Spanish Contemporary Novel: Trends and Traits
The Contemporary Spanish Novel
Civil War + Dictatorship + Misery = Novel as a subgenre that reflects hard realities.
- Between 1940 and 1970: Vital disappointment and anguish.
- 1970s onward: New program since the return of freedom.
The contemporary novel is divided into three main categories:
1. Existential Novel
This reflects the disappointment and anguish of the human being. It is influenced by the existential picaresque novel of the Golden Age and the legacy of Pío Baroja.
Themes:
- Human destinies: Characters’
Film Studies: Essential Concepts and Techniques
Film Form
- Analysis: Suspends judgment; breaks film into parts and explains how they work.
- Function: How something in a film works.
- Motivation: Why something is in a film (justification).
- Unity & Disunity: Connection between aspects of two pieces of film that fit remarkably well (e.g., Toto in *The Wizard of Oz*).
- Similarity & Repetition: Object, sound, or person that is repeated throughout the film.
- Motif: Any significant repeated element that contributes to the overall film (e.g., marigolds in
Understanding Literary Elements: Setting, Character, Plot & More
Literary Elements Explained
Setting: The time and place of a story or play. Setting can also contribute to the conflict in a story.
- Letting us hear the character speak.
- Describing how the character looks and dresses.
- Letting us listen to the character’s inner thoughts and feelings.
Masterpieces of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism
Rodin’s The Thinker
Key Aspects: Impressionism, bronze casting, sculpture.
Formal Analysis
The Thinker was initially conceived as part of a larger work, The Gates of Hell. The sculpture depicts a nude man in a deeply reflective pose, with exaggerated hands and feet. Despite the naturalism in the figure, Rodin’s intention was not merely to create a realistic depiction but to symbolize the tortured state of human thought and destiny. The feeling of life and movement is conveyed through the sculpture’
Read MoreMona Lisa and The Last Supper: Leonardo’s Masterpieces
Mona Lisa: A Portrait of History
La Gioconda: The portrait of history’s most famous, and perhaps the most famous painting in Western art. Its fame is probably due to the many literary references and the various interpretations of the protagonist. It was admired as a symbol of serene beauty and reflects both the physical and the soul of this woman, whose identity has not been confirmed with certainty. It is Leonardo’s great work, taking into account that he continued retouching it until his last
Read MoreAuguste Rodin’s The Thinker: Symbolism and Context
The Thinker (Le Penseur) by Auguste Rodin, created between 1880 and 1900, stands as an iconic sculpture of French Impressionism.
Technical Elements
This bronze sculpture, cast at the Rodin Museum foundry in Paris, showcases Rodin’s unique technique. He intentionally left the mold for the base unfinished, creating a rough texture that emphasizes the manual process. This roughness adds strength and power to the sculpture’s form.
- Material: Bronze
- Location: Rodin Museum, Paris
- Style: Impressionism