Reflecting on our telenovela class the first thing I think about is the stages of telenovela. They begin with the planteamiento to introduce the major characters and conflict. Then comes the desarrollo to develop the storyline. There is a repetition of characters defining behaviors in a variety of situations to keep the viewers hanging on to what is going to happen next. They feel as if they can guess what is going to happen next. In the desarrollo there is a despecho.
The despecho is something that I find very interesting. I believe that in the american culture it is almost frowned upon to dwell in sorrows for too long. We are encouraged to move on because that is what everyone does. In the Latin American culture, everything is felt so intensely and wallowing in sorrows is encouraged. When I first heard about the despecho I felt my eyes squint and my head tilt because immediately I did what my culture encourages: “why would you dwell on your sorrows?” That is what I find so exciting about this class. Everyone has these despacho emotions, it just varies how they are handled. Culture plays a key role in this, and I find it so interesting to understand how it works. When Dr. A compared the differences in the American and Latin American cultures, it became something that I look for. Just because American culture generally encourages moving forward does not mean that is what everyone does or should do. Culture is a concept that interest me, so I was hooked on this concept after Dr. A said it in class.
The part I like most about the telenovelas is that they end and have a resolution unlike soap operas. I enjoy seeing a progression from beginning to end and I personally love a happy ending.
I have loved the history of telenovelas and the concepts of why they are interesting. I am excited to actually begin my telenovela and watch all of the concepts pan out, and all of the new things I am going to learn about telenovelas.
Despecho is an extremely interesting topic and it is currently occurring in the novela I am watching, Celia. I agree that this despecho phase seems to be frowned upon in American culture. For example, I hear phrases like "don't let that get you down" or suggestions to not wallow in your sorrows. However, I very much respect this despecho phase because it is allowing the characters, and real life people, to show their emotions, understand the emotions and get through them instead of suppressing them. Additionally, I've noticed that the despecho period happens rather quickly and, at least in Celia, the characters are not gaining all context and various perspectives that have brought them into this sad and heartbroken phase.
ReplyDeleteEllie: ¡estoy de acuerdo con todo lo que dices! Cuando llegué a esta clase el primer día, realmente no sabía qué esperar. Como muchos otros, pensé que las telenovelas eran la versión española de las telenovelas. No tenía idea de que las telenovelas representan una influencia tan importante en la cultura de los latinos, los turcos y los brasileños. Al igual que tú, estaba muy interesada en aprender sobre el tema del despecho. Lo que fue más interesante para mí fue la diferencia en el nivel de aceptación al mostrar las emociones entre la cultura americana y latinoamericana, y cómo esa diferencia cultural se puede ver en la tele. Aprender sobre el despecho también me hizo comenzar a pensar en mi cultura italiana. Diría que definitivamente hay una forma del despecho en la cultura italiana, pero creo que existe en algún lugar entre la cultura estadounidense y latinoamericana en términos del nivel de drama.
ReplyDelete