Telenovelas, Culture, and Society: An Experience

I never realized how much telenovelas could impact a person’s life. When I first signed up for this course, I thought it would be an interesting class that could help satisfy my Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) minor. I had no idea I would be learning so much about culture and what is basically a lifestyle.

            Although I am taking the class as a LACS requirement, it has been extremely helpful in my practicing Spanish. I studied abroad in Costa Rica over the summer which increased my confidence in speaking Spanish but lowered it a bit in understanding native speakers. Watching different telenovela clips and binge-watching La Esclava Blanca, has helped with that confidence. There were even times where I would be able to turn the subtitles off or look away from the screen and still understand what is happening or being said. I figured the class could help me keep up with Spanish, but I did not realize that it would increase my confidence and benefit me as much as it has.

            Watching telenovelas is a lifestyle. Exploring the consumption of telenovelas and later talking with writers, producers, actors, and distributors of telenovelas has shown how different the telenovela life is in comparison to other shows. Looking into consumption displayed the dedication of the fans. Audiences become obsessed with the life of not only the characters, but also the actors themselves, sometimes making them one. The actor is the character, and the character is the actor. This dedication even goes down to the audience believing they can make suggestions which will change the show, which at times it can if the telenovela is not finished all at once, like it typically is today. I do not believe fans of other television shows are like this. They may talk about how much they like the show or live tweet it, but the passion and commitment are nowhere near the same level. With how dedicated the fans are, one can only imagine how dedicated a producer, writer, actor, or distributor has to be. Each of these roles are filled with passionate people who work hard every day. It is almost as if there are no breaks. Talking with Leonardo Padron (writer), Lisa Wegscheider (distributor), Luis Geronimo (actor), and Paula Texeira (producer), I felt stressed for them with all of the different parts of their jobs they have to handle. Despite everything they deal with, each of them still seemed so passionate and in love with what they do. Working with telenovelas is more than just a job for them; it is a part of their life and who they are.

            Telenovelas are cultural. They are a part of family traditions where children grow up with their parents and grandparents watching them. They give diverse groups something to connect over. I would not assume that I have much in common with someone from Turkey or Brazil, but thanks to this class I could now easily connect with someone over Kara Para Ask or Avenida Brasil. When someone sits down to watch a telenovela, it is more than just entertainment; it is an experience. Similarly, this course was more than just another class towards my degree, it was an eye-opening experience. I cannot imagine telenovelas not being a part of my life after this class. Every day I build my list of telenovelas to binge-watch. I think I have more shows than I have time, but I am excited to become obsessed with them all.

            I am so grateful to my LACS advisor for telling me about the class and even more grateful to Dr. A for teaching it.