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 Both The Legend of the Silent Bell and Pong's Dream demonstrate how the tenets of Christianity were used to justify the actions of colonists from Spain. Although characters wholeheartedly and respectfully believe in the catholic God in both stories, these indigenismo pieces critique religion as the monolithic and aggressive mechanism of Western cultural imperialism. Although not inherently evil, racial condemnation in Catholic practices and aim to convert the world, thus destroying culture of indigenous civilizations whose goods and materials are used to stimulate Spain's economy. 

In The Legend of the Silent Bell I believe the call of the church of Clarisas for citizen's precious metals as an act of personal faith represents the cultural sacrifice many indigenous peoples were forced to decide between under colonization: assimilate or become an enemy of the Queen. I was a little confused why, outside of them also being gold, was Clara to trust in a miracle and give up her eyes for the bell? Her struggle over keeping her her sight was emphasized by a dream sent to her, where the aspect of her indigenous background  and Christian conversion collide. In expounding"...blood of the two races, blindness of the two races, tears of the two races" Clara is cursing her own cultural dichotomy, damned in either outcome of her decision by the institutions responsible. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptive imagery, at times I felt that at times it took away from the clarity of the story, like all of this, that's just my perception as a reader. Clara, having sealed her fate, explains that her act of expunging her eyes with the nail of Jesus' crucifix was the mixing of sun, "the sun of her tenuous race sacrificed and sacrificing and Christ the Spaniard, brave and bloody." This announcement of her sacrifice as crossing of cultural boundaries is dominated by the sound of the bells being tolled, exemplifying how historically assimilation into Christianity overlooked and aimed to deafen the voices they exploit and discriminate against. 

Pongo's Dream emphasizes Spain's enforced caste system of colonial, feudal Peru  which was designed with the intention to pit sections of society against each other. I felt that Poncho's dream of holy retribution is told to his master in the most respectful and calm tone, which makes me want to see the reaction out of the master, but in reality if such a thing were said by a servant, the realistic outcome would be that person's story ending. However, it is said carefully in such contrast to the silence of pongo through the mistreatment and abuse inflicted to him by his master. The patient explanation of his dream is the crescendo of the story, and since José María Arguedas Altamirano aimed advocated for cultural autonomy, it makes sense. He wanted the reader to understand that even under the constraint of an enforced conversion into Catholic ideologies, as men these two would be treated as equals in heaven and the master, according to the book he prays to daily, will receive eternal suffering for the evil darkness within his soul during his lifetime. To me this story was more stylized for a general audience, especially since this is an adaptation which helped to fuel the peasant movements of the 1950s. 

Both legends recounted converted indigenous peoples narratives under the influence of Christian enforced colonialism. The abuse of class differences in these discriminatory colonial systems are delved into in these literary pieces of resistance in denouncing the exploitation of indigenous minds, cultures, and bodies. I am excited to learn more about the backgrounds of these stories and to learn the little things that I missed while reading. 

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Travel Movement Colourful and sophisticated, detailed descriptions The different value we place on objects, gold vs silver vs bronze, family... read full post >>

José María Arguedas’ “The Pongo’s Dream” is striking in its portrayal of feudal power dynamics between lords and indigenous serfs shockingly present in Peru until the middle of the 20th century. After reading the short tale, I found myself struck by the dehumanizing ways in which the Pongo was treated by the lord. The words […] read full post >>

The semiotic approach used in the text suggests that the typography, images, colours, and political affairs of the respective country producing the stamp are telling to more than meets the eye. The images and messages embedded in these tiny squares that for whatever utility service they do, is actually a bit deeper than that. The […] read full post >>

Firstly starting off reading this story the pongo, who is a servant, interacts with the landlord who constantly humiliates him and belittles his appearance and skills. RIght off the bat I am feeling sorry for the pongo and wishing that the landlord would let up. Due to the pongo being to himself and even belittled […] read full post >>

At its heart The Pongo’s dream, a story about a mistreated and humiliated worker and an abusive landowner who is told of what could await him in the afterlife. The story incorporates themes of anti-colonialism and class relations in a striking manner, and when reading about the author who adapted it from Quechua, this should …

Continue reading "Week 3: The Pongo’s Dream"

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I thoroughly enjoyed this piece, although the ending was a bit disturbing to visualize haha. The six-page chapter follows the story of an “hombre Quechua moderno”, or in this case a lowly house servant (Pongo), who was wildly obedient despite the abuses he faced on a regular basis. The pongo never spoke, which was one… read full post >>

Both this weeks readings highlighted the exploitative relationship and the power dynamics between the Indigenous and the colonizers in Latin America. The Asturias “Legend of the Silent Bell” describes Latin America under the colonial rule where the church and the European colonizers held power over the poor Indigenous. I found the reading quite wordy, which […] read full post >>

“The Pongo’s Dream” was an interesting read. The story of ‘a little man’ or also known as a pongo ( “a lowly house servant) may seem quite simple but is embedded with numerous symbolic scenes which relate to the strong … Continue reading → read full post >>

“The Pongo’s Dream” was an interesting read. The story of ‘a little man’ or also known as a pongo ( “a lowly house servant) may seem quite simple but is embedded with numerous symbolic scenes which relate to the strong … Continue reading → read full post >>