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When adolescence meets sexuality read full post >>

Agostino by Moravia is another coming of age novel that we have read so far throughout this course. Moravia illustrates the story of Agostino, a thirteen-year-old boy who spends the summer with his mother near the beaches and meets a group of boys that influences him to develop an awareness of sexuality.  The book opens […] read full post >>

A. Initial Thoughts This is probably an unpopular opinion but I actually quite liked this book. Moravia’s straightforward writing, reflecting the post-WW2 shift to realism discussed in lecture, really appealed to me. It felt fresh, especially compared to the more decorative language in “Combray”. Additionally, I appreciated that the book primarily used internal monologue instead … Continue reading Agostino: The Cost of Adulthood (Feb 6) read full post >>

This week I read Nada by Carmen Laforet and oh boy was that a journey of drama, pain, and chaos. I did find myself really enjoying Laforet’s writing style, it felt like I was reading Andrea’s diary so that made me feel … Continue reading → read full post >>

 First, I want to note that many interesting discussion-worthy plot points within this novel make it thoroughly enjoyable, but I want to mention two that were salient to me. Firstly I found it deeply intriguing to compare the friendship between An... read full post >>

 First, I want to note that many interesting discussion-worthy plot points within this novel make it thoroughly enjoyable, but I want to mention two that were salient to me. Firstly I found it deeply intriguing to compare the friendship between An... read full post >>

Well, well, well… of course, Freud is back for more! After reading the first few pages, Freud was the man who immediately came to mind. In this week’s novel, I read Agostino by Moravia, and it’s definitely an interesting book. Going into it after reading the blurb, I expected it to be an innocent book […] read full post >>

To be honest, I didn’t feel so much at ease with this novel as I was disturbed by the realization that it was filled with desire and sex. The book focuses on the exploration of the tumultuous journey from childhood innocence to the precipice of adulthood, the exploration of adolescence, the exploration of physical structure […] read full post >>

Well. This one had its moments. The first thing that jumps to mind, for everyone I’m sure, is Freud and his psychosexual theories. I’m not going to get into the details, as most people are probably familiar with these ideas (the Oedipus complex, etc.) but this novel clearly reflects some of those ideas, and I […] read full post >>

Hi Romance Studiers, Throughout my reading of Alberto Moravia’s Agostino, I could not decide whether I enjoyed the text or not. On one hand, I thought it was a cool exploration of how socio-economic class affects the socialization agents that develop a child’s outlook on the world, as well as how the different boys view […] read full post >>

In Alberto Moravia’s “Agostino,” the sun-drenched beaches of a seaside town in Italy set the stage for a captivating exploration of a mother and son’s relationship. Against the backdrop of a summer spent in their pattino and swimming in the sea, Moravia delves into the psyche of a young thirteen-year-old boy named Agostino as he grapples with […] read full post >>

Set in a beach village in Italy during the summer, “Agostino” focuses on a 13-year-old boy and explores the loss of youthful innocence and the perplexities of growing up. The central theme in this novel is sexuality and Agostino’s loss of innocence. While reading this book, I could almost imagine Freud sneering at me. Agostino […] read full post >>

For this week’s reading, I read the novel “Nada” by Carmen Leforet. I would like to start by saying, wow what a journey this book was to read. This book was dark and far from being light-hearted as it focused on gut-wrenching issues that families faced after the Spanish Civil War such as domestic struggles, […] read full post >>

Welcome to my fifth blog! This week I read “Nada” by Cameron Laforet. I enjoyed reading this book more than the previous ones, so I spend extra time and effort writing this blog. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.Carmen Laforet’s "Nada" is a fascinating w... read full post >>

Welcome to my fifth blog! This week I read “Nada” by Cameron Laforet. I enjoyed reading this book more than the previous ones, so I spend extra time and effort writing this blog. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.Carmen Laforet’s "Nada" is a fascinating w... read full post >>