a fictional work of art. Even though this is not an 'incorrect' perspective, it creates a sense of disconnect to the real world. It makes it harder for the reader to believe that these horrid episodes of torture were in fact a gruesome part of our history. Ariel Dorfman creates a story which is in itself a fictional one, but is based on true events. The fictional nature of the story helps us understand the emotions of a victim of torture, while the ties to the real world helps bring out the reality of the concept. Small deliberate choices made by Dorfman, like mentioning the date or having a conversation about Chile's transition to democracy, solidifies the story into the real world. The resources above helped me understand the context of the story.
ReplyDeleteThe video on torture helped me understand Gerardo's approach to the commission. Even though he cannot punish the criminals, the Commission does more than deem the act as immoral. It establishes the crime as the denial of human rights and illegal.
The video on Torture helped me to understand how, Death and The Maiden is a play which brings the readers very close in understanding of the hardships of a person wronged for no fault of his or hers. The stories of such victims in Pinochet’s regime makes one understand the impact history has on lives of generations together. The dilemma to forgive, forget; bury the past and move on, keeps the victim constantly in the loop of stress. The videos made me question the involvement of powerful countries into the domestic issues of Chile.
ReplyDeleteThese videos helped me understand how important Ariel Dorfman’s play was in bringing to light the suffering of the Chileans. The video on ‘Exorcising Terror’ displays the damaging and long lasting effects that political struggles have on the lives of ordinary citizens. I also realized the extensive harm that the American policy of containment caused from the video on the Cold War.
ReplyDeleteThese videos, especially the one that spoke about the Cold War, helped me understand the background against which 'Death and the Maiden' has been set. The literary devices and techniques used by Dorfman make this fictitious play seem even more real, as it isn't implausible to think that such and event might have actually occurred in Chile. It also made me appreciate Dorfman's writing style more, as the background of the play is specific and timeless at the same time. Although it is based in Chile in the 1990's it can easily be interpreted as taking place in any democratic country that has a communist history.
ReplyDeleteThese videos have helped me understand the context of Death and the Maiden. The video on torture questions the ethics and legality of the same. The hostility between communist and capitalist countries explains why Pinochet had the support of the USA. These videos enhanced my knowledge of the Cold War and Pinochet's rule, and although I do not agree with what was done, I understand and acknowledge why it was done.
ReplyDeleteThese videos helped enhance my understanding of the play the “Death and the Maiden” by Ariel Dorfman. We can only analyse the play at a superior level if we don't understand the political history behind it. Dorfman has written the play in such a way that it reflects the political background and period it was set in.
ReplyDeleteThese videos helped putting the novel, ' Death and the Maiden' into context. The videos explain the different perspectives that lived during the times and how such inhuman activities came to be. It not only helps understanding the book but also tells us a story, that was beyond my imagination, of how some petrifying and inhuman incidents are actually a part of our history. Tension between any two bodies can create unwanted problems whose ghost always continues to haunt us. Ariel Dorfman has recreated human history in his book by the help of these fictional characters with souls anything but fictional.
ReplyDeleteDeath and the Maiden is a play that juxtaposes fictional events with a political backdrop.These videos helped me appreciate the play at a greater depth rather than a superficial level. I understood the political setting and ideologies that prevailed in society during the 1990s. This made the play more relevant to me because despite having fictional characters and events, there was an element of realism attached to it.
ReplyDeleteI discovered a correlation between the videos on the Cold War and Nixon’s involvement in Allende’s disestablishment. While the latter criticised USA’s involvement in Chile, the former provides reasons for USA’s motivation in doing the same. I was able to evaluate USA’s fear of the spreading of communism through its foreign policies of containment and the Truman Doctrine. Understanding USA’s aim of containing communism helped me answer a question, which I had developed in my mind while reading, the afterward of Death and the Maiden: Why was USA so eager to disestablish Allende despite him being elected democratically? While this is no justification for USA’s interference, it helps explore the situation in Chile from all perspectives.
ReplyDelete