by Carmen M. Martínez-Roldán, University of Texas, Austin
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Is fire born of words? Or are words born of fire?
In this 4th and last blog about The Dreamer I invite a reflection on the political dimension of writing. In the novel, Muñoz Ryan describes three incidents that help the reader gain insights into Pablo Neruda’s view of his vocation as a writer.
When the newspaper office was set on fire,
Neftalí stayed until all that remained was smoky ash. He stood next to uncle Orlando in what now looked like the bed of a giant campfire. . . “Then it is over?” said Neftalí. “The murders of innocent people will continue? Everyone will act as if nothing happened?” Uncle Orlando stood a little taller. “Nefatlí, there is always something that can be done . . . Did you know that many whispers can make a very loud noise?” . . . He walked to a mound of smoking ash and kicked it with his boot. Underneath, glowing embers pulsed like a heart. “You are wrong. Just like Mount Llaima, there is always something burning beneath the surface. Sometimes it takes years to erupt. But, eventually, it will. Nephew, they may have silenced La Mañana, but they will never silence my pen.” . . . Neftalí reached out and gripped his uncle’s palm and held it tight. “Nor will they silence mine.” (pp. 307-309).
Had Nefatalí imagined he would be facing a similar experience when his father, outraged by Neftalí’s writing, decided to set on fire his notebooks and transformed them into a pile of ashes? Afterwards, one of the poets Neftalí admired had been arrested during a student protest and put in prison, where he died. Still, Neftalí kept his word:
Nor will they silence mine.
Muñoz Ryan reminds us that a few days before Neruda died, he was treated as a traitor and armed guards working for Pinochet searched his house. “When they arrived, Neruda announced, “Look around-there is only one thing of danger for you here: poetry.” (p. 358)
Thus, Neruda liked to use green ink for writing because he related the color and his poetry to hope and emotions but at the same time he saw poetry as a “dangerous art.” What are your thoughts about the multiple dimensions of poetry?
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I absolutely love Uncle Orlando’s question to Neftali, “Did you know that many whispers can make a very loud noise?” My students often feel powerless and overwhelmed by the idea of creating significant change, so Orlando’s question would help them to think about the power that each individual has in the world. In addition to reminding the reader about the power of each individual, this quote addresses the power and effectiveness of cooperation and teamwork. These values are essential to discuss and promote in a middle school classroom.
I truly appreciate the way that Munoz highlights the political nature of writing in ‘The Dreamer.’ Many students often wonder, ‘What’s the point of writing?’ In my English class, I hope that they begin to comprehend the many benefits of writing, such as entertaining the reading, sharing knowledge, or inspiring activism. Uncle Orlando clearly understands the political power of writing, and his effort to share his perspective with Neftali is uplifting.
When Orlando says, “They will never silence my pen,” I’m reminded of a historical novel that I teach called ‘The Other Side of Truth’ (by a South African writer named Beverly Naidoo). In this inspiring tale, a radical Nigerian journalist speaks out about the corrupt government. As a result, his wife is murdered and his children must flee to England. Like ‘The Dreamer,’ this book addresses the power of writing and shows how people can create non-violent change by using their words.
I’m still wondering about the specific power of poetry in and of itself, but I think the power, political and otherwise, of the written word is extremely strong. For something to be put down in writing means that it cannot be ignored or dismissed, and its message can be spread rapidly. It’s for this reason that I believe both Padre and those who burned down La Mañana had to resort to such an exaggerated act (setting fire) in order to adequately silence the power of the words. A spoken message can be ignored or forgotten, but words on a page will always be there to remind you until they are destroyed completely. I thought this power was particularly underlined by Tío Orlando when he said, “los artículos pueden animar a la gente a susurrar a puertas cerradas (Articles can inspire people to whisper at closed doors)” (p. 307).
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that progressive societal change is almost always preceded by provocative literature. And it’s not a few years; poems and essays and stories and novels often come multiple decades before any meaningful legislation passes. We see this with the plethora of African American writers writing in the early 1900s (WEB DuBois) 1940s (Richard Wright) and 50s (James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison), before Civil Rights Legislation in the mid 1960s. This makes Children, Adolescent, and Adult literature encompassing the immigrant experience so important, given that the DREAM act has failed to make it’s way through Congress on multiple attempts. It seems that the progressive ideas and ways of thinking just need a few years to sink in….
I think poetry is powerful because good poetry can speak to the depths of every conceivable human emotion. It is often more powerful than expository writing because it can use images and metaphors to express its meaning. A well-written argument may make a reader think, but a carefully crafted image is more likely to linger in the reader’s mind. I think of Langston Hughes’s poem “I, Too” in which the speaker describes his experience of being sent away to the kitchen to eat when company come simply because he is black. The speaker shares his resilience writing “But I laugh,/ And eat well,/ And grow strong.” All of this paints a powerful portrait for the audience and gives them a solid image to grasp onto as they contemplate ideas about segregation, resistance, and personal strength. The next time the reader thinks about these issues, they are likely to drawn on a mental picture of person left to eat alone. The power of poetry is its ability to make the political personal.
Like Megan, I believe that poetry can be highly political. Before I taught middle school English, I didn’t really enjoy poetry or even understand the value in it. Fortunately, while teaching my first poetry unit (8 years ago), I began to understand the power and beauty of poetry. I’ve seen many students flourish when they read and write poetry. They often feel a sense of liberation and freedom to express themselves without being confined by grammatical rules. I appreciate that Megan brought up Langston Hughes because I’ve taught many of his poems, and my students often internalize his political messages even more than when they read an entire books. ‘A Dream Deferred’ is one particular poem that often has long-lasting effects on students. The emotions that the poem evokes remain with students and inspire them to become more thoughtful readers, writers, and hopefully activists.
I appreciate Sarah’s mentioning that poetry gives the freedom to write “without being confined by grammatical rules.” This opens the door to multiple avenues of creativity and expression. Writers can disregard conventional grammar and punctuation rules to highlight a particular idea or to express themselves in a way that feels familiar and conversational. Poets can blend languages and dialects in any way they see fit. This can create poetry that reflects the way a particular community speaks in a playful and lighthearted way. It can also be used to reflect pride in one’s language and reject externally imposed language norms. Beyond the linguistic benefits, unconventional layout and punctuation also give writers the opportunity to create a work that blurs the line between written and visual art.
I do agree that poetry has something visual that captivates a reader much more than the traditional paragraph form of prose. Megan brought up a good point that it can blur the lines between art and literature, perhaps combining the most powerful aspects of the two. Choosing to use a few strong words on a page instead of many can reach a point more effectively, just as the visual allure of an interestingly laid out poem (something not usually experimented with in prose) can draw a reader to the page.
In response to the blog prompt, I think that poetry can be powerful politically because it is a beautiful and meaningful way to inspire the reader to see many truths in life as well as call the reader to action. Poetry can be used to write in a way that often leaves its true meaning hidden just below the surface. Hence, the reader must search him or herself for the true meaning of the piece. This way of writing is especially effective when thought of as a secret message, one that at times can be used to subvert political or other types of censorship.
Neruda was famous for using his poetry as a means to not only inspire readers romantically and socially, but also politically. His art form was one of the most powerful ways to rebel against the suffocating political regime that existed in Chile under the dictator Pinochet. Eventually, Neruda was forced to leave Chile, but he still used his poetry as a way to write about the country’s situation, even if from afar, to alert those inside as well as outside Chile to what was truly going on.
Poetry is a particularly well-suited vehicle for creating layers of meaning. As Sarita mentioned, poets can veil their controversial messages behind metaphorical language. This gives them the ability to write freely regardless of the political climate they reside in. Beyond the benefit of combating censorship, the multidimensional nature of poetry also makes it possible for a variety of readers to connect and find meaning in each piece. It opens the doors to a variety of interpretations. As different audiences read a poem, they may each relate to different aspects of the poem. Likewise, individual readers may enjoy a specific poem throughout various stages of their lives and discover new treasures each time they revisit it.
I like what Megan said about layers of meaning and veiling controversial messages behind metaphors and poetic language. This is one of the powers of poetry, literature, story-telling, and of course music and art as well. Not only is it a “sneaky” way to make a political statement or challenge a regime or viewpoint, it brings the debate into the popular domain for everyone to understand. The easiest depiction that jumps into my mind is Chuck Berry’s “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” where he subtly comments on race relations in 1950s America, saying how all women are looking for a brown-eyed handsome man. Brown eyes, in other words, is brown skin. By using a metaphor, these works of literature, art, and music make the message more universal. In other words, a poem that calls for regime change in one country could be applicable to regime change in another country (hence so many groups, political parties, and ordinary citizens embracing symbols like Che Guevarra, or in music, Bob Marley –his face is in every country).
I agree that poetry can be a wonderful medium through which to reject standard forms of grammar or language. Poetry is much more loosely bound to “rules” commonly set in place for other forms of literature because it is thought of as in its own category, more of an interpretive art form. A reader of poetry expects to be challenged and engaged by a poem in a way that is different from a book or other text. A piece of poetry tends to be short and to the point, while at the same time talking about important stories and issues. For this reason, the political nature of poetry tends to be an unspoken norm.
I like what Sarita said about poetry and grammar. On one hand, this makes poetry very accessible to students who have less formal experience with grammar and rules, as well as students who speak, say Spanglish, at home. Poetry doesn’t mean you ignore rules of grammar, but a student, who maybe doesn’t feel successful in certain areas of study, can succeed in this less traditional work product. It is perfect for using inner voice and connecting great ideas students have, even if they are not completely developed or thought out (maybe they cannot write a paragraph with evidence on how they feel, but with fragments and images and phrases they can create a beautiful poem). Likewise, form influence how we read and speak, and each student can make the form reflect how they use language, a language that may be their 2nd or 3rd.