Alberto Moravia’s novel, “Agostino,” follows the story of a young boy transitioning into adolescence while exploring themes like identity, loss of innocence and sexual awakening. While many adolescents struggle with a sense of identity during their journey of self-discovery and growth, Agostino seemed to have matured much too fast in the span of one summer. […]
Posted in Blogs, Moravia | Tagged with adolescence, identity, innocence, relationships, youth
In contrast to Proust’s “Combray,” which I found to be longer and more difficult to read, this week’s reading was Roberto Arlt’s “Mad Toy.” I connected more deeply with “Mad Toy.” I couldn’t help but consider the difficulties individuals, particularly those from the working class, experience on a daily basis. I had the impression that […]
Posted in Blogs | Tagged with Friendgroup, growth, Roberto Arlt, seperation, teenage, youth
This novel was much easier to read than “Combray” and it was also more entertaining. I really enjoyed the structure of this book and how it was broken into distinct parts. I loved seeing the different stages of Silvio’s life. Right from the start I was very intrigued by Silvio’s fascination with bandits and theft. […]
Posted in Blogs | Tagged with intelligence, jobs, life, love, madtoy, mother, theft, youth
Roberto Arlt’s novel, “Mad Toy,” was a refreshing coming-of-age novel that invited readers to follow the harrowing journey of a struggling youth named Silvio Astier. In the first chapter, “The Band of Thieves,” Silvio befriended Enrique Irzubeta and Lucio. Together, the three adolescents became members of the “Club of the Midnight Horsemen,” entangled in a […]
Posted in Arlt, Blogs | Tagged with Argentina, crime, identity, madtoy, poverty, youth
Hey everyone! I’m so excited to do this first blog entry and get started with the course! This week’s reading, Marcel Proust’s “Combray” was genuinely like stepping into a whole new universe and was so different compared to anything I’ve read before. It was tough and there were moments of difficulty reading the text but […]
Posted in Blogs, Proust | Tagged with books, Characters, Dreams, family, Gothic, in-search-of-lost-time, life, literature, marcel proust, memory, time, youth
This novel was, in a sense, eye-opening for me. I find this to be mainly due to the unfortunate circumstances that Lila and Elena endured from such a young age. From poverty to violence and just a struggle of trying to find a way to be something when surrounded by negativity. It really brought a […]
Posted in Blogs, Ferrante | Tagged with childhood, coming of age, Envy, friendship, growing up, jealousy, realistic, reflection, Romance text, separation, violence, Weekly Response, youth
Wow. This book floored me. On its own, it’s an incredibly engaging and well-written novel. However, it’s rendered so much more impressive when you factor in how young Françoise Sagan was when she wrote it. The uniqueness of a teenage author writing this narrative centered on the interpersonal relationships and teen angst of an adolescent […]
Posted in Blogs, Sagan | Tagged with coming of age, family, love, summer, teenager, youth
Sagan’s “Bonjour Tristesse” centres around, a 16 year old girl who is on a summer vacation at the French Riviera with her father and and the events that unfolded. The book begins with the idle 16 year old basking in … Continue reading →
Posted in Blogs, Sagan | Tagged with Translated, youth
