Jorge Luis Borges, The Puzzle

Into the mind of “one of the most remarkable writers of our century”

~Richard Bernstein, The New York Times

Two works

We shall be reading two works that were written by Argentinian writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges.

After we read the stories, I want you to:– Summarize and write reaction (1 paragraph ea.)– Answer my questions based on story.

Story 1: The PlotCæsar, stands around the foot of a statue with his

friends around him holding knives. He discovers among the faces and the blades the face of Marcus Brutus, his closest friend – and so Cæsar stops defending himself, and cries out Et tu, Brute?[You too, Brutus?]

Fate is partial to repetitions. A thousand years later, in Argentina, a gaucho [cowboy] is attacked by other cowboys, and as he falls he recognizes a godson of his, and says to him: Pero, ¡ché! [But why?!] He dies, but he does not know that he has died so that a scene can be played out again.

We’ll discuss after all’ve written

1. Explain: “Fate is partial to repetitions”?

2. Explain:“he has died so that a scene can be played out again”

Story 2: MutationsIn a hallway I saw an arrow pointing the way, and I thought about how

that symbol used to be made of iron, used to be a killing projectile that would penetrated the flesh of men and lions and clouded the sun of Thermopylæ [300].

Several days later, someone showed me a photograph of a cowboy; a bundle of rope hung from his hip. I learned that the rope, which had once flown through the air to lassoed bulls in the pasture, was now just a decoration on his Sunday riding gear.

In the cemetery on the Westside I saw a cross carved out of red marble; The cross reminded me of the symbol of the gallows on which a god was tortured.

Cross, rope, and arrow: old tools of humans, today reduced, or elevated, to symbols. I do not know why I think about them. There is nothing on earth that forgetfulness does not fade, memory forget, and no one knows what sort of image the future may translate them into.

We’ll discuss after all’ve written

1. Define: Arrow (old and new meanings)

2. Define: Rope (old and new meanings)

3. Define: Cross (old and new meanings)

4. Explain: “nothing on earth that forgetfulness does not

fade, memory forget”?

5. Explain:“no one knows what sort of image the future

may translate [something] into”?

Slang Bro = compadre Sis = comadre

Shorthand, texting, De nax = de nada; you’re welcome; YW Grax = gracias; thank you; thx Nonetás = dónde estás; where are you? ¡No miras mi contraseña! = don’t look at my password

50538 50538 = BESOS BESOS; kisses kisses

Idioms 1. A buen hambre no hay pan duro.

Lit.: For good hunger, there is no hard bread.

Free: Anything tastes good when you’re hungry

2. Antes de te cases mira lo que hacesLit.: Before you marry, look what you doFree: Look before you leap

3. Caras vemos, corazones no sabemosLit.: Faces we see, hearts we do not know.Free: You can’t tell a book by its cover.

4. Yo tengo una tía que toca la guitarra.Lit.: I have an aunt who plays guitar.Free: What’s that got to do with the price of tea in China?

5. El campo fértil no descansado, tórnase estéril.Lit.: The fertile field unrested, becomes sterile.Free: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

So, let’s review Ser

¿Cómo se dice…?: I am

You are (inform.)

He is

She is

Your Grace is

We are

We are (fem.)

They are

They are (fem.)

Your Graces are

Yo soy

Tú eres

Él es

Ella es

Usted es

Nosotros somos

Nosotras somos

Ellos son

Ellas son

Ustedes son

(You are [form.])

(You are [plur])

When is ser used?

Date Time Origin (where from) Who someone is What someone is How someone is How someone feels People’s jobs Colors

La fecha es el ocho. Son las nueve y media. Yo soy de Auburn. Soy Tom. Tom es un estudiante. Tom es bajo.

Tom es el profesor. La pizarra es blanca.