Passage Discussion

[accostjen]

I was wondering if there was a shortcut to outlining this passage and keeping the two categories- Latin American vs. Spanish poetry straight.

Would you set this passage up with a chart? I found that I just took way to long to answer these questions even though I got most of them right. Suggestions appreciated!

[demetri.blaisdell]

accostjen,

Have you tried the scale on this passage? I know it's a little unorthodox in that it compares and contrasts two different types of poetry, but there is still a lot to pull out here. Try to use the scale to come up with two sides of a central argument. If you want feedback on it, post it here and I'll get back to you.

Demetri

[boy5237]

Can someone help me with first sentence of the second paragraph?
It virtually said that Latin American poets shows critical attitude toward the language whereas the Spanish poets shows more accepting attitude toward it.

So... when I saw the word "accepting," it would mean more of accepting as accepting linguistic influences from other languages or something. But it meant the opposite; they liked to conserve the language. So "accepting," in this context, would mean "embracing?"

[ThanhL861]

I am confused about Paragraph 2. The first sentence says "Latin American poetry is critical or irreverent...but that Spanish poets are more accepting. " Yet, it also says "Spanish poets greeted them (the literary movements that used language in innovative ..ways) with reluctance." how can can Spanish poets be more accepting but also be reluctant to these literary movements?

[ohthatpatrick]

"more accepting" is kind of confusing, unless you read it in context.

They're building a contrast between Latin American poets and Spanish poets:

If the LA poets are "critical of language ... irreverent towards language"
then what is the logical opposite of 'critical' and 'irreverent' toward language?

Uncritical. Reverent. Respectful. Conforming. ---> or, "accepting"

Modernism and avant-garde?
use language in New, Innovative, Challenging ways.

They go against the grain, against the mainstream. That sounds like our critical and irreverent Latin American poets, not like our Spanish poets.

Hence, we're unsurprised to see that Spanish poets were not immediately down with the idea of messing with traditional language.

We see in that final line,
"accepting" = taking your language for granted / not using it in radical or experimental ways (which is the opposite of avant-garde)

Hope this helps