Student Blogs

“I shall discuss these things without pre-established order, and according to the mood of the moment which lets whatever survives survive” (23) [Nadja] was never an easy book to understand fully in one reading. In fact, the first impression of the book was pure confusion — it never goes as time passes generally, and it […] read full post >>

Dr. Jon Beasley starts the video lecture about how this book is neither an autobiography nor a novel. So going into Nadja, I wasn’t expecting much because I thought it’d be a boring book. However, the twists and turns of this story between Nadja and Breton had so much ‘madness,’ to say the least. There […] read full post >>

Mad Toy by Roberto Arlt, is written in an episodic style. The story reflects on the life of Silvio and his challenges with poverty. His story is divided into four chapters where we see how he is inspired by the fantasy world of literature but is stuck in a reality where he is to fetch […] read full post >>

One aspect that particularly struck me is how the characters are portrayed as raw and authentic, effectively depicting the struggles of urban life through the lens of a teenager. Reading the book in Spanish significantly contributed to my immersion in the story, particularly due to the characters’ dialogue and the various colloquial expressions used. Rebellious […] read full post >>

One aspect that particularly struck me is how the characters are portrayed as raw and authentic, effectively depicting the struggles of urban life through the lens of a teenager. Reading the book in Spanish significantly contributed to my immersion in the story, particularly due to the characters’ dialogue and the various colloquial expressions used. Rebellious […] read full post >>

This week’s reading was Roberto Arlt’s  “Mad Toy”, compared to Proust’s “Combray” it was much easier to read and a shorter read for me. However, “Mad Toy” was a much “heavier and more serious read for me since it dives into topics such as social inequality, the struggles of the working class, and the impact […] read full post >>

Hi Romance Studiers, It has been a day since I finished reading Roberto Arlt’s novel “Mad Toy” and my overall experience with it was quite pleasurable. I found Silvio’s personal turmoil in most chapters to be quite relatable and the narrative as a whole engaged me throughout the entire reading. While I have been very […] read full post >>

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Nadja by André Breton. The novel started off a little slow, especially with the surrealism jargon. Thus, the only issue I had with the novel was the beginning and the end, which discussed surrealism. Although, the surreal lens used to write this novel added to its charm. One of the main […] read full post >>

January 22, 2023 Hi everyone! My name is Maryem and I am a third year student at UBC, pursuing a major in environment and sustainability and a minor in mathematics. Firstly, I would like to address the elephant in the room (or the website). I joined this course on January 22nd, which makes me two […] read full post >>

Hello everyone! For this week's reading, I picked "Mad Toy" by Roberto Arlt. The first chapter started off kind of wholesome since it was simply just children fantasizing about being cunning yet intelligent like a bandit. I didn't really think anything... read full post >>

Hello everyone! For this week's reading, I picked "Mad Toy" by Roberto Arlt. The first chapter started off kind of wholesome since it was simply just children fantasizing about being cunning yet intelligent like a bandit. I didn't really think anything... read full post >>

Reading Arlt’s “Mad Toy” left me with a heavy heart. As I read through the chapters, I feel that Arlt’s narration of his life only gets more depressing. It seems to me that Arlt has never had a genuine connection with anyone before he met Rengo, yet he loses him in the end. From joining […] read full post >>

Reading Roberto Arlt’s Mad Toy has been an enlightening experience, especially coming from a position of not deeply literary novice, and a lack of familiarity with the author himself. This novel, has a rich narrative and explores complex themes. The novel offers a peak into the societal and personal struggles of early 20th-century Buenos Aires […] read full post >>

 Illustrative parts of NadjaThis book explores the fascination of a man who meets Nadja, an intriguing woman while strolling through Paris. His interactions with her and the deep insights he gains about her shape the story.This book stands out to ... read full post >>

 Illustrative parts of NadjaThis book explores the fascination of a man who meets Nadja, an intriguing woman while strolling through Paris. His interactions with her and the deep insights he gains about her shape the story.This book stands out to ... read full post >>