Sunday, November 27, 2016

The Art of the Shortest Novel: How we connect and disconnect from each other

Umberto Eco anointed Augusto Monterroso as the author of the shortest novel.

El Dinosaurio ('The Dinosaur')
Cuando despertó, el dinosaurio todavía estaba allí. 
"When he awoke, the dinosaur was still there."

Instead .  .  .

What if we considered how we connected, or disconnected, to those around us? What novels would we write if we could look upon our personal world?

This personal world would be more than the sum of kinship, of friends and acquaintances, and more than the semi-random meetings of those we encounter as we walk through the day.

How might we describe these personal worlds?

I asked my students to take on this challenge. These are several of their novels.

Irene Hurtado: Screen
I have not touched my loved ones and too often touched strangers.

Omar Soto: The Border
The border is my daily enemy, long lines, long waits, all this just to be in this place.

Grecia Montes:  Mujer (Woman)
Nací siendo mujer, el sueño mas bello, la pesadilla mas horrible, machismo en mi cultura.
"Born a woman, the most beautiful dream, the most terrifying nightmare, machismo in my culture."

Ivonne Arriaga: Two Worlds
She was part of two worlds, but not both.

Cassandra Ordaz: The Ride
The world ended with a velociraptor riding a white shark.