En Attendant ... Eckhardt?

Vacation Reading

2007-07-08T13:01:00.000-06:00

I am in Playa del Carmen mexico. The air is warm, the water is turquoise and the overall atmosphere is relaxing... divinely so.
We are renting a house about 30 steps from the water's edge, and I am sitting on the refreshingly cool tile floor in the living room because I can't pick up the wireless connection and thus have to plug the computer into the wall. I just had the need to come inside out of the sun and blog.

Oddly enough, I chose to spend time on the first two days in paradise reading a story that describes exactly the opposite - war. I started reading this story on the plane and turned the final page about 2 hours ago - the book is completed but I know the story will remain in my mind for quite some time. For those of you who don't know me, I am a Starbucks freak and consequently for the past several months everyday when I go in for my iced venti non-fat latte, I have had the cover of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier staring back at me from the register. Having heard stories of boy soldiers, and recent depictions of their experiences through movies like "Blood Diamond" I felt the need to become globally aware on the issue.

Ishmael Beah wrote his memoirs that outline, in my opinion, three key periods of his life - before his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war, during his time as a soldier and his rehabilitation and integration into society following his military years.

Bottom line - the story was heartwrenching, fascinating and very hard but most of all I feel like it opened my eyes further to what is really going on around the world (and what we don't hear about in the everyday news in the US - that is why I enjoy Anderson Cooper so much)! When I think about Ishmael's story, I feel helpless in some respects. What can I possibly do to help spark the change needed in the world to end such attrocities? Perhaps I need to find time to donate to such global issues - but I don't know where to start...... Any suggestions?

I have convinced myself that I will meet Ishmael Beah and in some way join his quest to stop people from tearing the childhood out of children's lives around the world.

Big Love and why I Big Love HBO

2007-06-06T15:34:00.001-06:00

So, with the end of Six Feet Under a few years back, I mourned. It was a tough time for me - my Sunday nights just weren't complete without the Fischers on my TV screen. I was convinced that HBO would never recapture what they had. On top of that, Curb Your Enthusiasm was canceled, Sex and the City was long gone and Rome didn't look like it was coming back (yet it did to my delight). When Big Love started last year I refused to watch. It just didn't interest me and it could never compare to its predecessor.

Last week a friend of mine at work was talking about how he just completed watching the 1st season of Big Love and that I should definitely watch. I caved and now I'm hooked.

What is it about HBO's programming selections that make them so appealing and even addictive? My theory is that it helps all of us "run of the mill" viewers to embrace our inner "freak." See, I am NOT a fan of labels - I actually find them limiting. Case and point literary movements (what actually defines a literary movement?) political parties in the US (citizens tend to say they are one or the other and are hesitant to branch out past these two categories) and dare I say religion?! I think that "freak" is a negative word in most contexts, but I think that we should steal it back and make it something positive, because being different is in fact a positive thing. I digress.

HBO takes characters who, by all socio-political classification, do not live "normal" lives and tells their stories in "normal" ways leaving many viewers intrigued. The Sopranos, for example, tells the story of a mob family who kills at will and gets away with it, yet humanizes the characters through Tony Soprano's therapy sessions, and his marital woes with his wife Carmella. Six Feet Under did not have one single character that did not have some sort of issue (sex-addiction, physical illness, mental illness, sexual identity crisis, self-esteem issues, rage, etc.) yet they all functioned and loved each other without judgement thus persuading us to love them too! Big Love takes a polygamous Mormon family and shows us their lives in the context of suburbia, not the rural compounds we have come to read about with the arrest of Warren Jeffs several months ago.

In watching these shows, HBO allows us to step back and look at our lives and shed some light on our life situations and sometimes even say, "What they think of me, doesn't really matter at all! I am who and what I am!" HBO does not judge, nor should we.

Many, however, are concerned that these care-free representations of "deviant" people are harmful because they encourage deviance in our society. I agree that there is a risk that someone watches the Sopranos and fanticizes about putting someone through a meat grinder but will they act on it? Do they act on it? Whose responsibility is it to ensure that they don't? Their parents, their teachers, their doctors... not TVs. Regardless, I think that the educated viewer can see this programming for its positive attributes.

Another intriguing aspect to HBO's programming is the same as the intrigue with reality TV (and Realism in literature) and that is that we are ALL, deep down, voyeurs who would love to be a fly on the wall in someone's life. The classic sitcoms of the 80s and 90s (or even before if you care to go back that far) do not accomplish the realistic elements necessary to intrigue the peeping tom inside all of us. They don't show any realistic situation, the characters are simply that - characters. HBO manages to make them real people, to transport them from the screen into our living rooms and consequently our lives.

Anyway - if you haven't seen Big Love or Six Feet Under run (NOT WALK) to your computer, put it on your Netflix queue (Or go to the video store), and get the DVD. It is well worth the effort!

Great video

2007-04-26T15:34:00.000-06:00

Another fun one for the semester's end.

The embedded video won't play, so you will have to link to the site:

http://funnyordie.com/v1/view_video.php?viewkey=3efbc24c7d2583be6925

Enjoy, everyone!

"Abortion is Illegal" Applying Brecht's Criticism to Modern America

2007-04-26T14:16:00.000-06:00

In class on Monday, we discussed Marxism with Dr. Rings, specifically the Marxist perspective evident in the German Theater and Music of Brecht.
We listened to and analyzed the music that Brecht wrote, and I had the pleasure to work on his song, "Abortion is Illegal" (AII). The lyrics, despite only being sung by one person, depict a conversation between a pregnant woman who doesn't have any place to live, and a Doctor.

Here are some of the lyrics:

"Well, doctor, it's my period.

Why, you should just be glad
The population figures are getting a little boost.

But, doctor, we have no place to live.

But you've a bed, I'm sure, so chin up, little lady!
Don't overwork for a spell.
You're going to be a lovely little mother,
You're going to make a hunk of cannon fodder.
It's what your belly's for
And that's no news to you and what else can you do?
And now do not squall:
You're having the baby, that's all.

Well, doctor, an unemployed man, now he mustn't have a child.

But, woman, that's just an added incentive for the man!

But doctor.

Please Misses Renner, I can't quite follow you now.
Our country, you know, needs people to man the big machines!
You're going to be a lovely little mother,
Youre going to make a hunk of cannon fodder.
It's what your belly's for..."

The song goes on, but that gives you a taste...

The marching rhythem of the song (particularly when the Dr. is responding) evokes a military chant, a call to arms for women to provide the government with children to fight their wars. Sound familiar???

In the US today, abortion is a huge moral debate. The argument is often tied directly to the Church and the religious right. However, a Marxist approach to today's reality could be considered valid. We are fighting 2 wars (Afghanistan and Iraq), we hear constantly that there are not enough soldiers, enough supplies, enough money, enough cause, etc. for these wars, but the President is pushing to overturn Roe V. Wade and make abortion illegal in the US. Like in the song, poverty is not an argument for abortion. It doesn't matter, in the US (according to some), if you are poor and pregnant, it is your duty as a woman to have a baby. The poverty levels in the US climb yearly, as 16 year old girls get pregnant and can't support their children, as people unexpectedly lose their jobs, etc.

It is an interesting perspective, and one to ponder a bit....

------- Update on May 01 -------

Amazing how things fall in place... I love it.

I was flipping through the profiles of people on myspace who went to my High School in Tenafly NJ. I came across the profile of a graduate from 2004 who is currently serving in Iraq. As you may or may not know, on Myspace, there is a free text box for one to indicate his/her occupation.

What did this soldier have listed under his occupation?

Cannon Fodder

The "Boom" and le Nouveau Roman

2007-04-23T08:51:00.000-06:00

This week in class, we spoke about the Latin American "Boom" novel. Characterized by a non-chronological storyline and drawing the reader into the text (amongst other things). The conversation amongst the French students shifted to one of comparison between this movement and the French "Nouveau Roman" specifically to Michel Butor's "La Modification."

Like "The Cubs," Butor plays with narration and the chronology to draw the reader into the text (making the reading "active"). "La Modification" is written in the 2nd person formal "vous" (the equivalent of "you" in English), so the reader feels like they are actually doing the movements of the narrator, Leon. "You push the door with your arm." and "You put your suitcase on the rack, etc...." The symbolic internal modification of Leon happens when he is on a train thinking about his past and his options for the future. The story bounces back and forth between present and past - the only indication of the present being the rain on the train's window, or the train stopping at one of the many stations on the way. All in all, a very interesting book and reading experience.

Having read "100 years of Solitudue" by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez (amongst other books of his that I love), I was glad to read "A Old Man with Enormous Wings." The juxtaposition with the magical (Celestial) and man throughout the story was interesting. The idea that this man could be an angel, or he could just be a man with wings played with the notion that we all have labels that are not necessarily true. I can't help but think of Saussure's "Signified" and "Signifier" - The word "Angel" signifies celestial being with wings, however mysterious being with wings does not necessarily signify "Angel."

Anyway - I enjoyed the class discussion.

Laments of a Hokie Brother

2007-04-17T14:12:00.000-06:00

I have been glued to the computer - switching between CNN.com, facebook messages with my cousin, Rachael, who is a student at Virginia Tech, and e-mails from my brother, a Virginia Tech Alum. I have read accounts of policemen and volunteer EMTs moving bodies as their cellphones and PDAs rang and vibrated in their pockets. I have read the mini-biographies of the brilliant faculty and hardworking students who died at the hands of one individual, and I have shed tears at just the thought of the loss their friends and families must feel.

When my brother started studying at Virginia Tech, our house was innondated with Hokie Gear, our cars covered in "Hokie Parents" "Hokie Brother" "Hokie Sister" "Hokie Grandparent" decals. We hung the maroon and orange banner in front of our house with pride and watched Hokie Football as if we had all attended the university. Whenever we would go down to visit, we could tell when we were getting close to campus because of the barns painted with the Tech logo, the license plates showing their school pride, and the fact that almost anyone we saw was wearing VT shirts, shorts, hats, or any other combination of clothing. The spirit on campus was palpable.

Today, the emptiness, the anger, the loss and the sadness have replaced that spirit.

One of the fallen Hokies (as per CNN.com) was a political science and French major from Dumont New Jersey - one town over from where I grew-up - named Matthew LaPorte. Another, an International Studies and French Major from WestTown New York named Caitlin Hammaren. These victims were people, with pasts and futures that were ripped from them at the hands of one deranged individual.

My brother knew the engineering faculty killed - and stated that his eyes watered everytime he thought about the incident.

Mine do too.......

To all Hokies out there - Keep the spirit of Tech alive, rise up in the face of violence, and hold the memory of your fallen camarades close to your hearts.

PoCo Inc.

2007-04-11T07:55:00.000-06:00

Let me start off by saying how much I enjoy the abbreviations of literary movements, such as Post(-)Colonialism = PoCo, Postmodernism = PoMo, etc. I wish we could always just speak in abbreviation... that would be fun.

Having read an article on PoCo, and reading Cesaire's "Cahier...." I couldn't help but think to the future. With the onslaught of cultural colonization resulting from technological advancements, multi-national industry, and the fluidity of the world's population will we get to a point where all texts can be considered Postcolonial?

Today there are many examples of texts in which the author strives to overcome or define him/herself in terms of national pride, a return to cultural origins, racial identity etc. in contrast to the ideals of the cultural colonizer. In recent years, several French texts (often classified as anti-american) place the French culture in a position of priveledge with relation to the USA (or many other nationalities). Is this truly anti-anyone, or is it pro-national pride? Perhaps such texts could be read from a PoCo point of view in which the French author is trying to call for both national pride in the face of American cultural influence.

Along the same lines, what types of literature will come out of Iraq in the coming years (or any of the US "Petrol Colonies" as the foreign press would say)? How will this literature be regarded on a global scale? As the predominant colonizer in the world today, how do we as Americans deal with such criticism? (Hopefully we will not simply blow the "colony" up... that seems like the default reaction nowadays).

In a period in which everyone feels the need to define themselves with religious, sexual, national, political (and on and on) labels, perhaps the world could benefit from some international perspective. Labels are limiting, and can even be dangerous. Therefore, perhaps the world population can learnto embrace change without giving up heritage. It is important for everyone (colonizer and colonized) to realize that identity and change are not mutually exclusive.

Anyway- just my 2 cents on Co and PoCo. (Stay tuned. In my next blog I will discuss Petco, Movie Trading Co. and Geiko). =0)

Dancing around the world

2007-04-02T09:28:00.000-06:00

With the final push until the end of the semester underway, I thought this would make everyone smile. It worked for me :0)

The Subjective Endgame

2007-03-23T09:14:00.000-06:00

"It means what it says." - Samuel Beckett (In reference to En Attendant Godot).

The first time that I read Endgame, I scratched my head. The first time that I read "Fin de Partie" (Endgame's French version), I found a little voice in my head saying, "hmmmmm" and the wheels started turning. The second time I read "Fin de Partie" I smiled and said, "I understand." The third time I found new meaning.

The beauty of Beckett, in my opinion, lies in the subjectivity of meaning. For me, the meaning in both "Endgame" and "Waiting for Godot" lie in the heart of the spectator or reader. In a text where the story line is so faint, the descriptions leave room for imagination, and the only thing that drives the play is action, the interpretations are limitless. The symbols placed throughout with surgeon's precision are open to the public for decyphering, and therefore the meaning shifts with the shift of the reader.

So, how did I understand "Endgame" this time around? For me, this play is a representation of subjectivity. The combination of symbols, the placement of characters, the nature of the dialogue are all representative of the inner perspective. As is commonly postulated, the room in which the character's are placed are representations of the inner workings of a mind - with Hamm in the middle - the center of the thought. The windows that view nothing (just as Hamm's blindness prevents him from seeing) are the eyes, Clov serves as the nerve function, and Nagg and Nell are the repressed memories or any variation on this theme, etc. All of the symbolism that lies within the action of the play is indicative of aspects of human nature - beliefs, repetitive thoughts and actions (routine), the game of exchange and rolls within the environment (the chess metaphor) and the idea of vision beyond reality.

Endgame is not the image of Hamm's mind, however, but rather the depiction of a spectator's mind. Each reader and theater-goer is Hamm, blind to the meaning of the play, but finding meaning within himself, like the image of a boy amidst nothingness.

We are each the Hamm (the hammer) directing the various nails in our head to construct something meaningful and personal, thus permitting the "hmmms" the "I get it" and the new meaning with each reading.

Modernismo and the Quest for Post Colonial Identity

2007-03-19T07:45:00.000-06:00

In discussing Latin American Modernismo in class with Dr. Seminet, I couldn't help but draw comparisons between this movement and Romanticism. The similarities, however, do not lie with the style or themes (although certain elements of nature, as well as the idea of raw nativity do arise in Modernismo), but rather with the origin of each movement. Latin American Modernismo was a quest to define a unique Latin American style of litterature and expression in spite of the threat and reality of colonialism in their midst. Romanticism sprung from a similar desire in Germany earlier in the 19th century when Goethe and his counterparts set out on a quest to break free from the harsh rules of French Classicism with the hope of defining a German literary style.

Although Germany was not physically colonized by France, French literary ideals were like the McDonalds of the 19th century - in every part of Europe these literary standards were in place whether or not you liked them just as you can find the Golden Arches as a symbol of American "culture" all over the world whether or not you want them there.

With the rejection of any standard, cultures set out to define themselves as independent entities. In this quest for definition, the role of literature seems to have changed a bit as well - rather than a mode of entertainment and some satire it became subversive and the ultimate form of expression. I think that's pretty great.

Realism in Modern America

2007-02-20T18:08:00.000-06:00

Instead of elaborating on one of the many interesting aspects of Realism, or L'Education Sentimentale that were discussed in last nights class with Dr. Pelletier, I thought I would try something different for this blog. What would L'Education be like had Flaubert lived in Dallas circa 2007? Let's give it a try, shall we...

He opened the door. The handle was hot under his fingers, and the scorching sun reflected off of the drivers side window causing glare on the left lense of his wire frame glasses. He glanced over at the road, and sighed at the line of traffic building up on the highway. Another day down, another dollar earned. As the door swung open, the wave of built up stagnant heat rushed over his face, stifling his breath for a split second. The smell of old coffee from his stainless steal travel cup resting in the cupholder of the center console seeped out after the initial gust tingling the inside of his nose. His laptop bag, heavy on his shoulder slid off into the palm of his hand and was placed gently into the back seat amongst the crumbled papers and dried out coagulated dirt left over from the kids' shoes. He slid into the soft brown leather seat, and beads of sweat began sliding down his back instantaneously. He could feel the back of his shirt growing more moist each second. He pressed the small round silver button with his thumb exposing the retractable key which he proceeded to slip into the ignition, shocking the car to life with a soft rumble and another burst of heat. He reached back and pulled the seatbelt from above his left shoulder, stretching it across his chest and clicking its hot shiny metal buckle into place. He reached out and pressed the number "2" on his radio flipping the radio to his favoriate pre-set station, from which the waves of sound poured out of the car's speakers hitting his ear and causing his fingers to tap on the scorching steering wheel to the beat of the music. He shifted his car into reverse, slowly releasing the clutch with his left foot and placing slight steady pressure with his right foot on the gas pedal and pulled slowly out of his parking spot before abruptly pushing the clutch down and switching into 1st gear to pull out of the parking lot. He repeated the motion of his feet constantly for the next forty minutes: pushing down the clutch, and releasing the gas, shifting gears, releasing the clutch and putting pressure on the gas petal, over and over again as he changed speeds, direction, and occasionally screeched to a halt.

The shimmer of the heat waves on the horizon made even the car stopped right in front of him on the highway seem like a mirage - the green of its paint melting into the gray of the pavement, the stone white of the divider and the blue sky just above its roof. His head bobbed in toon with the music as he heard the faint repetitive chime of his cell phone coming from the left pocket of his suit pants, which he was programmed to pick up immediately. The name that appeared on the screen was that of his boss. He hesitated - it was already 6 PM, and after working a 10 hour day at the office he was not sure that he wished to work even more. His hesitation did not last but a few seconds. His right hand found the dial that controlled the radio's volume, and turned it briskly to the left muting the melodic tunes from the speakers. He flipped his phone open and brought it slowly to his ear, swallowing quickly before the words, "yes, sir," passed through his lips into the miniscule hole at the base of his handset....

What do you think?????????

Sab, Enrique, Carlota, Teresa... which one shot JR???

2007-02-12T14:27:00.000-06:00

OK, so I read Sab by Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda y Arteaga. If Kroger had existed in the 19th century, and Fabio were available for the cover art, thousands of Cuban eyes would have grazed the image of his long flowing blonde hair as Enrique Otway, with a Catherine Zeta-Jones type holding his leg portraying the young, naive Carlota while checking out in the express lane. I guess what I am trying to say (in my not so subtle way) is that this book read like a soap opera, and contained all of the appropriate dramatic elements for that genre. The novel's saving grace, however, was that it is actually quite subversive for a text of its nature - filled with social commentary on race identity, slavery, the institution of marriage, and business (the last two kind of go together).

The most notable theme for me was that of race and slavery. The author (Gertrudis Gomez.........) was obviously anti-slavery and paints a portrait of the dichotomy of the slave owners (white aristocracy) and the slave. Through the character of Sab, Gomez was able to represent the permeable boundary between slave and slave owner. The son of his master's brother and a slave woman, Sab is a hard working, educated "mulatto" (author's word... I'm a lot more PC) who is truly not the typical slave. When he met Enrique, he was mistaken for a landowner, and not even thought to be Mullato. Sab was raised with Carlota (his master's daughter) because she would not do anything without him, thus accounting for his education and "elevated" slave status. Throughout the novel we see a portrait of his desires and feelings for Carlota, and hatred for the oppressive society that has held him down - represented by Enrique in some circumstances- and his ultimate demise.

All in all - a good book, with great descriptions of nature, beauty, pain and the state of man. At the end though, I found myself scratching my head, wondering... who shot JR???

Candide and the Notion of Utopia

2007-02-12T11:12:00.000-06:00

I love Voltaire's Candide. I have actually read it several times for various French classes, and a English "European Lit." class that I took as an undergrad. Each time I read it, however, I enjoy it more- picking up on "new" subtle jokes, descriptions and themes.

I think that one of the reasons that I so enjoy Candide is perhaps because it is universal and timeless. What I mean by this is that everybody can understand the underlying themes of the text (love, pain, destiny, class structure, etc.) regardless of their background or whether they were born in the late 18th century or today. One theme that stuck out for me during this reading was the notion of Utopia, more specifically the personal defition that we each might have for what Utopia is.

In Candide, there are two and a half instances where Utopia comes in to play. The Castle of Baron Thunder-ten- Tronckh, where the novel begins is Candide's Eden. It is where all is for the best in the world, and where he is happiest. In his ignorance of the world, Candide sees nothing but perfection - until he gets kicked out of the castle and sees the world for what it is - a cesspool for deception and the corruption of man-made social institutions.

When Candide's journey takes him to Eldorado, he does not stay citing Cunegonde's (his lady love) absence . Eldorado is described as a place where there are no disagreements, everyone is happy and inviting, and there is an ever available source of gold and riches - the ultimate archetypal Utopia. The fact that Candide found a reason to leave would imply that although Eldorado might be an ideal society, it was not Utopia for him, and possibly nobody else. I can imagine the citizens of Eldorado dreaming for the adventure and the unknown of the outside world. Perhaps this was Vltaire's commentary on the fact that man will always find a reason to leave Utopia (it is just too easy) or that Utopia cannot and does not exist.

Do I believe that Utopia is a possibility? I believe in a personal concept Utopia (see also "satisfaction" and "happiness") such as the one that Candide strived for at the end of the novel when he comes to the realization that we must all cultivate our own garden; both physically work to achieve freedom from societal constraints, as well as intellectually working to acheive personal greatness. For me, it is necessary for us to find our own personal moments each day where we feel the freedom and pure happiness that liberates us from those nagging imperfections that makes the world go around. Perhaps it is those three minutes that one lays in bed before getting up, when the room is still dark, and the world is still asleep. Perhaps it is the rush that one gets at the end of a good workout, or when holding their child for the first time.
Regardless, in those moments where we feel free and happy, we find our own personal Utopias.

Neo-Humanism and My Morning Commute

2007-01-30T08:41:00.000-06:00

Several months ago, I noticed that the sign in front of a small Baptist church that I pass every morning on my way to work had changed. The letters that composed its previous message were removed, and had been replaced with "Fear God and Keep his Commands." Everyday, as I pass this sign, I can't help but think, "NO." I refuse to fear God.

Last night in class, as we discussed Humanism with Dr. Ivanova, I could not help but think about this sign. More specifically, my imagination took me to the Middle Ages, where I imagined this slogan (written Old(e) Italian of course) standing in front of the Anti-Humanist headquarters in Florence. My research has not yet confirmed the existance of such a group... other than the Church of course... but I imagine that they existed and distributed pamphlets against the likes of Petrarch and Galileo Galilei.

What hit home for me during last night's lecture was when Dr. Ivanova said, "Humanists strived to find the role of man in the world God created." I am not one to push my religious beliefs on people, and in fact I have nothing but respect for those who practice theirs regardless of my agreement - but suffice it to say that Dr. Ivanova's statement summarizes the crux of my belief system. (I feel obliged to ask that you don't try to "save" me - I don't respond well to that).

Specifically, in relation to Secular Humanism, I thought about Sartre's Existentialisme Est Un Humanisme and the fact that Existentialism as a philosophy is really nothing new. However, even in 20th century France, it was not well received by most yet it still had its followers in the liberal leftist world (French Left = extreme left by American standards).

Leaving class last night, I thought to myself - has anything really changed? The same philosophies still exist and the same organizations try to surpress them. Same game, different players if you will. I have decided that it doesn't matter, though. Because from a Humanist standpoint, we are all on our own journey to find our own way in this world. And (as an ode to Petrarch) ... I am thankful for my abilities to post this information on the internet to get my point of view out there.

Hayden White's Literary History and Modiano's Dora Bruder

2007-01-22T09:37:00.000-06:00

I love when things click. When two pieces of any puzzle just happen to fall into place and click together.

I spent the weekend studying (which I think will tend to be a trend over the next 16 weeks...). I completed reading Hayden White's chapter on "The Historical Text as Literary Arifact" from "Tropics of Discourse - Essays in Cultural Criticism" as well as Patrick Modiano's novel, "Dora Bruder."

In White's article, he discusses the nature of historical text, and the blurred line between history and literature. According to White (and I agree), historians are given a series of presumed facts which they must mold into a narrative in order to effectively communicate their significance and influence. In doing so, they bring into the equation, amongst other things, subjectivity, motive and baggage. According to White, it is this narrative approach to historical facts that differentiates History from Chronology.

Modiano's novel, "Dora Bruder" is, in my opinion, a wonderful example of a bridge between historical text and literature. In this novel, Modiano traces the steps that he took in re-constructing the life of a Parisian girl who died during the Holocaust after he found her missing child announcement in a 1941 newspaper. He writes about where he had to go to obtain her birth certificate (amongst other documents), what the documents said, where Dora went to school, information about her arrest and deportation to Auschwitz, etc. In reality, Modiano really does not know a lot about Dora, but he speculates what her life might have been like by drawing comparisons to other interviews and accounts of Paris during the German Occupation, of the detainment camps for Jewish men and women, and the overall experiences of survivors who were the same age as Dora at the time. While re-constructing Dora's (possible) personal history, Modiano also makes comparisons between Dora's life and similar experiences that he had in his own life. The result is not only a literary text with unique style and voice, but a historical portrait of Paris in the early 1940s, as well as the experiences of French Jews during the Holocaust.

White's article sheds new light on how to approach a historical text. In discussing his idea of "emplotment" (insertion of chronological events into a plot in order to effectively create historical text), and the archetypal themes and myths of historical narrative, we better understand the presence of the historian's voice in a historical document. Modiano's book is a wonderful example of this, because Modiano himself is an important character in this historical text. It is very clear that it is his voice that gives Dora's story life, it is through his eye that we see the historical events portrayed in the text.

In acknowledging the literary (fictive) nature of all historical texts, Modiano's included, we are able to counteract ideological distortions of the author/historian, and can begin to move closer to the truth that lies at the root of any story.

Waiting for Eckhardt

2007-01-15T15:26:00.000-06:00

I wanted to post a seperate blog explaining why I chose the title, "En Attendant... Eckhardt?" for this page.

En Attendant Godot (Waiting for Godot), by Samuel Beckett is a play in which two characters have seemingly meaningless, round-about conversation while waiting for someone named Godot. This play is grouped into the theatrical movement of post WWII Existential France called the "Theater of the Absurd."

So why pay homage to this play in my blog? There are many different interpretations as to the meaning of En Attendant Godot, (and all other works by Beckett), despite the fact that Beckett swore that there was nothing behind what was portrayed on the stage, or written in his text. In my opinion, Beckett did not write the plot of his play, the climactic events that evoke response in the hearts of the voyeuristic readers or spectators. Rather, I believe that the spectator or reader is the sole creator of the plot, the meaning, and the future of these characters.

Many believe that Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for God (God-ot). I believe that Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for themselves, for without knowing who they are and where they are going, they will go nowhere. I believe that the God element does exist, however, in that we do not need to sit around and wait for God to guide us, but rather we all must go out and create our own destiny - conciously create our own lives.
Therefore - the title of my blog - "En Attendant... Eckhardt?" serves as a reminder that I have the ability and the responsibility to create the next step and to interpret all that exists within my experience, while giving credit to one of my favorite pieces of literature of the 20th Century.

Who is Eric Paul???

2007-01-15T15:04:00.000-06:00

Hello, All. Welcome to my Blog.

My name is Eric Paul Eckhardt. I was born on a blistery winter night in New York City a mere 24 years ago. My parents almost named me Douglas Allen, and sometimes I wonder what life would have been like as a Doug.... I have decided that I am very happy with their choice.

I grew up in Tenafly, NJ - you can look it up on urbandictionary.com the description is frighteningly accurate. (I would post a link, but Big Brother is watching in the form of my office's website blocker).

I moved down to Tejas with my beautiful High School girlfriend, Claire, where we both attended UTA with the intention of transferring to Austin. That never happened. After a 7 year courtship Claire and I married, and currently reside in the mecca of culture that is Keller, TX. I actually very much enjoy the relaxed pace of the DFW metroplex, and look forward to setting down some roots!

I enjoy Pina Coladas, getting caught in the rain and most of all... long walks on the beach at sunset.