Gothic Projects Class Brainstorm

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Thank you so much for entering into the spirit of this. A reminder: you always have the option of doing the 12-15 page paper for the course. However, based on your work so far, I’m interested in any projects you come up with that open your work to the wider world. I started out our discussion today with the following brainstorm ideas:

• Wikipedia entry on Calligraphy of the Witch
• Watching / collecting La Llorona stories / films
• Screenplay / short film on La Llorona
• Reading / writing review of Rechy’s The Vampires
• Exploring Chicana/o goth music / fashion (does it exist?)
• Connections with Dia de Los Muertos
• Gothic images in Chicana/o art

As individuals and groups you added the following ideas:

  • Compare and contrast Bless Me Ultima with its film. Examine both for magical real and gothic elements.
  • Explore La Llorona and other legends similar to it, ex: La Andalona.
  • Creating a poetry portfolio with poems inspired by the works we’ve read, either by characters or scenes.  Add short essay explaining the poems, their connections to the literature we’ve read and other significant elements.
  • Tying the Dia de Los Muertos with the concept of fashion statement (i.e. the facepaint) and how this is (or isn’t?) universal. Likewise, tie Dia de Los Muertos contemporary traditions and art with the ancient legends and origins. Incorporate Pre-Columbian, MesoAmerican artistic pieces.
  • Watch and collect La Llorona stories / films (interviews across cultures).
  • Connection with Dia de Los Muertos – research, values, how it’s become Americanized, Movie Night.
  • Guest speaker(s)
  • Modern aesthetics of gothic representations with Chicana/o undertones
  • Dia de Los Muertos
  • Gothic Chicana/o art throughout LA
  • Visit a museum that exhibits Chicano art, analyze gothic elements in particular art pieces / artists; write a reflection paper about analysis of the gothic in Chicana/o art.
  • Write a historical novel where the protagonist is 1st generation Chicano or Latino immigrant.
  • Collection of La Llorona stories (write a reflection paper).
  • Connections of Gothic with Chicana/o child horror stories and parables / superstitions within Mexican literature.
  • Chicana/o rock
  • The Chicana gothic implications of the film Selena.
  • Make a Tumblr reviewing and analyzing several of the books and readings, including sources on Chicana/o gothic, incorporating images related to them.
  • Read Sor Juana’s Second Dream. Blog about the book and connections to Calligraphy of the Witch.  Or write a paper connecting the two.

Add more ideas to these in the comments.  We’ll take 15 minutes or so on Monday to discuss.

 

(Image credit: http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=ACjODKy829o)

Comments

Gothic Projects Class Brainstorm — 2 Comments

  1. In doing some research it seems that most of the Latino Scary stories I know all have something to do with making kids behave or (The cucuy, the llorana, etc.) will get them. I was wondering if there were any reasons behind these i.e. high rates of kidnappings or something that made these stories kind of a way to scare kids, but also keep them safe. Just a thought that came up as I was looking at the wikipedia entries. Also interested to see about what another classmate mentions on the variations of the stories in regards to region