Okay. So. There are many reasons why I don't like Love in the Time of Cholera. The title is lame, it's a romance, it gets less and less amusing as the story progresses, and it's written by a Columbian. Well, maybe I don't mind that it was written by a Columbian, but I feel as if I should. I don't know why. I just roll with it. Anyway, the reason I dislike this book the most is Florentino Ariza. Yes, I will explain.
I think we have to delve a bit into my personal life to understand my intense aversion to Florentino. So, I had this ex-boyfriend once who really frustrated me after a while. I cannot tell you how many times I would bluntly tell him that he didn't have any balls and that he should grow some if he expects to talk to me about anything. Now, I don't mean he didn't have any balls in the literal sense, but figuratively. He simply refused to argue with me or tell me when something I did bothered him--he didn't want me to get upset. He was also always whining about something. He didn't see me enough, didn't talk to me enough, didn't hear from me enough. Apparently, I needed to be with him in some way every moment of every day. He was also very emotional. I may come off sounding really insensitive (which I guess can be partly true), but there were times when I just had to say, "Really, Ethan? You're crying over a Nip Tuck episode? Why don't you grow some balls?" or "So, you're just going to mope rather than telling me I'm wrong? Grow some balls, man. Suck it up and do it." I always said it in a form of a question, but I never really let him answer, not that he would have anyway. I had to use such a crude phrase because he didn't get it otherwise. Ethan just didn't have the guts to stand up for himself or the self-control to reign in his emotions a little. And he was clingy, so I was stuck with his constant emotional rollercoaster all the time. I find it hard to respect someone who melts over every little thing and who is constantly in need of something/someone.
And herein lies the problem with Florentino. Florentino embodies the emotionally needy, clingy, stalker personality that I just can't stand and have very little compassion for. He obsesses over Fermina (much as I felt Ethan did over me) and constantly seeks reassurance that she cares for him or something. Plus, he's sappy. When I think of a sap, I think of Florentino. It is okay to have passion, especially Latin passion, but Florentino is Latin passion on speed. It makes me want to slap the book so that I can feel I'm slapping Florentino. Slapping sense into him, of course. He's got no ganas. He was a matyr constantly in need of a persecutor. The first time I read about Florentino, I immediatley thought, "Man, this guy is such a girl."
After I thought that, I felt terrible. I was horrified. You should've seen the look on my face. I looked like a criminal caught in the middle of a robbery. My eyes were wide with disbelief, mouth dropped with horror, and my face as red as a ripe strawberry. I had discovered something I never thought I would: I'm a sexist. Could I not allow men to feel the emotions of a thirteen year old girl? Nope. Those were for girls.
So, I guess the real reason I hate Florentino is because of what I see in myself because of him.
What a jerk. (602)
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2 comments:
Jessica--WOW! I was following you 100% as you shared a little personal history with me, since our own experiences always inform our reading one way or another. So I thought fine, she doesn't like Florentino because he reminds her of a boyfriend she didn't respect. So far, so good. But then you stunned me with your final couple of paragraphs, where you see in Florentino (or perhaps because of him might be more accurate) a reflection of part of yourself, one about which you are not entirely pleased. I did NOT see that one coming.
No wonder I like reading your blog as much as I do (although when I get around to publishing my article on the many joys of blogging with students, I may not be able to use all the parts of this particular entry, especially the parts about growing a pair).
Jessica Nichols, I particularly enjoyed the history lesson you decided to share with everyone in your blog. You have a very bleak outlook on Florentino's love pattern, which is not unusual among the students of this grade though you explain your disdain with great detail. As you progress through the novel, I expect you to get move frustrated by the inept character that you see as Florentino.
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