Sovereign Insects
Last month, we read about the Lord of the Flies, and this month we're delving into The Prince of Los Cocuyos.What is it about royalty and bugs around here?
And what is it about authors with colors in their names?
You may recall that Lord of the Flies was written by William Golding. Interestingly enough, the author of our next book is Richard Blanco (blanco being the Spanish word for white). Strange, right? But all of these coincidences aside...
A Lot of Boxes
There are a few reasons you may recognize the name Richard Blanco.For one thing, Blanco is from Maine. Well, not from Maine exactly, but these days he does split his time between Bethel, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts, so you may know his name because he's a well known local poet and author.
When Blanco was chosen to read at he 2013 inauguration, much was made of the fact that not only was he the youngest inaugural poet to date (see the list of other inaugural poets at right), but also the first Latino and the first openly gay inaugural poet. And he was speaking, of course, at the inauguration (albeit the second) of the nation's first black president.
As you read—or after you read, as the case may be—consider these themes as well as the potential assignments below.
Choose one assignment to complete for our next meeting on November 18th and be ready to discuss your ideas.
Assignment Options
Option #1: Abuela
The book starts with Abuela and she is a dominant character throughout. Why do you think that is? Take some time to deconstruct Blanco's grandmother. Is she a good person? A bad person? Does she nurture young Riqui? Is she abusive? What role does she play in Riqui's life, and overall, how would you characterize her influence? Is it positive or negative? How does the author seem to view her? Is this different at all from how the character, Riqui, views her?
Option #2: Poetry
Blanco is first and foremost a poet. Take a look at some of his work. You can find four poems here, or you can seek out some other poems on your own. (Check the library for one of these titles.) choose a poem to analyze, and bring it with you along with your interpretation of what it is about and, if applicable, how it relates to the book.
Throughout the novel. Riqui struggles with his identity. Is he Cuban? Is he American? Is he Cuban-American? An American gringo? Is he macho? Is he effeminate? Is either of those a problem? Think about your identity. What are the various roles you play in life? What identifiers or labels could you apply to yourself? Which ones make you most proud? Which ones cause you concern or make you wonder? Think this over and create an identity chart for yourself. You can model it after the one at right or create your own version. Feel free to use pictures or colors if you like.
Option # 4: Your Favorite
Of all of the stories Blanco relates from his childhood, which is your favorite and why? Ahem: This is probably the easiest assignment to relate to right away, so if you choose this one, dig deep. Go over your favorite story again and try to figure out what it is about it—the plot, the characters, the emotion, the tension, the humor, a particular pop culture reference—that appeals to you. Can you relate to this story? Or do you find it intriguing because it's so different from your life experiences? Really. Get. In There.
Option #5: The Epigraph
Read the epigraph—the quotation at the beginning of the book by Cesare Pavese—and examine its relationship to the book. Why do you think Blanco chose this particular quote to open the text? How does it relate to Riqui's character development or the themes of the book?
Option #6: The End
Consider the end of the book. Is it satisfying? Did Blanco pick a natural stopping point? Why or why not?
Phew. That's a lot of assignment options. Have fun completing yours. And, as always, happy reading!
