Pieces of Wisdom by Aphorisms

Sunday, 23rd November 2014

Writing poetry: Part I My Quatrain

Tuesday, 18th November 2014

Rehearsing to be a poet

You never know what you can do until you try,

so why not just rehearse a poet's rhyme?

Life is so similar to a wheel ride:

if you never dare, you'll waste your time.

Laura María Heras Ruiz

THE ART OF LOVING, by Erich Fromm- Chapter 1. Is it love an Art?

Wednesday, 11th November 2014

THE ART OF LOVING, by Erich Fromm

Chapter 1. Is it love an Art?

The main intention of the book is demonstrating that love is an art, something that requires knowledge and effort, which can be learnt. The author’s concept of love is the consequence of a conscientious work, not something that happens by chance.

He reinforces his idea of love as a struggle by mentioning three mistakes that people make when they love and which cause that many couples split up: 

The first failure consists of the notion of passive love (being loved) rather than active love (love somebody or something). People want to be loved or being worth of it. What is more, nobody thinks of being able to love as the main target to aim to. A big effort is needed to become successful or to get enough features for being loved.

The second usual mistake is to conceive love as an object instead of as an ability to be increased and developed through willingness, willpower and convenience. In fact, the belief of romantic love is very recent, and this vision has demolished the concept of love as a faculty in the world today, as it follows the path of consumism. In that way, we seek love as if we were looking for new clothes or shoes from a shop window.

Last but not least, the third mistake he has found is that people should stand in love instead of falling or being in love. This means that after being able to pass all the stages of love, even with its rough patches, there is nothing easier in life than to love. Not being able to stand in love causes an overwhelming lack of knowledge about the meaning of love and in most cases, falling in love ends to be an intense but extremely short experience followed by disappointment and frustration.

Finally, the writer reinforces the thought of love as an art by pointing out that you have to master both in theory and practice, and the proficiency of the art must be a topic of ultimate concern, that is, to have no other purpose than benefit your spirit, being a better person and feeling good.

THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH. KEN FOLLETT

THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by KEN FOLLETT

REVIEW

The Pilars of the Earth is a historical novel by Ken Follett. This book tells the tale of a twelfth-century monk driven to do the seemingly impossible: build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has ever known in the town of Kingsbridge, England.

One of the best things about this book is the way in which it combines intrigue, fast-paced action, and passionate romance. But what makes The Pillars of the Earth extraordinary is the time—the twelfth century; the place—feudal England; and the subject—the building of a glorious cathedral. Follett has re-created the crude, flamboyant England of the Middle Ages in every detail.

The building of the cathedral is the centre of the drama. Around the site of the construction, Follett weaves a story of betrayal, revenge, and love which catch the reader. That is what makes this great bestseller thrilling and breathtaking.

If I were to make a criticism of the book, it would be that the descriptions of the buildings and the process of building the cathedral were extensive.  At times it seemed a little long winded but for the most part I enjoyed reading about all of the work that went into building in 12th century.  The characters are all well-developed and Follett created one of the most awful villains I have ever read.  William Hamleigh will forever be on my list of super villains after reading this book.  He was such an evil character! Most of the rest of the characters were likable and I definitely felt connected to Tom Builder and his family.  I liked that the story followed the family for so many years and I could watch his children grow up and flourish.

All in all, reading this book you cannot fail to fall in love with the characters. The Pillars of the Earth is an incredibly intimidating book but once I started reading it, the story and characters trapped me. It actually reads pretty quickly for such a huge book!

A powerful ballad:`Nothing Else Matters´ by Metallica

Wednesday, 22nd October 2014

Nothing Else Matters by Metallica

´Nothing else matters´ is without a doubt one of the most outstanding and remarkable songs by the American heavy metal band Metallica. 

One of the best things about this song is the way in which the ballad is introduced by an acoustic guitar solo. This begins soft and weak and becomes more and more powerful and passionate.

The main theme of its lyrics is the bond that the composer Hetfield shared with his then girlfriend even when he was on tour. He stated that on the lyrics, which talk about being "so close, no matter how far". Curiously, Hetfield composed it when he was on the phone with her.

Listening to this song, you cannot fail to plunge and get seduced by the harmony of the guitar and the orchestra cover.

Arguably Metallica's only "love" song; "Nothing Else Matters" breaks away from the rest of its songs in terms of lyrics and melody. The ballad is, for the most part, stimulating, moving and thought-provoking. It manages to successfully combine love, rock and heavy metal. Since the lyrics didn't reflect typical Metallica materials, such as death, demons and drugs.

After listening to this song, you will be pulled to listen more and more hits of this well-know band.

"Nothing Else Matters"
Metallica

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
But I know

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters

Never cared for what they say
Never cared for games they play
Never cared for what they do
Never cared for what they know
And I know

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
No nothing else matters

TOURIST VS TRAVELLER

By all accounts there is a traditional difference between a tourist and a traveller. Most people think of a tourist as somebody just interested in taking photographs to show other people later on or to boast about how far they have travelled.

On the other hand, travellers are very proud of themselves because they are able to stand out from the crowd of tourists.

Is really there some difference between a tourist and a traveller? According to the experts, the difference is established by the degree of involvement in your experience. People who do not feel attached, moved or involved in it can be considered tourists. The good side of being a tourist is how aware of who they are, what they are doing and why they are there.

By contrast, if you feel in any way deeply close to the locals or their circumstances, you are a traveller.

However, a hybrid, a cross between travellers and tourists may be the best point of view to afford this question. The secret to solve this dilemma is keeping all the good points and cover them by means of a new word: travelist.

THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURER: RICHARD BURTON & THE MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON

Thursday, 9th October 2014

THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURER:

RICHARD BURTON & THE MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON

1) Describe the following characters: Richard Burton, John H. Speke, Isabel Burton, Lowry.

Captain Richard BURTON is an adventurer and explorer. He is a very wise, quick-witted and courageous person, who loves anthropology, languages and cultures and holds a curious and intrepid spirit. He does not accept the rules of his society since he needs to look beyond (religion, sexuality…) to be fulfilled. Burton feels really engaged to his research and his discoveries sometimes frustrate him. He has travelled to many far-flung places, which no man from his époque could have ever imagined to visit. The reason for this was his need to discover new cultures and ways of living.

Lieutenant John H. SPEKE left home when he was 17 and now he became a self-sufficient man. He travels with Burton as a doctor in the expedition, but according to the film he is kind of mistrustful, wary impatient and impulsive. For instance, when he decides to become Burton’s enemy and forgets the moments they live together.

Speke is younger than Burton but even though he has not as much experience as him- apart from being a soldier in the colonies-, they share the same ambitious spirit.

ISABEL is a rebellious and inquiring lady not common to women of that time. She loves everything about Burton even before she gets to know him because she has been reading his books and translations. Little by little, she becomes Burton’s important pillar of support and encouragement. She fights to get the best for him and make his dreams come true. All of this made they get married and they show loyalty with each other in every moment. From that instant, they did not separate and she got to realise her dream of being a traveller as well.

LOWRY is an ambitious unprincipled publisher who loves taking advantage of others and uses their achievements in his own benefit. He does anything for power and fame. He plays a key role in the story, as he is the one who germinates the hostility between Burton and Speke.

2) How would you contrast Burton and Speke? What are their respective motivations to travel and explore? What is the attitude towards other cultures and peoples?

In the case of Speke, there would be two answers for this questions, one for the beginning of the story, and another that appears from the middle until the end. He shows himself cautious at the beginning, even showing some violence to the natives, as he is trying to show who is the one who rules there. Later on, this violence is proved to be fear towards these new cultures. Also, at first he is only thinking in bringing back some data for the Geographical Society, not really interested in experiencing the trip for his own sake, he just wants to finish his job and go back home. But this all changes later on as he becomes closer to Burton.

On the contrary, Burton is not only interested in finding the objective of the trip. He is a person who shows total respect to the people he encounters in his way, as he is more interested in the journey than in the destination. Due to his knowledge of other cultures, he knows how to approach tribes in order to show friendliness. He doesn't show himself as a slave handler, as he really cares about the people that help him achieve his expeditions.

3) How does each one feel about the other? Do their feelings change in the course of the movie?

The first time they meet, during the battle they fight against the natives, Burton shows some condescension towards Speke, as he has much more experience in situations like that. However, Burton is the one who goes back to him and asks him to go together to find the sources of the Nile. As the story develops, Speke shows some personality, as well as admiration towards Burton, who also learns from Speke. They support each other to live through their experience in Africa, developing a very close relationship. Despite of that, due to the lie Lowry invents, they become enemies by the end of the story.

4) How does Burton contrast with Victorian society?

Burton can be defined as an outcast. He doesn't belong to the Victorian society because of the way he thinks towards other cultures and countries. He shows that in the way he dresses and on the way he behaves towards those who accuse him of being friend of the savages and natives. Burton had seen and experienced things that hardly ever could make him fit in a society again, either Victorian or not.

5) Why is Burton so interested in the slave medicine man? Why does he feel so miserable when he is killed?

Burton is so interested because he considers the slave medicine man a friend. Apart from that, he believes that the man has some secret inside of him, so he has the need to explore what he means with the predictions he makes through the story. Burton feels so bad because he feels responsible for bringing back the man to his old tribe, who treated him as a slave. However, he believes that by dying, the medicine man has finally found freedom.

6) Why doesn't Burton want to try to go to the lake Speke discovered while he was retained at the African Village?

Burton has experienced the horror of seeing his friend dying, and he is feeling really disappointed about the trip when Speke comes back. Now he doesn't have the need to discover the source of the Nile so badly. At the same time, Speke tells him that they don't have instruments for measuring anymore, so there is no point on repeating the same process again. Due to this, he concludes that if that lake is the source of the Nile, it cannot be proved scientifically, and decides not to go.

7) What are their divergent conceptions of the sources of the Nile? Who is right?

Speke believed that the Nile came from only one lake, the one he found at the end of the expedition. He had no measuring instruments, but he strongly believed that he had found the source. On the other hand, Burton thought that the Nile came from more that one lake, from a group of lakes, as his experience in other lake during the journey tells him. At the end Speke is the one who is right, the Nile comes from the lake he named Victoria.

8) Would you say that Burton betrays Speke? If so, why does he do it? And why does Burton react with what appears as passivity?

It is right the opposite. Speke is the one betraying Burton because of a misunderstanding. As Lowry sees that Speke wants to wait for Burton's return to tell the account of their expedition, he invents a lie that makes Speke feel betrayed, and so he does the same to Burton.

Burton himself feels disappointed at the beginning, but prefers to keep his friendship towards Speke than confronting him, that is why he seems to be passive towards the situation. Ultimately, he is convinced to have a debate to discuss the scientific facts that support Speke's theory, which results in the death of Speke.

9) When in one of the last scenes of the movie, Burton leaves the Hall of the Geographical Society, Lowry Oliphant tells him that the journals will call him murderer, that he will see to it that they write that. Burton simply replies: "It's never what they write". What does he mean?

He means that you cannot trust blindly what is written in the newspapers. At the same time, as writer, he goes further than the daily news and applies that to History or Geography books, which sometimes are written without scientific facts or deeper research, as in the case of Speke's theory of the source of the Nile.

10) What is the significance of the movie last scene?

I believe that it shows that Burton never had real anger towards Speke. He really appreciated Speke despite all the harm and smear he caused him. In fact, he is the one that remembers his face even better than the members of his family. It is a humble tribute he pays to his old friend.

11) Pay attention to Burton's final speech in front of the Geographical Society. Can we learn what real traveling is from the movie? Can we learn anything that we can apply to our own traveling?

We can learn that traveling is not only moving from point A to point B, is what happens between those to points, which helps you appreciate what you find in your destination. Following Burton's experience, without the need to go through so extreme experiences almost facing death, we can have the opportunity to enjoy a trip in a deeper way if we show respect to natives, and try to understand their way of living. This way of living goes from the language to everyday routine, and we can be simple spectators of the show or try to be part of the play, depending on how adventurous we feel.

THE TOWN WHERE I WAS BORN

Monday, 29th September 2014

THE TOWN WHERE I WAS BORN

The part of Spain which tourists most like to visit is where I am from the South of Spain. This region is called Andalusia.

I was born in the city of Granada, which is in the south east of the country, and where there used to be a Muslim Kingdom before Catholic King and Queen Conquest in 1491.

'Garden of Earthly Delights' by Bosch. Analysis.

'Garden of Earthly Delights' Analysis

Hieronymus Bosch (Netherlands, 1450–1516)

The painting to be analysed is the most popular and ambitious masterpiece of the Netherlander, Hieronymus Bosch, `The Garden of Heavenly Delights’. This is an allegoric landscape painting organized as triptych composition dating from between 1450 and 1516. These pictures as a whole respond to the Flemish School ideals, on one hand the importance of nature and landscape by means of rivers, mountains and caves; and on the other hand the richness of vivid colours and textures. One of the main features of this Dutch painter is his fantastical, often monstrous, hybrid creatures who might in some ways be seen as a forerunner of the Surrealists. You can find the influences of this painting in some of Dalí's pieces of work in the detail illustration below.

‘The Garden of Heavenly Delights’ is composed of three scenes, which are probably but not necessarily intended to be read chronologically from left to right. The left panel is a broad view of socially engaged nude figures, as well as fantastical and oversized animals and fruits. This main picture gives name to the masterpiece by showing the pleasures and sins of human worldly living. Last but not least, the right panel illustrates the horrors of Hell, the place where sinners pay for what they did on Earth. Life, faith, happiness and hope fade away as light and colours come to darkness from the left to the right side.

The 'Prince of Hell' feeds with the sinners.

It seems obvious that the artist wants to symbolize the perils of life’s temptations as a warning for what may come after our life on Earth.