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Within Chapter 12, Karr explains how the memoir is not just for the individual making it, but for all of the people that individual has met in their life. For example, as she has stated before in other chapters, she describes how her sister and mother were her deepest confidants on what to write and what to include in her memoir. Likewise, with this sudden perspective of the person whose memoir it is, she admits that they must be ready for any sudden questions or insight into what might have been personal. She uses a deeply personal incident for this moment, which includes the times she was assaulted by other individuals, and how others approached her with this. She wrote, “ You can’t sign up to play football then whine you've been hit” (pg. 115). This entire mindset goes with Ferguson and her completed film, The Unholy Tarahumara. The entire documentary is a revealing tale of the Tarahumara indians, and Ferguson expresses candid moments with them. One specific moment that had a lot to show was when she spoke with the women and what they thought about their husbands. Surprising, they had a lot to say and were not afraid to speak about their husbands in just a light of praise. They were open and unflinching, which is something Karr believes need to be done in order for others to understand. These women did not hold back their feelings as such an action could change the outlook others will have on them from this documentary. Overall, Ferguson’s The Unholy Tarahumara and Karr’s chapters complement each other on how their events of a memoir can shape their appearances to others.
ReplyDeleteDavid Leal
When the documentary started, I had to pause it and make sure that I was watching the right video. The title reads, The Unholy Tarahumara. I did some research and Tarahumara is a term that was given to the Rarámuri people when the Spanish arrived in the area back in the 1500s. I find it interesting that the Rarámuri would call themselves Tarahumara as opposed to Rarámuri which holds some meaning to them. Watching the video reminded me of spending time back in Tula when I was younger.
ReplyDeleteKarr’s chapter is about dealing with writing about those you hold dear (or not) to your heart. Recently, I asked my friend what he thought about the way that I write about him in my pieces or how I incorporate certain parts of him in my fiction. He told me he was okay with it and that even if I wrote something negative about him, it made him happy in a way. In my experience, people want to be written about. I think that’s what led Ventura to agree to the film that Ferguson made. It focused on his culture, but after the end of chapter 11, we can see that Ventura isn’t the only person who wants to remember.
-Angie Acuña
In Karr’s book chapter 12, “Dealing with Beloveds” the part that stood out to me the most was when her mother is reading her memoir. It really hit me. I hate seeing my mom cry and believe me I’ve seen her cry many times. You know no matter what she’s done, I don’t blame her for anything. I don’t hold grudges. In the film “The Unholy Tarahumara” I was so sad at the cow part where they cut his neck open. It happened just like Ferguson talks about in her book. I had to mute the video and scroll down. To the bottom of the page, I couldn’t watch it and even as I’m writing this I feel sick to my stomach. For Ferguson’s Chapter 11-12, in chapter 11 where she visits Ventura and he doesn’t have a leg then finally when he talks about the note she receives from Santiago and the death of Ventura. I cried, especially at the end of chapter 12 were everyone enjoys her film and she says the only person missing is Ventura. Death is sad thing. Especially when it happens unannounced.
ReplyDeleteAlejandra Rodriguez
In chapter 11 of “The Haunting of the Mexican Border”, we see Ferguson become disheartened and devastated in the face of what life throws at her. In chapter 2 it was her dance studio being forced to close down, and in this chapter it is the negative reception and disinterest of the rough cut of her documentary as well as the eventual death of one of the men she had become friends with while working on the film. We really do get to see what she is thinking and feeling throughout this chapter with the feeling of defeat apparent in her words, “I go into my room for about a week…I am sad that after all these years the film doesn’t work and I have no way to fix it.” (pg. 96). Chapter 12 focuses on the screening of the now polished film to the people in Norogachic where it is met with a positive reception and gives us a sort of sense of accomplishment on Ferguson’s part as well as a bittersweet feeling since her friend Ventura did not live to see it completed. The documentary itself, called “The Unholy Tarahumara”, was an interesting watch as it gave us a good inside look of the Raramuri/Tarahumara people, taking us deep into the rugged lives they live, how they feel about themselves, and their hopes for the future. As the title suggests, “Dealing with Beloveds (On and Off the Page)” by Karr focuses on writing about the people closest to us, how those reading may form their own perceptions and what the effects of that may have on them.
ReplyDeleteNarciso Garcia Jr.
After reading Karrs chapter “Dealing with Beloveds” she talks about writing about the people that mean the most to you in your life. This is a touching and important topic to most people. I know when it comes to writing about those that I hold dear to my heart it brings forth many emotions of happiness, sadness, anger. Although these people mean the world to me they have also touched my life in various ways both good and bad.
ReplyDeleteIn Fergusons chapter she talks about the emotions experienced through traumatic events that are happening in her life at that time. Fergusons chapter when talking about Ventura was very touching. Especially when approaching the death of Ventura. The ending of this was what really touched my heart. The thought and feeling of missing a loved one that has passed is beyond words can describe. In the film “The Unholy Tarahumara” I literally slammed my lap top shut as soon as the scene of they slit open the cow’s throat and just left him to suffer and die of a slow death. How cruel is that. Besides that, the film implemented the culture that they lived in back then. It was interesting to have a visual of what things were like in that area.
Leslie Luna
I was always curious about the real people in Memoirs. Karr, managed to save the day once again. For the longest time, i wondered, how do you talk about personal stuff, especially when it involves real people. Karr tell you straight out, she considered it, she finishes the her draft, pass the book around to get their approval, crosses them out if they don’t want to be in it. Karr even mentions going to her marriage counselor to make sure, she was portraying herself and husband fairly. Karr doesn’t talk about struggling with people in her books because they are usually fine it. I thought she didn’t cover enough on how to go about, when writing about a person who doesn’t want to be in your book. There are probably ways around it, i’m sure. I just wish Karr went more into depth, rather than talk about her family not giving a damn.
ReplyDeleteFerguson is really taking a beating in these chapters. Ferguson throws a test-screening, and ends up being disappointed with the outcome. A lot of people suggest tropes that are cliches or overused. Ferguson feels like she wasted all this time and money for nothing. Later she ends finding out her best friend and start of the movie, ended up dying. It's a hard time for Ferguson. I really am like this memoir more and more.
Mathew Betancourt
On chapter 12 dealing with beloveds, Karr makes some excellent points on when you write a memoir you have to basically be aware of your audience or who is going to read it. For example, she uses a quote from Mother Wolff's quip: "if I'd known both my boys were going to be writers, I might have lived a little differently" her reaction to what she read is basically we as writers could face when we write about family lovers. I like how she lists the way she combats this by giving us her three parts to handling others. 1, notify them way in advance 2, keep pages private until the actual book is done. And lastly 3, send work out to the people you write about. I also really appreciate and like the ten rules she gives us in writing a memoir.
ReplyDeleteIn Ferguson's chapter I like how she mentions all of these trials and tribulations that she faces when trying to publish a film. By her doing that I felt like I related to her and reminded me that she was only human like me. The way she says all these peoples names is the way I think it works well with Karr's chapter. Since there are so many names, even if she did change them, I am sure she warned them of her writing. I really am enjoying memoir.
-Marco Garza
Chapter 12 of The Art of Memoir talks about dealing with the people whom you decide to include in your memoir writing. I like how she doesn't just give advice on how to write about these people, but how to speak with these people in real life. When discussing touchy material, she suggests that we sit down and read these pages out to them BEFORE the material is published. When writing about death, don't show anyone the material until after it is published. And she once again brings up using pseudonyms. It is meant to help memoirists avoid becoming involved in serious family situations that could get REALLY out of hand. It's also to meant to show respect to your friends and family regardless of any issues you may have with them. At one point, Karr states that it's "not her nature" to write about people she doesn't like, though she herself has a done it a few times. I'm going to assume that this hints that readers CAN choose to slander someone they dislike if they really want to. But they'd have to deal with the risks that could come from this.
ReplyDeleteChapters 11 and 12 of Ferguson's memoir discusses many conflicts involving various people, including one death. Ferguson shows that she is trying to write these situations as respectfully as possible, even if some of these people are getting in the way of her film. She could easily shade a negative light on these people if she wanted to, but she chooses to stick to her persona and be respectful. The purpose of memoir is to tell your story, not make others look bad.
Michael McCormick
In Karr chapter 12 she talks about how she writes and handles writing about personal stuff. I relate to her in that I feel that my real life experiences are good and juicy enough to write about. And she also touched on how she was sexually assaulted and decided to tell her mom and sister and son, rather than them finding out from a stranger. This chapter was extremely helpful, because since I tend to prefer to write about my family or base my fiction stories off of real like experiences, it was helpful learn that if we are writing something painful that includes others, we should not hesitate to let them read it. Sadly, I had an experience last year where I wrote about the day I found out about my mother's affair and she accidentally found the essay and was hurt by reading how I felt and how i found out in the first place. Although we both moved on from it, I regret not letting her read it or for not informing that I was writing about it. And lastly in Ferguson's I really enjoyed the chapter and she discusses the death of Ventura. And what I love most is that she titled the chapter "Ventura's Home" which I thought was beautiful since he was burred in the rancho where he longed to be reside again. It touched my heart and it connected to Karr's by describing and talking about people close to our hearts.
ReplyDelete-Joy Perez