Connecting to the Characters in a Story

V.S. Naipaul

     In the book “Reading and Writing: A Personal Account” by V.S. Naipaul, the author manages to make the characters come alive. As a reader, I am able to immerse myself in his story, forgetting the where and the when of where I am. I imagined I was in rural India, and I empathized with the protagonist when he went through such a drastic change and moved to the city, feeling like a complete stranger and always out of place. He felt lost in his childhood too, as he knew he wanted to be a writer, but had not yet found his reason to write. 

Ramlila

     His characters are relatable, as we all have felt lost at some point of our lives. I still feel that way, and I wonder when will be the moment I realize exactly what I want to do in my life. I also felt his confusion, and felt the way he must have felt during his personal growth and self-discovery. I could really see how his experiences had a profound effect on him and helped made him who he is. The Ramlila, for example, a play based on the epic Ramayana, was what really cemented in him his Indian culture. As the author mentions, it lay below the writing he was later to make.  

Characters coming alive 

     The details in his story really make it possible for the reader to imagine everything the author is going through, and after reading the story, for example, I feel I really know what kind of person his dad is. Just by mentioning that he never finishes a story, one can assume he is easily distracted and absent-minded. Since the protagonist mentions him a lot, and how he read to him, I can know that his dad was a really good father who cared about his son and his education and had a deep effect in his reading and writing. The details say so much more than what it is written on paper. At the end, the author mentions he was “eaten up by anxiety”, during and after a hard time in his life where he suffered from poverty. He mentions it was an emotion he had always known, and I could really feel his anxiety during the whole story. In conclusion, to me, what really made the characters come alive is the fact that I was able to connect to them and really care about them. It mattered to me whether or not the author would be able to find his voice as a writer, and I felt happy when he found it.

Our Puerto Rican Culture

San Juan streets

Puerto Rico has a very unique culture, influenced heavily by the fact that we are an American colony. Our roots are based on Taínos, Africans, the Spanish and the American culture. By walking through the streets of San Juan, one can appreciate our history while walking by craftsmen, eating traditional foods and admiring the old Spanish-influenced arquitecture from the buildings there.

                A big part of our culture is our music. Even in new generations, salsa is still relevant and present at every party.  Another important part of our culture is our food, consisting of mofongos, rice and beans, alcarpurrias, pasteles, and many more. Christmas is coming soon, which means a lot of lechón, arroz con gandules, and coquito. We get double the presents: from Santa Claus and then Los Reyes Magos. Our festive holidays are the best and longest. We find any excuse to party. There are small festivals in our towns in name of every food imaginable. We’re known for being loud and friendly, as well as knowing how to party. We’ll always help out a stranger, and make him feel like we’ve known each other for a long time.

So then, can Puerto Rican culture be defined by our food, festivities and music? In my opinion, it definitely can, but it is also much more than that. Our culture is influenced by our past as well as the present, by our joined attitudes and beliefs, as well as our atmosphere (living in an island). We’re proud of our culture. And we’re proud for every accomplishment a puertorrican makes. We love our country, and we’re loud when expressing our pride.