THE NEOCLASSICAL PERIOD

 Last Tuesday, after reading CHAPTER 4 of ROBINSON CRUSOE, by Daniel Defoe, we enjoyed a nice chat about the main characteristics of Neoclassical English literature. In this chapter, Crusoe lands on a remote, deserted island. Here is a video with the audiobook of this chapter and scrolling text. Enjoy!

What books, music, would you like to have on you if you were cast away on a deserted island?? On the BBC radio they asked this question to many famous artists, politicians... and created a great podcast. Try it!

DESERT ISLAND DISCS-BBC PODCAST

Rubén, a student in the group, wrote this text about what he would take with him to a desert island. Enjoy!

Were I cast away on a desert island, what belongings would I take with me? What a challenging, yet clichéd question, isn't it? However, its apparent simplicity hides a very intricate, complex inquiry: Can you define yourself only by summarizing some valuable items inextricably linked to you in the worst case scenario?

The thing is, I'm allowed to choose two books, one track and one luxury. Oh my goodness! Having been brought up in the era of consumerism, how on Earth am I going to survive without my beloved, useless gadgets?.

 Anyway, thinking about books, the logical or expected choice would be "The Holy Bible" of course, where I would undoubtedly find an answer to whatever existential issue I may have. As an atheist though, I'm not into the fantasy genre, with all due respect.

So I'd rather choose a story with an anti-hero character in the main role, such as "D. Quixote", by Cervantes, or one of Nick Hornby's novels, "A Long Way Down", hilarious! No matter how mad or crazy reality may be, D.Quixote will always move forward, turning fiction into reality and vice versa. Simply brilliant, food for thought indeed. Moreover, laughing at your own cursed destiny can be uplifting up to a point. In a nutshell, a humorous, ironic novel will lift my spirits in such a difficult environment.

On the other hand, I do love music as a matter of fact. As a lover of British Culture, plus the Brit Pop music genre, "Oasis" is my top-notch band, and every time I listen to "Champagne Supernova" I have goosebumps, as teenager's memories instantly come to mind. "Live Forever" is another of my favorite tunes, obviously suitable while trying to make it on a desert island.

Last but not least, after mulling over it, my Ray-Ban sunglasses would definitely be my luxury item. Quoting Crusoe's considerations on the issue, looking stylish matters!.

 

María Luisa also wanted to participate in the survey...

If I was stuck on a desert island I would take with me Virginia Woolf´s Orlando and Twenty love poems and a desperate song by Pablo Neruda.These are two masterpieces of literature which I can delight in the beauty of language and never get tired.

Regarding the music,I would take Hotel California by Eagles;It was the first song I learned to play on the guitar, so every time I listen to it it takes me back to this special moment.Therefore I would take my guitar.I assume you would need to express the loneliness and the fears;consequently I can not figure out a better way than singing and playing music to fill the emptiness of being completely alone.

AND Mª DOLORES CONTRIBUTED WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL TEXT:

Perhaps,having known that this question has been largely used by a plethora of companies to hire people or as a team building strategy, I can´t help but feel tremendously overwhelmed by the pressure of being judged depending on my answer.

Supposing I were cast away on a desert island, I would feel the most miserable person in the world. I can´t imagine a worse punishment than that, although I perfectly understand that for those who are adventurous it is an excellent opportunity to challenge themselves and show others their survival skills. Personally, I am painfully aware of my complete lack of strategies to survive in such an adverse environment. Therefore, had I been forced to be there, I probably would dismiss the possibility of taking some books with me on the grounds that I consider reading a relaxing and pleasant activity and suffice it to say that my level of stress would be so high that it would be impossible. Likewise, the last thing I would regard as helpful is a track. In spite of the uplifting effect that music has in human´s mood, needless to say that problems with batteries and energy would make it extremely difficult.

Incredible though it may seem, I would take with me my total screen sun cream since not only would it protect my skin from sunburns,but it also would help me to explore the island in a safe way until somebody came to rescue me.

On the other side of the spectrum, solitude, albeit necessary, when it is imposed it is the saddest thing a person may face. It is universally accepted that sociability is inextricably linked to human beings and I am not an exception. I´m totally convinced that I would feel deeply depressed, however, I´m sure that after a short period of time I would stop wallowing in misery and I´d try a fresh start in my life which is always unpredictable.

 

We couldn't miss MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT (1759- 1797, London), English writer and passionate advocate of educational and social equality for women. She outlined her beliefs in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), considered a classic of feminism. DID YOU KNOW SHE WAS MARY SHELLEY'S (the author of Frankenstein) MOTHER? In the classroom we listened to her and did a reading exercise with the following text: