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Reinaldo Arenas: More Than the Single Story

Reinaldo Arenas: More Than the Single Story. Before Night Falls directed by Schnabel, Global Arenas by Jacqueline Loss. Introduction to Arenas. Born July 16 1943 in the rural Cuban countryside Joined rebel forces of C astro as a teenager Moved to Havana after the triumph of the revolution

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Reinaldo Arenas: More Than the Single Story

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  1. Reinaldo Arenas: More Than the Single Story Before Night Falls directed by Schnabel, Global Arenas by Jacqueline Loss

  2. Introduction to Arenas • Born July 16 1943 in the rural Cuban countryside • Joined rebel forces of Castro as a teenager • Moved to Havana after the triumph of the revolution • Published first novel in 1967 Celestino antes del alba • Left Cuba in 1980 through the Mariel boat lift • Arrived in Miami, then settled in New York City • Committed suicide on December 7th 1990

  3. Context ContextContext! • Batista’s Cuba- 1933- 1958 • City vs. Country conditions during this time • Americas Imperial Arm • 1959 Castro gains power • Approximately 1965-1968 UMAP (Military Units to Aid Protection) labor camps for “counterrevolutionaries” Sugar Cane • What is a counterrevolutionary?

  4. Context • Homosexuals (gay men), Counterrevolutionary intellectuals, Jehovah's witnesses, insubordinate farmers • In Fidel’s words homosexuals were… • Sick • Characteristic of capitalism • Denounced homosexuals as agents of imperialism • Believed work in UMAP would make them “true revolutionary men” • Dentro de la Revolucion: Todo. Contra de la Revolucion: NADA

  5. Intellectuals • The Speech “Palabras a Los Intellectuales” 1961 • Cautions Intellectuals about producing work that could be seen as “against” the revolution • Explained that the revolution won Cuba freedom and freedom of speech, and that any work that is anti revolutionary is therefore anti the freedom and undermines the well being and freedoms of the collective whole • Persecution of Intellectuals/artists • P.M Saba Cabrera Infante and Orlando Jimenez censored

  6. PM • PM 1:22 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0-8gfWzBa8&list=PL6E2F51428B583AEF • Bodies Represented • Constraints • Connect to Arenas • Homosexual and intellectual/artist • “The system has used any means necessary to eradicate my existence.” • Forced sending of manuscripts abroad

  7. Before Night Falls as a Movie • What did you think of the film? • How was Cuban sexuality portrayed? • Were there parts that stood out to you? • Do you remember any important scenes that depicted Arenas’ sexuality? How did the movie’s portrayal of his sexuality differ from or adhere to the texts we read for Tuesday?

  8. Symbolism • Reinaldo looking up at Hot Air Balloon vs. Skyscrapers • Plants and nature in Cuba vs. NYC • The I <3 NY bag • Johnny Depp both as Bon Bon and lieutenant Victor

  9. Problematic Aspects • Schnabel’s portrayal of Arenas and his sexuality • Desexualized? In your face-ness? Why may this be? Audience? • Schnabel's production of the film 10 years after his death • Power dynamics of Author and Author’s identity • The oversimplifying of a single story • Fidelity Criticisms • Commodification • The issues of artistic liberty • Miami, Suicide

  10. Problematic Aspects • Imperialist writing • Speaking for someone else- prosopopeia vs. testimino • The danger of “rescuing” and “rescue narratives”- “I feel I like I walked those streets…” • Voyeurism- American desire to see Cuba (the “forbidden fruit”)

  11. Questions • Do you think Schnabel’s rendition of Reinaldo Arenas’ life was understandable? Outright Imperialist? Or necessary for filmic (American) audiences? • Loss prompts, “Whose cultural memory is privileged if we accept the rescue paradigm? In what aspects of consumerism lead us to buy into the narrative of rescue and demise that coincides with the markets whims.” • What do you think?

  12. Problematic Aspects • Cutting of scenes at particularly chosen moments • Formation of relationships and sexual encounters in film • English in Cuba and Spanish in U.S • Nosotrosvs. Ustedes (Us vs. Them)- touches back to voyeurism

  13. The Danger of a Single Story • Using a single story to define someone’s many stories (Arenas as a writer vs. google search as poet) • Using a single story to characterize a people (homosexuals, Cubans etc.) • Can you think of any other stories that are used as “universals” for a group/s of people? • Homogenization and absorption vs. plurality and diversity

  14. The Danger of a Single Story • Novelist ChimamandaAdichie, “The Danger of a Single Story.” • http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html

  15. Works Cited • http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~jidoming/images/jid_batista.PDF • http://www.glbtq.com/literature/arenas_r.html • Global Arenas: Narrative and Filmic Translation of Identity. Jacqueline Loss • Before Night Falls. Julian Schnabel • P.M by Saba Cabrera Infante • The Danger of a Single Story ChimamandaAdichie

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