My initial reaction after reading the first half of Las Memorias de Mama Blanca is that I do not like it very much. I have found it very difficult to get into the book and become interested and engaged in it. As a result, I am having a harder time comprehending it. While the book is centered around events and parts of Parra’s life, I do not find that the events are all that connected to one another and as a result, it seems as though a plot (in the sense that as the story progresses, the events too progress and build on one another) is somewhat lacking. Furthermore, I think that we all have memories from our youth of our siblings, parents, and relatives. If I were to communicate these to others, I do not think that they would find them nearly as interesting as I would, for they would not have the same significance, meaning, or memory for that matter. Perhaps (and I am hoping) the second half of the book is slightly different than the first. I do not doubt that Mama Blanca was an important or influential woman in the life of Teresa Parra, but to have her retell memories of her mother from childhood isn’t really all that interesting to me. I also think, the events she is choosing to tell are not all that interesting themselves (i.e. talking about her hair for 6 pages). I feel as though I may be coming across as quite harsh in my critique of the first half of this book, but it was definitely more of a struggle than enjoyment to get through it. I hope that my feelings change while reading the second half. To me, it is not quite clear yet why Parra is writing this book. Granted everyone’s mother is important in relation to his or her own life, but I do not think Parra has successfully articulated why Mama Blanca is so special.
January 29, 2007 at 12:30 am |
Kerry, just a couple of clarifications…
First, that this is a novel; and though many novels have autobiographical elements, this one is set some decades before de la Parra’s own birth, with a preface that outlines quite a complicated relationship between the book’s supposed editor and its narrator.
Second, though, the novel is also quite self-conscious, and among other things directly addresses the point you’re making. I’m thinking of her discussion of primo Juancho and his stories and the comment “¿Cómo podían correr juntos, agarrados alegramente de la mano, esa pareja de enemigos mortales: la trivialidad y el interés?” (133).
In part this is what the whole book’s about: a life at the margins (in the family, a family of women) and its interests, however apparently trivial they may seem, especially viewed from the (male) world of public life and business.
February 4, 2007 at 11:14 pm |
I completely agree with you. After I read your post, I was surprised to notice how similar to mine is. I really don’t like this book, and I am only reading it so I can understand the discussions. I don’t understand why we need to read this book for this class. I am sure it is an important work, but I don’t learn much from it. Maybe I am not open minded enough, but it simply bores me to death.
February 5, 2007 at 6:41 am |
Haha – yeah it’s kind long. But I guess I enjoyed the part about the hair curling! In terms of the non-linear, or even random plot, I think it was unique, because it sort of throws around various events without making things too heavy or detailed.