Los mejor calzados - Luisa Valenzuela

The Unofficial (Hi)story of the Desaparecidos in Literature, Popular Music, and Film: The Model of a Multi-Genre Culture Unit for a Communicative Foreign Language Class. ACTFL, 1997.

William Maisch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Joan Turner, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

Sample activities for a unit on the desaparecidos and the Argentine military government of the late 70s.

I. Las madres de la Plaza de Mayo - an "historic" narrative overview

A. Text: in Destinos (181-82)

(Overview of the political situation in Argentina in the 1970s)

Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo

Desgraciadamente la violencia se conoce en todas partes del mundo. Los derechos humanos son violados durante guerras civiles, guerras de independencia y revoluciones, bajo dictaduras y otros regímenes represivos o simplemente cuando hay enfrentamintos entre grupos étnicos o entre grupos con ideas diferentes sobre cualquier tema.

La Argentina vivió en los años 70 uno de los períodos más tristes de su historia. Gobernaba entonces la viuda del general Perón, María Estela, su segunda esposa. La situación política y social del país se iba deterioando. finalmente en 1976 un golpe militar terminó con el gobierno de María Estela de Perón.

Como sucede en numerosos regímenes autoritarios, la Argentina sufrió muchos abusos durante los años de esta dictadura militar. El más grave, sin duda, fue la "desaparición" de miles de personas sospechadas de actividades en contra del gobierno. Se les llama "desaparecidos" porque no fueron arrestados ni tampoco hubo ninguna orden judicial contra ellos. Simplemente desaparecieron. No se comunicaba oficialmente su paradero ni tampoco se sabía si estaban vivos o muertos. Aunque la dictadura terminó hace muchos años, la gran mayoría de los "desaparecidos" siguen sin aparecer. Es como si, oficialmente, nuncahubieran existido.

El Movimiento de las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo empezó para protestar en contra de esas desapariciones. Todos los jueves del año y en silencio, un grupo de madres y personas solidarias marchan frente a la Casa Rosada. Llevan las fotos de sus desaparecidos.

Para muchas personas, esta actitud ya no tiene sentido. El régimen político ha cambiado y piensan que el país debe aceptar la tragedia y olvidar el pasado. Pero, para las madres "no hay olvido ni perdón". Además de las madres, muchos argentinos también denuncian la violación de los derechos humanos. Ése es el caso de Adolfo Pérez de Esquivel, que en 1980 recibió el premio Nobel de la Paz. En esta fecha todavía gobernaba en la Argentina la dictadura militar.

Dice Arturo: "Es un episodio horrible en nuestra historia. Y no debemos olivarnos de que estas cosas ocurren." ¿Qué crees tú?

Also see Mundo 21 (378); or if you don't use these texts, write your own.

B. Pre-reading activities

1. advance organizer -- transparency with photos of the demonstrations in the Plaza de Mayo. Teacher asks class in Spanish: Who are these people? What are they doing? What is on the signs they're carrying?

2. pre-reading class discussion -- transparency with questions to bring forward students' prior knowledge of demonstrations.

C. Post-reading activities

1. group activity: In groups of 6-7,each student is given a card with a different "event" from the narrative, and the group has 4 minutes to put the events in chronological order: Adolfo Pérez de Esquivel recibió el premio Nobel; El regímen militar comenzó a violar los derechos humanos; El regímen militar comenzó a gobernar; Las Madres organizaron las primeras manifestaciones en la Plaza de Mayo; hubo un golpe de estado que terminó con el gobierno de María Estela Perón; Juan Perón murió; El regímen militar dejó de gobernar.

2. "plan a demonstration" activity -- transparency

a. before coming to class, individuals make a list of 3 (local, current)causes worthy of demonstrating against.

b. groups of 5 discuss each member's cause, agree on the most worthy, and plan time place and placards

c. each student preapres and delivers a one-minute speech in class on the following day to persuade his classmates in other groups to participate. Students vote on which group was most persuasive.

IA. Optional or additional introductory narrative: Little School

A. The Little School

Introduction pp. 11-18

"The One-Flower Slippers."

Alicia Partnoy

Pittsburgh, PA: Cleis Press, 1986

Summary: The Little School is an account of some of the experiences of

the author and her companions in an Argentine concentration camp where they were held between January and April in 1977. Partnoy was later transferred to a prison for two and a half more years. The One-Flower Slippers describes the day she was captured and taken to the little school.

B. PRE-ACTIVITIES

1. Associations: (I) The instructor should say the word school (escuela) and each student should give his/her 1-2 word association. (II) Students should all write a short paragraph entitled "School" and answer the question "What the word school mean to me?" (An alternative activity would be to have each student write a cinquin with the first word being School.) (III) Students are aware that the theme of the unit is the desaprecidos. They should be asked how the idea of school fits in...is it a place to train the army? a prison? an orphanage? a college? as mental image that doesn't really exist? Students should vote on each of the above as likely or unlikely.

2. At-Home Clothing: Students should pretend that someone is knocking at the door at a particular time of day (or night). The instructor should state a time i.e. 9:00 p.m. and students should tell what they were wearing yesterday. Is this the same thing that they wore to school? Why is it the same or different? Do they dress differently when they are expecting visitors?

3. Blindfolded: Ask a student volunteer to be blindfolded (leave a small space so that the student can still see his/her feet). Have another student lead him/her around the classroom. Later (while the student is still blindfolded) ask what the student remembers seeing; ask him/her to describe the floor and what was on it; was there anything else visible? What would be the most memorable thing? Ask the class: If you had to be blindfolded for a long period of time (i.e. 3 months) how would this make you feel? If you couldn't talk to anybody, what would be the main things in your life?

C. POST-ACTIVITIES

1. "Introduction"

Discussion Questions: Partnoy speaks about her routine as a university

student. How was entering her school different from entering yours? She mentions that she had a daughter, why would she get involved in political activities since she knew it was dangerous.

2. Checking Hypotheses: Students should reconsider what guesses they had made about the little school? How many were correct?

3. "The One-Flower Slippers"

Quote: In the introduction Partnoy states: "Beware: in little schools the boundaries between story and history are so subtle that even I can hardly find them." According to what you have already read in the introduction, who are "she," "Ruth" and "Vasca"? Do you think this is a true story? Is there anything that may not be true? Why do you think that Partnoy wrote in English rather than in Spanish?

4. Slippers: Have a student describe (or draw on the board) the one-flower slipper. Why did "she" always search for it when it was pushed away? Ask the class: What emotions do you feel when you think of flowers? Is the emotion usually happy or sad? What about plastic flowers? Why is the "plastic flower" image ironic here? Partnoy states that the slippers "remained at the school, disappeared." Can you connect the idea of something disappeared to the theme of the unit? Explain.

5. She: Class discussion: Is the person described as "she" a famous political person, movie/singing star, housewife/mother, or rich professional woman? Again, relate this to the theme of the desaparecidos. Why doesn't Partnoy give "she" a name? If she is speaking about herself, why do you think that she does not write in the first person?

6. The View Below: The autor writes about a "she" that is blindfolded. Make a list of references to feet, shoes, floor, etc. How does she recognize the body of her husband?

7. Ruth: In pairs, one student should take the form of Ruth and the other should be her grandmother. Ruth should tell what happened that morning. If you are Ruth, tell where you were, where your mother was, what she was doing, and the action leading up to her arrest. If you are the grandmother, you should ask questions to clarify. You can add whatever details seem appropriate.

8. Policeman: From the point of view of the policeman, write a report in which you describe the arrest of "she." Answer the usual who, what, when, where, and why questions.

II. Uno más uno - song

A. Lyrics

Pudo ser Juan o Mara o Manuel,

ahora es Javier quien desapareció.

Se perdió un día cualquiera

como si fuera una perla revuelta

en toneladas de arroz.

Durante mucho tiempo

no se supo más de él.

Desapareció, no sabemos de él,

Simplemente desapareció.

No sabemos de él, pero pudo ser Juan

o Mara o Manuel, ahora es Javier

quien desapareció.

Ahora es Javier quien desapareció.

Ahora entre cuatro paredes

el tiempo vuela

y ya son tres años

y el silencio pesa.

Mi voz quisiera cantar

que somos el día de mañana

que vendremos todos juntos

que abriremos tu ventana.

Uno a uno llegarán

los brazos entrelazados

con el limpio cuerpo erguido

y los puños encrispados.

La tarde se vuelve gris

y el silencio pesa,

y los presos regresan

a sus tristezas.

Tras las rejas hay obreros,

campesinos y profesores (que)

por querer participar

los llaman agistdores.

Muchos no tuvieron

ese privilegio.

Muchos ya pagaron

muy alto precio.

Mi voz quisiera cantar

que somos el día de mañana,

que vendremos todos juntos,

que abriremos tu ventana.

Uno a uno llegarn

los brazos entrelazados,

con el limpio cuerpo erguido

y los puños encrispados.

"Uno más uno"

Lyrics: J.M.Gálvez

(1984 Folklore Music)

Recorded by Sabiá

"Tenth Anniversary Concert"

"Formando un puente"

Sabiá is a group of Northamerican women who used their music to publicize the struggle for human rights in Latin America. In their songs they feature instruments from Latin American

countries. They write some of their songs as well as sing the music of Isabel Parra and Jess Pérez.

B. PRE-ACTIVITIES

1. Musical Instruments: Sabiá uses instruments from Latin America. Ask students to consider which instruments these might be? Which other performers use these instruments? Given that this song is about the desaparecidos, do students think the song will have ... sad stumming? loud, angry cords?

2. The Pearl: Have a student go to the chalkboard and draw a picture of a large bowl (fishbowl type)...tell the student to "fill" it with rice...have another student go to the board and draw a "pearl" within the rice. Discuss the difficulty of finding the pearl especially if the bowl were to be shaken. The exercise is more graphic if the teacher brings a glass bowl to class, fills it with rice, and drops in a "pearl."

3. Have the class generate other images of an object being hidden i.e. a tree in a forest, etc. Try to bring out the notion of how something common blends into a group.

4. Names: Ask the students to suggest typical or common names...names that are popular. Have the discussion lead toward the Spanish names, Juan, Mara, Manuel, Javier.

C. POST-ACTIVITIES

1. Content Questions:

What is the name of the latest person to disappear?

What were the circumstances? Were they typical?

How long has it been since anyone has heard from him?

What are some of the occupations of the disappeared persons?

Where are some of them? And others?

What is the "privilegio" that the author is referring to?

How does the author use the future tense? What does this suggest?

2. Figurative Language:

With what image does the author compare the disappearance of Javier?

Which figure of speech is this?

With what words (images) that authors (poets) use to indicate the passing of time? And this author?

What is the last image of the song? Is it sad? hopeful? militant? submissive? or?

3. Personalization:

a. Content map: in symbols (icons) draw the action of the poem.

b. In small groups, students should explain their drawings.

c. Discuss with students whether the song seems sad or upbeat. Have them indicate whether or not they think the music matches the theme. Is the music uniform throughout or does it change?

Recommendation: Have students fill in the following chart.

I would (not) recommend this song to:

Person: Yes No

Best friend

Parent

Teacher

IIA. Optional or additional song "Canción para mi muerte," Charlie García and Sui Generis; sound and lyrics available at: http://www.clarin.com/Rock/entreg04/html/index.html

III. La historia oficial - film

In addition to the educational distributors, available at most retail video rental stores, and appears regularly on cable.

Summary: A middle class Argentine high school history teacher (Alicia)realizes that her five-year old adopted daughter was born in captivity to a political prisoner, one of the desaparecidos, victims of the military regime for which her husband works. For a more detailed synopsis see http://www.sr.bham.ac.uk/~dbc/Movies/Reviews/Official_Story.html

If the film has to be viewed in class, it is recommended that it be done in 4 25-minute "bits," leaving time for post-viewing activities on the day the bit is shown.

A. Pre-viewing activities

1. Advance organizer for film (bit 1 of 4) - transparency of various still frames from the first half hour; teacher asks: What do you think the film will be about? What does the title suggest to you, "La historia oficial"?

2. Pre-viewing activity - transparency with video still frames: teacher asks if students feel that homes, schools, and restaurants are pretty much the same in all parts of the world; and, if not, which of the three would be most alike, and which most different from country to country.

3. Class survey -- communicative practice talking about students'familiar experiences with home, school, and restaurants - A survey

a) class divides into three groups to survey other students: 1) on schools; 2) on homes; and, 3) on restaurants.

b) each student interviews five other students on the assigned area, and takes notes on their responses.

c) each of the three groups comes together to compare their results and report to the class.

B. Post-viewing activities.

1. Teacher asks whether the film met or did not meet students' prior conjectures regarding which would be most alike: schools, homes or restaurants.

2. Comprehension check questions on points that are esential to the rest of the film: Who is Alicia? Where does she work? Who is her husband? Where does he work? Who is Gabby? Who is Ana? Why was Ana out of the country?

3. Group discussion: the differences between Alicia's history class and Benítez'literature class; is it a comentary on the film's theme? Follow-up: groups report their ideas to the whole class.

4. Ana's diary - individual writing assignment. Re-tell Ana's story from her point of view, add dates and other details.

IV. Los mejor calzados - a short story by Luisa Valenzuela

A. Text: found in her book, Aquí pasan cosas raras (1972)

Also in ¡A que sí! Heinle & Heinle 1993 p 218-219.

Also on http://lenti.med.umn.edu/~ernesto/Valenzuela/Calzados.html

Summary: Tells how beggars search for the bodies of political disidents in order to retrieve their shoes. The shoes are bartered for by the beggars or sold to the families of the victims as the only momento of their loved ones.

B. PRE-ACTIVITIES:

1. Shoes: Ask students in Spanish for the names of different types of shoes. Discuss which types of shoes have the most status among students. Have the students vote for their favorite shoes.

2. See who are the "mejor calzados" of the class.

3. We Are What We Wear:

a. Mention that people are sometimes known or associated with a certain type of shoes i.e. Prince and the white glove.

b. Have students fill in the following grid:

Person: Favorite Article of Clothing

Student

Parent

Sibling

Teacher

Grandparent

c. In a small group (4-5 students) discuss what each object reveals about that person i.e. likes, work, hobby, etc.

5. The student should choose his/her favorite article of clothing and write a paragraph about the significance of the object i.e. when it is worn, shy, etc.

6. Key Words: Give each small group 4-5 words from the story and have them guess what the story is about (mendigo, jactarse, zapatos, puesto, obra de bien) Each small group should read its summary and the class should vote on the best.

7. About the Author: Have the students read (in English or in Spanish) a short summary of Valenzuela's life (One possibility in English can be found in Interviews with Latin American Authors by Marie-Lise Gazarian Gautier) Mention that Valenzuela was a journalist. What effect might that have on the style of the selection that the class will read?

C. POST-ACTIVITIES

1.Content Questions:

1.Why don't the mendigos collect clothing other than shoes?

2. What does this tell us about the way that people are killed?

3. Who are the proprietors of the shoe stands?

4. Who buys the shoes? Why would they want them?

5. Why don't the police harass the mendigos?

6. Where are the bodies of the disappeared ones found?

2. Sociologist: By reading between the lines, we can see what Valenzuela is saying about the state of life in Argentina in the 70s. What inferences can be made about the following areas of life:

a. economic

b. political

c. personal

3. Bragging: Many cities are famous for certain traits i.e. Philadelphia is the city of brotherly love. Valenzuela says that Buenos Aires has the best shod beggars. What is your city known for? Explain why.

4. Begging: In small groups make a list of why people in the U.S. become beggars i.e. they've lost jobs, etc. As a whole group, discuss the question whether the reasons would be the same or different in Buenos Aires. Might there be other reasons?

5. History of a Shoe: The instructor should bring an old shoe to class (Salvation Army variety) and display it on his/her desk. The students should write a history of the shoe i.e. mention the owner, his/her age, build, occupation.

6. Cinquin

Model:

Write the name of the theme of your poem

Describe the theme with two or three words

Give three or four words that express action

Express an opinion about the theme with a short sentence.

Write another word that renames or sums up the theme.

Finish the following cinquin:

Zapatos

Testigos de mi vida

7. Quotes: How are the ideas from the following quotes reflected in the story:

Question: "Now that you are a novelist, do you carry your experiences as a journalist into your work?"

Answer: I think one is inseparable from the other. The journalist I once was, and still am, continues to influence the way I look at my surroundings--it has taught me many things. Thanks to journalism, I have learned how to synthesize, how to narrage a story as concisely as possible." (303)

"It is very difficult for me to separate life and literature" (305)

"Even when humor is not in my work, I have a feeling there is irony or cynicism or some biased way of saying things which could be more or less funny." (315)

8. If you were the interviewer, what questions would you have liked to ask Valenzuela? In small groups, make a list and compare your list with those of other groups.

REFERENCES

Interviews with Latin American Writers

Marie-Lise Gazarian Gautier

Dalkey Archive Press

Elmwood Park, IL 1989

V. Pamphlet of the Niños desaparecidos: Madres y familiares de detenidos. -- input for creative writing with drawing

A. Text: Pamphlet with photos of missing children, includes "children's" poems and crayon drawings. Presented, not read by students, as an example of the potential of lower case literature (and quite probably lower case art) to record the unofical, affective history of a people and to be used as an instrument of persuasion.

B. Presentation of the pamphlet: transparencies showing the crude black & white photos and text. Transparency of the "child's" poem and crayon drawings. During presentation teacher should pose questions to whole class: What sort of book is this? What is its purpose? Why were the crayon drawings and the "child's" poem included? Do you think that they are authentic? (i.e. done by an eight year old child)

C. Creative task: to think of an issue (local or global, current or recent past), a sociological phenomenon whose victims are small children, and create an original crayon drawing and poem in Spanish as if you were one of the child victims. Make your drawing and poem as convincingly child-like as posible; remember small children don't generally use words like explotar and narcotráfico. Students may need a couple of suggestions of such sociological phenomen; you might mention exploitation of child labor, domestic violence [when I did this assignment I mentioned two or three and my students came up with six or more that I had not thought of]. As follow up, have each student present his drawing and poem to the class. Have class vote on the most authentically child-like drawing and poem; the most moving; and, the one most likely to have been done by a Spanish speaking child.

VI. "Todavía Cantamos" - Mercedes Sosa

Todavía cantamos, todavía pedimos