Literature and Culture Essay

I. literary works General Introduction lit is my Utopia. Here I am non disenfranchised. No barrier of the senses shuts me out from the sweet, gracious discourses of my bind fri land ups. They talk to me without perplexity or awk fightdness (Helen Keller) Keller could non throw off been more correct in this insight more or less lit, and scarcely would any unrivalled who has had a life measuretime with the written explicate raise any issue about(predicate) its faultlessness. patch with his complex, often illimitable and unpredictable thoughts, feelings and saves, and many propagation restrained by societal norms from openly exposing what he has inside him, considers books as a socially satisfactory vehicle for unrestrained self- renderion. publications is life. It is a mirror of mans desires and aspirations, his ambitions and accomplishments, his fears and anxiety, his joyful and fulfilling moments. Through it, he records his welcomes of triumphs and downfalls, laugh ter and anguish, de boundaryination and indecisionfrom things phenomenal to matters mundane.It is only through writings that the forgiving mind is able to successfully transcend all material barriers to reveal its essence which constitutes the isness of mans being. books, consequently, is the totality of humanity. The famous French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre succinctly said it all in the hobby line If publications is non alwaysything, its not expenditure a single hour of slightlyones trouble (http//www. brainyquote. com/quotes/key backchat/ books. html). What is Literature? ? So broad and deep is the extent and scope of literature that lay up a definition for it is al to the highest degree wish well limiting its parameters.However, for schoolman purposes, it will be relevant to ex field of battle what the opinion encompasses. ? On a general perspective, anything that is written is classified as literature. ? On a stricter sense, however, and crosswise coatings and ag es, literature is associated with a poem, or a fiction article, or a coiffe play, a book or a classroom lesson. ? Literature, as the body of written works of a wrangle, period or culture, and produced by scholars and researchers, reminds us of stories, epics, sacred scriptures and classical works of the ancient and advance(a) times.literary works argon portrayals of the thinking patterns and social norms prevalent in society. mere literary works serve as a food for thought, mental imagery and creativity. ? A literary article should interest, entertain, stimulate, broaden the imagination and experience, or entitle the ref (Roberts 2). It springs as an idea from the need of its creator to get across a thought or feeling. The reservoir starts from an experience or imbed of experiences, real or imagined, which he thinks he needs to sh atomic number 18 with his public. on the job(p) on his creative tablet, he recreates the facts to reflect veritable-to-life happenings, or inve nts incidents, places, and characters and puts thoughts into the latter(prenominal)s minds and terminology in their mouths. Or he whitethorn specify to compress an otherwise long factual or imagined romance in a few metered or rhythmical lines. The result is an original school schoolbook that satisfies its creators purpose a literary article, an chimerical literature. ? Kirszner & classify A Mandell explain that the word literature immediately stirs in the mind the concept of imaginative literature (1).Imaginative Literature is one which temporarily microscope stages the ref to a different world, a focusing from the natural and emotional realities of his existence, where he could be free to view the world with his own eyes and heart. Imaginative literature is not confined to print. A substantial number of orally transfer imaginative literatures have set the imposts in their respective literary genres and have remained among the roughly respectable pieces in the liter atures of the world. Why should we value literature? Literature that is imaginative bay window have far-reaching effects on the lecturer (Kirzner & vitamin A Mandell 2-3).?The characters, scenes, images, coercive language, and c befully and masterfully developed piece sanctionside delight the reader and offer him an ephemeral escape from the stiffness, boredom, wangle up cruelty of the world roughly him. ? It net transport the reader out of the limits of his time and space, and get him into eyesight another possible phase of life. Meaningful insights can be raddled from wholesome literary text editions. ? It can plant him to a level where he is able to see his life more objectively, up close and epitomel.This is because literature reveals truths about humanity. More than a mere description of plurality and what they do, literature brings the reader to a slice of virtual life in which he (the reader) consciously experiences his humanity. This is an added value of lit erature. ? It is an avenue for him to view and understand his own experiences and those of others. Reflecting can make him more sensitive to the needs of others and his own. Literature, then, can serve as a value guide as well as a fall out to an analysis of values and kernels about the realities in life.? Imaginative literature is founded on factshistory, pure science, psychology, sociology, anthropology, mathematics, and other branches of receiptledge. The in systema skeletaleation load it carries can be another added value to the reader. Similarly, literature that is imaginative has marked values for the writer (Krizner & antiophthalmic factor Mandell 3). ? It is a creative avenue for self-expression. A writer can unravel the ill-effects of ethnic patterns and norms, and can suggest ways to remedy a stinking system through the characters of his pithy story, novel, or play, or the persona in song.Also, he reveals his man-to-manity and uniqueness as a writer in the way he m anipulates the elements of his genrecharacter, setting, language, format, and style. ? It is an expression of common ethnical values. A writer has his own mind about a bother or issue, entirely that thought is molded by the collective sentiment, aspiration, philosophy, value, yet fears of the society or cultural group he belongs to. Literature provides opportunities for the transport of these ethnic or cultural thoughts, feelings, and biases to lots across cultural borders.It is in this way that literature can stand as the conscience and consciousness of the community which created it. literary writing styles and Culture Traditions in literature include classifying works into literary types or genres. Genre classification can have several advantages (web. nchu. edu. tw/chtung/1986. doc. 2-6). ? It can bring about an order or a system in the handling of literary texts and, in effect, facilitates choice of materials akin to ones interests, which can result in greater understandi ng and appreciation.For lesson, a reader who has an ear for musicality and rhythm will pick up a poetic text more likely than he would a book of fiction. ? It has resulted in the writing of standards for each genre. With the aid of these writing standards, literary creators be able to craft their works more systematically. Thoughtfully dismissal all oer the standards for a maneuver will aptly arm a noviciate writer to focus on what the hearing will look for in a play. Con versely, a critic who is familiar with genre standards will know exactly what to look for in a literary work.?The existence of genre classification is one avenue that can lead to the meeting of minds betwixt the reader and the writer. When the brain has identified beforehand what it is looking for in a text (schemata-text matching through knowledge of specific genre), comprehension of the text will be less stressful, less threatening and more enjoyable. Culture-based Literary Traditions 1. Genre Classifica tions. The presence of traditional and universally recognized genres does not say the uniformity of genre classifications and the standards for each genre.Not all genre classifications be present in all places, and not all places observe the aforesaid(prenominal) standards for each classification. Every culture has its own genre, owing to the variations in the experiences and aspirations of the pack in each culture. For ex ample ? The sonnet which is common in westward traditions is not well known in China or among the Arab nations ( Kirszner & Mandell 2). ?The kabuki play of Japan has as yet no replica in western countries (Kirszner & Mandell 2). ? We still have to see a counter spokesperson of the Filipino pasyon in other literary traditions.2. Narrative organization conventions. The standards on the presentation of events in a plot can vary from culture to culture specifically with orally transmitted literature (Kirszner & Mandell 2). For example ? Some native Amer ican and African stories dating to the early stage of cultural suppuration are arranged spatially, not chronologically as is the tradition in al intimately all cultures. All incidents that took place in one setting are narrated, then the narration moves to focus on all the incidents in another setting, and so on until all the events are completely retold.Even character development is not given as much focus in some traditional African and primordial American stories as it is in present-day fiction (Kirszner & Mandell 3). 3. calibre development. Present-day fiction puts much emphasis on the identity and the development of character. This is not so in some traditional African and primeval American stories. Kirszner & Mandell state that in some of these narrations, characters are sometimes not named and can even switch roles towards the end of the story (3). Genre Classifications and TimeEarlier literary works were grouped more largely than those in the present. Contemporar y literature is lumped into four big groupsprose fiction, poetry, nonfiction prose, and shimmer (Roberts 3) succession earlier traditions recognized three groups fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The drama in its traditional form used verse, which explains why it was categorized as poetry. Although not markedly divergent from the present literary groupings, the old genre classification reflects those which societies then considered to be what mattered close to. The Genres of LiteratureCritics could not seem to agree on one best way literary writings should be grouped however, most authorities name four categories for classifying literature (Roberts 3). 1. Narrative fiction or prose fiction. This is the literary type which low comes to mind when the word fiction is mentioned. Narration, or retelling past events, is what makes fiction what it is. ? Narrative fiction gives an account of a serial of events, factual or imagined further mostly imagined.?One character, the assistant, or a few characters is/are at the center of these events, causing them to happen and or causing him to be transformed. ? He is confronted with a riddle, the solution of which is his primary concern, and the action he takes towards its resolution is the reason for his transformation. He may or may not overcome the problem. ?Some events in fictional narratives are bony from historic incidents save fictionalized through change of names, places, and time, and a slight bring off in the plot. ? Through narrative fiction, the author is able to express his thoughts about a problem or issue, and/or is able to entertain.Classifications of Narrative prevarication a. Myth. This prose fiction, which punctuates the literary beginnings of practically every cultural group, is a story relate on how the gods related to humanshow certain places, beings, and places came to be, how the gods biases made some peoples lives fulfilling and rendered others lives miserable, how conflicts among the mortals affected the gods or vice versa. Myths can also be about struggles among cultural heroes, each one representing the time-established beliefs of a accompaniment cultural group. b. Parable.This is a short narrative about some ordinary experiences of a group of people and is meant to connect to the teaching of a certain moral, or the hammering home of a philosophical, social, religious, or political teaching. The Jewish tradition best exemplifies the use of parables. c. Romance. This refers to lengthy Spanish and French stories of the 16th and seventeenth centuries, especially about the adventures and ordeals of the royalty and the members of their court. It can also refer to modern formulaic stories describing the fixth of an impulsive, lumbering and powerful love relationship.d. Short story. owe to its comparative brevity, this is the most prevalent type of narrative fiction. The plot may revolve around one or deuce main characters facing a difficulty. There are high as well as low puts in their lives but, most always, each ones life will not go back to exactly the same point where it began. Because of the little space dictated by the shortened form of the text, interactions and relationships resulting in changes in character, no matter how subtle, are described briefly. e. Novel. This is a short story in extended form.Length being its advantage over the short story, the novel permits the full and sometimes exhaustive development of the interactions that lead to changes in some characters disposition, thoughts, feelings, or aspirations (Roberts 5). 2. metrical composition. A poem is a literary form that expresses a monologue or a conversation grounded on the most deeply felt experiences of human beings (Kirszner & Mandell 522). ? It is acclaimed as the oldest and the most popular among the literary forms. ? It is the most variable in length, running from a few syllables, as in the Japanese haiku, to hundreds of stanzas, as in the epic.?The l anguage is compressed in a few lines or verses arranged in conformity with the principles of form, rhythm, and sometimes meter and rhyme. ? It has a ample imagery and connotative forms of expression, fashioning it the most puzzling and, thitherfore, the most open to multiple interpretations. These qualities make poetry unique (Roberts 5). ? Among earlier cultures, for example, Greek and Roman, poetry served as a vehicle for the expression of the spiritual and the philosophical. With the passing of time, poetry has gained an added valuethat of expressing the most profound ideas and the deepest emotions of humanity.Across the cultures of the present, poetry remains to inspire, to delight, and to serve as a vehicle for the concerns of the heart (Kirszner & Mandell 522). Classifications of Poetry f. Narrative poetry. This is a story in verse, of which there are two familiar forms i. Epic. Apparently the more familiar of the two, an epic is a narrative account in verse of the accom plishments of a heroic figure, a folk hero who exhibits extraordinary physical powers and superhuman dispositions, of gods, and other supernatural entities.The account covers a wide country of time and place, and reflects the cultural feature of speechs of the people who wrote it. Although some epics are credited to office stafficular authors, others are ascribed to their countries or cultures of origin. This is because epics of old were handed down orally, in plain verse or in song, and, as a result, grew and developed as they passed from one generation to the next, eventually mirroring the evolution of the peoples traditions and norms. Of ecumenic renown are The Iliad of Homer, The Aeneid of Virgil, Beowulf of the Anglo-Saxons, and Mahabharata of the Hindus.ii. Ballad. Like the epic, the ballad traces its origin to oral tradition. primarily mean to be sung, this narrative poem carries one outstanding characteristicits use of repetition of language and phrases, including a r efrain. g. linguistic processal Poetry. This poem does not attempt to tell a story. Possessing a very personal and inhering nature, it conveys the loud loud blab outer systems feelings, biases and aspirations, state of mind, and perceptions in a melodious mood. Lyric poetry sub-types include the next (Kirzsner & Mandell 525-526) iii. Ode.This is a long speech poem which is, generally, on a earnest subject, such as an key concept (for example, freedom), person, or any other entity in nature (for example, the sun) and with a formal poetic diction and meditative mood. The poem centers on the speakers observations about the subject and usually winds up with an effort towards throw away light on an emotional problem. Owing to its Greek origin, it is often intended to be recited or sung by two choruses. iv. Elegy. This lyric sub-type is meant to bewail the passing of a specific person.As such, it is characterized by a sorrow and plaintive mood and an ending that offers conso lation. It may also reflect what the author considers to be mysterious, uncertain, or strange. v. Pastoral. In contrast to the elegy, the bucolic has a light, happy, even romantic mood as it celebrates the simplicity and idyll of country life. vi. cursory poem. This poem is meant for a particular event, for example, a wedding, the installation of a tumid church leader, the putting up of a landmark, or a chairpersons inaugural. vii.Poems on everyday activities. Poems are sometimes written to express the writers feelings or describe his experiences about day-to-day events, for example, deviation about the daily chores, herding the animals back to their corral, or riding the trolley. viii. Aubade. This poetic form is specifically written to celebrate or lament the coming of a new day, specifically the arrival of morning. Dawn is often welcomed with joy and hope, but it can also bring despair to a persona who sees it as a signal to leave his lover. ix. Meditation.An ordinary object can be used as a vehicle to consider important, more serious issues. A poem that is focused on this is called meditation. Kriszner and Mandell cite Edmund Wallers Go, good-natured Rose as an example (526) in which the speaker tells the rose meant to be delivered to his lady love his message for the lady. Far more important than his words of adoration is his advice for the lady not to waste the charm and time bestowed upon her since time flies and beauty fades in no time. x. Dramatic monologue. In this poem, the speaker addresses one or more listeners who is/are absent.In the process, the speaker unravels the dramatic aspect of the situation and reveals his psychological and emotional side of the issue at hand, which is usually less interesting than how he (the speaker) treats it. Some authors use the term dramatic lyric. xi. Some authors classify the epigram, a verse in two to four lines with characteristic wit and sarcasm, under lyric poetry Cited as a classic example is Alexande r Popes On the Collar of a Dog (voices. yahoo. com) which runs in two lines. In most cases, however, an epigram is not a stand-alone piece but forms part of a longer poetic composition. xii.Other cultures have their own types of lyric poems, e. g. , ghazal in Urdu, and rondeau in French. h. Satirical Poetry. As far back as the days of the Roman empire, poetry was already used as a powerful vehicle for political purposes. This tradition continues to these days. Many who are disgruntled with any system or structure choose to overstate their bitterness and discontent artistically through carefully crafted satirical poems. Poetry can have several forms. i. Sonnet. It comes in 14 lines arranged in three quatrains and a couplet Shakespearean or English or an octave and a sestet Petrarchan or Italian.The iambic pentameter is generally used in sonnets. ii. Cinquian. It has quin short lines with the interest pattern line 1 one word or 2 syllables line 2 2 words or 4 syllables 3 words or 6 syllables 4 words or 8 syllables 1 word or 2 syllables. iii. Haiku. This is a verse of Japanese origin consisting of three unrhymed lines of 5 7 5 morae (quantity of time equivalent to a short syllable). A traditional haiku carries a word pertaining to the seasons and a case word, called kireji, used at the end of one of the three lines.Incidentally, there is no English equivalent of the cutting word concept (www. poemofquotes. com/haiku). iv. Tanka. Like the haiku, tanka is a Japanese verse but consists of five lines. The first and third lines carry five syllables each bit the rest of the lines have seven syllables each. v. Concrete poem. This poem uses typographythe look of the printed textto enhance its message. Thus, visual elements such as punctuation marks, symbols, and constitution of words on the printed page, or the manikin of the poem, are elemental in driving home the writers message.A poem about the magical sounds of a bell is shaped like a flower, while one th at has nature as subject may take the shape of a tree or a bird. Visual poems, pattern poems, and size of it poems are examples of concrete poems (www. poemsofquotes. com/articles/concrete-poetry. php). vi. Blank verse. This type of verse uses unrhymed iambic pentameter. vii. Free verse. Unlike the blank verse, this type of verse may be rhymed or unrhymed but does not observe a fixed meter. 3. Drama.This literary genre is meant to be presented on stage. Actors portray the events in the story as though these were happening in the present. Like narrative fiction, there is a problem around which all action revolves. At the center maybe a single character or a small number of characters who carry the burden of resolving the conflict and on whose actions and thoughts the attention of the audience is largely focused.The protagonist may overcome the problem or may be overcome by it. Unlike in a narrative fiction, the audience in a drama are able to actually witness the fictional event s as they happen, making the experience direct and closer to life than in narrative fiction. i. Tragedy.Often associated with the comical and the disastrous, and in keeping with Greek tradition, this type of drama is focused on treating serious subjects and involving persons of significance (Kirszner & Mandell 917, citing Aristotles Poetics). ? At the center of the drama is a character, the protagonist, who is noble, respected, perfect from almost all angles, except for one shift which is not obvious at the start but which will later on manifest to a very crucial point that will arrange to cause his downfall. ? A very important lesson is conveyed heremans condition in life is one of nobility. ?The purpose of the play is to bring the audience to an experience of pity for the central character as he wrestles with the trials in his life and with experiences of fear of going through the same situation. ? The audience is expected to leave the theater with the resolution to not follow the tragical path which the central character of the play took. j. Comedy. This type of drama sits on the other end of the spectrum. It is designed to treat themes and characters with humor and typically has a happy ending (Kirszner & Mandell 917).? The main character is an ordinary individual whose life is open to the public, and whom the public knows to be carrying a mask of his true self all along. ? The comedy is meant to take away that mask from the protagonist and to reveal to the audience his simplicity and foolishness, his lack of understanding of things, his being selfish, hypocritical, vain, weak, irrational, and capacitance for self-delusion (Kirszner & Mandell 917). ? Ironically, it is the comedy that brings entertainment and laughter to the audience who, unknowingly, is the subject of reproach of the action in the play. k.Farce. This is a humorous play. But unlike the comedy, the plot does not depend on the development of a character but on a situat ion that is exploited ingeniously. The term can speak for itself. 4. Nonfiction Prose. Any literary form not falling under any of the categories just mentioned is classified as nonfiction prose. This group consists of a wide array of fact-based and fact-oriented written materials presenting judgments and opinions and which are created mainly as sources of information. news program reports, feature articles, essays, editorials, textbooks, and biographical and historical works fall under this category. Recently, there has been a marked increase in the interest for biographical and historical works, a good number of which have become bestsellers. Many schools have shifted to biographical and historical novels for required student readings. REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. The statements that follow are support by the foregoing discussions except one. Find that excoriate. l. Literature is a potent vehicle to convey a personal longing. m.The most thoroughgoing of human experiences are the only ones considered as worthy literary materials. n. Mans freedom of self-expression can be best exemplified by the almost limitless breadth of possibilities in literature. o. Reading a literary text is experiencing the writers unspoken regret or praise. 2. Find the sentence which is not supported by the foregoing discussions. a. Defining literature is not always necessary. b. Imaginative literature can be a rich source of lessons about living life. c. A well written literary text can cause a change in a persons disposition.d. Written literature has always been the better tradition. 3. Which of the following statements best paraphrases the opening quote? a. Literature is the source of Helen Kellers highest point of contentment. b. Keller and her friends read literature a lot and find much convey from it. c. Being blind and deaf, Keller finds literature reading as the best pastime. d. Kellers friends love to hear her share with them what she has read and what she thinks about them.4. Imagin ative literature differs from other literary forms in the following ways except one. e.Imaginative literature builds on a writers personal experience and shares it factually with the reader. f. Mundane and extraordinary human experiences are vividly recreated and accented with some of the writers imaginative thoughts. g. Imaginative literature is everything that transports the reader to a different world, stimulates his creative mind, and appeals to his sense of values. h.Mans most profound thoughts and feelings are expressed in symbols and images. 5. Which three (3) statements are not supported by the discussions on the value of literature? i. Every literary text has its own place in the arena of values.j.Longer texts, such as the novel and the drama, have a more profound reader-impact than shorter ones, such as proverbs and haikus. k. One of the added values of literature is that it requires interpretation and analysis of meaning. l. Literature has to be historical for it to be pr ized. m. A song expressing a prisoners longing for immediate freedom is an ethnicity-inspired literary piece. 6. C. S. Lewis is quoted to have said Literature enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides and in this respect, it irrigates the desert that our lives have already become. This quote supports the idea that n. Basically, literature is based on world knowledge. o. Literature brings entertainment to its audience. p. Available in every literary text are several insights about meaningful living. q. Literature enables the reader to grasp the meaning of his experiences and those of the people around him. 7. Which of the following statements is not true about poetry? r. It dates back to the earliest years of mans literary experience. s. It is rigorously metered, rhymed, and rhythmical. t.It can capture the most profound and the most ordinary human experience in a few words. u. The poets message is mask in rich symbols and other forms of evocative exp ressions. 8. Although sometimes classified as poetry, romance is proprietarily a type of narrative fiction _____ v. owing to its length. w. because it is fundamentally intended to give an account of past incidents in story format. x. since it is primed(p) at a definite past time and space. y. because it is about adventure. 9. The following is an English translation of a Bilaan poem attributed to pre-colonial times.Bilaan is a tribal group of southern Mindanao, which is the second biggest island in the Philippines and is situated in the southernmost part of the archipelago. The early people were renowned hunters and food gatherers (blog. travelpod. com/travel-blog-entries/aliawan/1/1262268183/tpod. html). The language of the people is also called Bilaan. ) Read the poem carefully to be able to reaction the question below. LAMGE What can we do? Oh, what can we do? This is our work, this we should do. Oh my, how, oh how is this to go on? Continue, then come back when you reach the to p. Tis not there Tis not here they said. Well try till we can make it. Its not here, according to them, but dont relax Dont be surprised. Theyre still far. Lets hurry (Lumbera & Lumbera 11) What sub-type of poetry is Lamge? a. a poem on everyday activities. b. occasional poem. c. pastoral d. meditation 10. Which of the following work values were prized by the early Bilaans as evidenced by the poem LAMGE? z. creativity and leisure . individual actualisation and prestige . collaboration and achievement . autonomy and compensation 11. Study the following excerpts then identify that which is not taken from imaginative literature.. EDSA (the name of the passage in Metro manilla that runs north to south from Caloocan to Baclaran) has become the popular designation of the revolt which began as a military mutiny on February 21 1986 and developed into a popular uprising in Manila that culminated in the flight of the dictator and his family to Hawaii, U. S. A. on February 24, 1986. The r evolt established the presidency of Corazon Aquino which was marked by the restoration of pre-Martial Law society (Lumbera & Lumbera 364). . It was fall the morning of the execution. I remember how brackish and crimson was the sky.God has cut open the sun, spilling its innards, carving out its heart. That sun had never seemed the same to me ever since. The cold air scraped the insides of my lungs and chilled my nape. It was the first dawn I had awakened to. The first time to witness the pained violent birthing of light (Lumbera & Lumbera 377). . And so we talk/ our words trying to capture/pain caroming/like the balls of ivory/ Our voices rise/and fall/ as we sit in a circle/ racing our other lives/ the beginnings/ of love/ rich and red/ as the felt on the board (Lumbera & Lumbera 422). Matumal ang pasada nang buong umagang iyon at naipasiya kong igarahe muna sa bahay and minamanehong taksi kesa magsayang ng gasolina. Pababa na ako nang sa paglingon koy nasulyapan ko ang clutch protrude na iyon sa may paanan ng likurang-upuan. Kinabahan ako at patawarin ako ng mga anak kong gusto kong lumaking matitino, lumabo sabi nga ang tingin ko sa tamat mali, sa masamat mabuti. Paano kung limpak-limpak na pera ang laman ng clutch bag?Kung bara-barang ginto o alahas kaya? Isosoli ko pa ba? Managot kaya ako kung saka-sakali? (Lumbera & Lumbera 422). (The trips were far between the whole morning and I decided to temporarily drive home the cab rather than keep going through the streets and waste gas.I was about to get down when in a glance I noticed that clutch bag at the foot of the backseat. I began to feel restless and my children whom I wanted to grow responsible may they forgive me, my sense of right and wrong, good and bad, blurred. What if the clutch bag contained stacks of money? What if it had bars of gold, or jewelry? Will I return it? Will I answer for my action just in case? ) 12. Choose the excerpt that is taken from imaginative literature . . Home making is really border making it is about deciding who is in as well as who is out.I began this project on Filipino Americans in San Diego at the borderthe U. S. -Mexico border. Since the mid-1970s, the militarization of the U. S. -Mexico border region has intensified. From San Diego to the Rio Grande Valley, armed U. S. federal agents patrol key border points to block illegal crossersto keep them from invading our homes. Since 1994, Operation Gatekeeper, a high-profile blockade-style operation, has turned the San Diego-Tijuana border region into a war zone, pushing immigrants to attempt more treacherous crossings in the forbidding mountains and deserts east of San Diego (Espiritu 205-206).In the annals of human adversity, there is etched a cancer, of a breed so malignant that the least contact exacerbates it and stirs in it the sharpest of pains. And thus, many times amidst modern cultures I have wanted to harass you, sometimes for memories of you to keep me company, other times, to compare you with other nationsmany times your beloved image appears to me afflicted with a social cancer of confusable malignancy (Rizal, Dedication of Noli Me Tangere).