Estrella Cibreiro & Rodrigo Fuentes, Spanish Department
Personal Writings and Reflections
Personal Writings and Reflections
Asking students to produce their own creative work —stories, poems, or dialogues— in an Introduction to Textual Analysis course in Spanish might appear a bit ambitious. Yet what better way for students to internalize and enjoy what they've learned than having them use that knowledge to fashion their own creations? Writing in a second language might seem like an additional hurdle, but Surrealists have taught us that self-imposed constraints can paradoxically free a writer's mind and pen.
Through the process of writing, students have come away with a better understanding of and appreciation for the artistic strategies they study in their class readings. Plot development, meter, or dramatic irony are nothing more than dry terms in a textbook. The following writers have injected life back into these concepts, creating literary texts that speak to them in a language which, until recently, was not their own.
Writing in Spanish illuminates reading in all languages. By including creative writing activities and bringing students together to share their work in our courses, we have sought to create new ways of connecting and creating community.