Week 3: Love in the time of Cholera

Summary: "Love in the time of Cholera" focuses on two lovers, Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza. It takes place at the end of the 19th century in Columbia. Daza's father sends her away to their relatives after learning she was in a relationship with Ariza and they planned on getting married. Daza returns years later and decides to marry her father's selection, Dr. Juvenal Urbino. Over a span of fifty years their marriage was unstable and at times extremely passionate. Ariza is upset about Daza's decision and admits that for fifty years he has thought of her. To fill the void, Ariza begins having sex with several women and eventually assigns each one a number. He strives to have a thriving life like Dr. Urbino. When Urbino dies, Ariza becomes involved again with Daza.

Freire's ideas applied: Freire stressed the importance of communication between people and cultures. In order to understand each other one must be willing to learn from others. Daza's first relationship was unsuccessful because Dr. Urbino could not fulfill her interests. They did not know very much about each other despite being married. Daza's father was unwilling to accept his daughter's views becuase he did not take the time to fully learn her about her position.

Why is this a human story that transcends borders?: "Love in the time of Cholera" is a film that transcends borders because it involves all of the anger and love that is present in a normal relationship. Every culture experiences similar feelings and emotions when dealing with family members or engaged in a passionate relationship. These emotions trascend borders. Ariza and Daza display the beauty of humanity in its rawest form.

Classmate's Work, Week II

Danelle: According to the teachings of Freire, “liberation isn’t a gift, or a self achievement, it’s a mutual process.” I like her quote, it was interesting to read Freire's ideas on liberation.

Tarissa: It has been suggested that Paulo Freire was “Perhaps the most influential thinker about education in the late twentieth century”. I am still amazed at how Frere's theories and knowledge of education permeates in our modern society.

Hilary: Praxis are actions that are informed. He wrote the novel with the sense of enhancing community and building social capital and to leading us to act in ways that make for justice and human flourishing. I was unware what praxis were, I am glad this term was explained.

Nicki: Freire’s masterpiece was a book called Pedagogy of the Oppressed. The book was strongly influenced by Frantz Fanon, philosopher of decolonization. I would like to know more about Fanon and why Freire was influenced by his ideas.

Marylou: Paulo Freire believed in educating the oppressed, this giving them the power to make changes. This is most likley where the title for his, "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" came from.

Chris: Another thing that hit home for me with Freire’s work is that he believed strongly in having educational practices center around the life experience of students. Freire's belief in the experiences of students is striking to me as well. I've never seen anyone who empasises the importance of learning from students like Freire does.

Jason: Brazil invited Freire to come back to Brazil and he returned working as a faculty member for the University of Sao Paulo. Freire must have been an incredible teacher.

Marissa: Educators feel superior to their students and make their students feel as though they are ignorant and know nothing. The banking concept of Freire is very true. Many educators seem to hold a sense of superiority and forget we are their to learn from them.

Katherine: Many of Freire’s ideas go hand in hand with those of Karl Marx, and Socialism is a main thread in Freire’s philosophies. The connection between Marx and Freire is interesting. Marx had some great ideas.

Kimmie: Although Freire’s work is somewhat controversial to various people, and he was scrutinized throughout his life for his beliefs, I believe his approach to changing the system of education is something that indeed can make a notable difference of all humanity being given the opportunity to learn in a positive environment. I agree, education is the key to a better existence.