Starting this semester, I have a lot to look forward to and think about in regards to this course. A lot of the themes, and even readings, are things I have touched on before in other courses, but I’ve never had the opportunity to piece them together and think about how they form one, or at least several, cohesive and connected narratives. Our first reading in particular highlighted the areas where diverse areas of study come together in the context of this class — where questions of the realities of race encounter those of culture and identity. Consolidation of identity helped to establish the nations and national structures recognized today, particularly those in Europe, where culture was streamlined and homogenized to create a dominant national narrative, often based on idealized folk culture, for strength and stability. In the creation of these cultural mythos’ however, as Gilroy points out, nuance about the realities of culture are lost and groups who don’t quite fit the national model are cast off. The reality of these cultures is much more broad and connected as a result of intertwined history. To ignore the history of cultural exchange is to misrepresent the truth about the transatlantic cultural experience. Investing in a new and more inclusive, less binary and more culturally diverse narrative has powerful potential to allow us to think about the way we construct our stories and histories — and the ways we represent those stories in the poetics of literature and art.
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Unlike Apatrick, I have not had a lot of exposure to the themes and readings for this course, but I am very excited to jump in and further my education on these topics. I think that the theory that we have looked at so far will serve as a great foundation for thinking about the importance of the Atlantic and its impact on the literature. I believe that it will be a great lens for the rest of the course readings. The nonbinary distinctions and definitions that we have been exploring so far are something that I believe will come to be fundamental to this course. As Apatrick remarks, “To ignore the history of cultural exchange is to misrepresent the truth about the transatlantic cultural experience.” This resonated with me and the background I have coming into this course, particularly the idea of questioning the history that we do have and who it is written by. The English course that I took last semester was constantly questioning the idea of memory and history and how those in power are the ones who get to determine it. It is also true that those who do not fit the mold are often cast-off or underrepresented in traditional history. From this course, I hope to obtain a broader understanding of the Atlantic, the lesser-known plights of the Blacks and the Irish, and the intertwining relationships of all of the cultures.