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Recreation of The Storytellers
Within the spaces of storytelling one is allowed to create new worlds and possibilities far away from the present world, but at the end of the day one must leave the created space with a new perspective towards the world and at times a tolerance for it. This is the idea believed by Boccaccio and this is shown by having the Brigata tell and share stories in the first place due to the "Intellectual failure and failure of compassion" caused by the plague.
"The literary experience is an anti-world, disengaged from history only in order to reflect from this marginal state both on itself and on the chaos of the world, and ultimately to return to the world with a vitally renewed apprehension of its structures"- Mazzotta, "Marginality of Literature," edition,384
Figure 1: The Plague of Florence in 1348
As the brigata form of escapism is through storytelling they get to entertain themselves, while also educating themselves so when they leave the "anti-world" they are ready to face the current world.
The same can be said when entering a new environment, more specifically in the case of a first gen Mexican-American college student, who happens to attend UCI and is also in HumCore(very specific indeed). Just as the Brigata tries to find comfort and a sense of self identity, so do I and every other college student transitioning from home, culture shocks, and to a plethora of other issues and concerns. Especially considering that we have also gone thorugh our own pandemic, being Covid 19, and this being the first year to returning to a sense of normalise and comfort as well as society starting to "returning back to normal". Eveyrone is in the same spot of trying to figure out their own life, but also trying to re-enter into societal life
Figure 2: Reddit user, jajarovas. Mesa Road from bridge to Mesa Parking Structure. 15 October 2022
Figrue 2: Reddit user, jajarovas. Path leading From Inner Ring Road to Student Center. 5 October 2022
New land
New land
Envision this, a new unexplored place full of greenery, animals, tall buildings full of knowledge, mini robots that reach almost reach your knee, and worst of all H I L L S, loads of hills one must climb in order to reach one's destination. To the core this is UCI to any newcomer, although dramatized it couldn't be that far from the truth for certain students, such as first gen students like myself. In a place in which everyone is just trying to accomplish different things for different reason it can become more difficult when you can't even find yourself within all of these, but with the right perspective something as an everyday walkway can be transformed into the once distant home you would walk into after school.
New land unlocked: The Decameron vs. UCI
New land unlocked: The Decameron vs. UCI
In a physical sense...
Both locations, those mentioned in The Decameron and UCI as a whole, share a lot of physical similarities, but with the right perspective they also share the same ideas.
Water
The Decameron includes many depictions of water such as when they sit around the water fountain during storytelling, the Valley of the Ladies, and put a great emphasis on the importance of bathing
Then UCI's Infinity fountain is a main focal point near Aldrich Park as students enjoy sitting around it or just watching the water pass by. There are other water structures around campus such as near The Arts, and Social Sciences and all give students access to sit around it.
Figure 4: Infinity Fountain
Figure 5: A Tale from the Decameron
The Decameron
Typically Water is a symbol of wisdom, but in literature it is a sign of rebirth, for the brigata they signify both. When it's time to share their stories they always sit near the fountain as it is a place of relaxation and comfort. The moment they reach and sit around the fountain they enter a new world in which everything from their current world is forgotten, allowing them to heal through recounting the tales of witty characters, love, trickery, and more. They learn and take away from the characters' mistakes or actions so when they reenter society they are not fooled by easy tricks, but also still have the ability to feel compassion for others and see that we are all human.
UCI
Then UCI, an academic institution where students from all over leave their homes in order to come here and learn to leave with new found knowledge. Wisdom is prevalent in all corners of the school as it is the most sought out thing here since without wisdom and knowledge one can not succeed in the world without having their own wits and intelligence. This can also be seen as rebirth since once you enter, you never leave the same, just as a river, you never touch the same water it's different as it continues moving forward. The same can be said about a student, you come in with your own ideas of the world, but leave with new ones every time. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it's just the way education works, you live and you learn through live experiences or in academic settings in order to seek out what is best for you.
Isolated from the city
The Decameron takes place away from the city as they are trying to escape the plague and whether intentionally or not, they also rebuild a bit of structure within the group as the world has gone into chaos
UCI as a whole is very separated from the city and is hard to reach with the usage of a car as walking can be time consuming and the transportation systems are unreliable. Somewhat trapping students who have no knowledge of Irvine into UCI. Protecting them in a sense.
Education and not having to worry about an issue is a privilege.
The Decameron
When you break down the Decameron it would sound a little bit like this, a group of nobles run away from the city due to them being tired of the constant death and sadness around them. They happen to know a secluded, furnished place in the outskirts of the city in which they can house in and forget about the plague. They pass the time in said home with a luxurious garden, servants, food, water, and the ability to entertain themselves with activities and storytelling. The fact that can do this is astonishing, a normal person in an pandemic wouldn't be able to simply escape from it and we have seen this or personally experienced it in our own pandemic with covid-19. I'm in a family of 5 and we spent our time together in a 2 room apartment day and night. The only people leaving being my mom and dad in order to continue working to provide for our family. If the brigata recognize this or not is questionable, but it is a sign of privilege that helps them progress onwards.
UCI
UCI, an educational institution that many would fight in order to be in. I mean it happens every year, college application season, there will be group of people that will be accepted and have the privilege to attend such a prestigious institution, meanwhile there will also be a group of students who couldn't make it due to various reasons. Regardless, just the idea of being able to further one's education beyond highschool is a privilege. Unless you're filthy rich or academically gifted, paying for college won't be easy. Speaking for myself I went through the troubles of being accepted but then having to worry about financial support. Still I made it though because I acknowledge that this is an opportunity that many fought for and lost, but I happen to make it through so I should take advantage of this opportunity and do whatever I can in order to keep it. So I took out loans, even though my family isn't in a position to pay for my education, I am taking it on myself because I know I will have something bigger to gain in the future.
Figure 6: Mesa Court Tower's view
Figure 7: The Arts bridge
In an emotional sense...
Just as the Brigata is trying to recreate compassion and humanity due to them leaving their homes and suffering the Black Plague
We as college students are also trying to seek that compassion and humanity due to some of us missing out culture, moving far from home, trying to find their place in the world, etc and this is the first proper year of trying to socialize after covid 19
In a more personal sense, there have been a few cultural events held by ring road and the flag poles such as Dia De Los Difuntos and First Gen Day Celebration
Although I might be biased since I do Identify as a First-gen Mexican American student so naturally these events held a great importance to me when being at a university such as UCI. One that is isolated from a lot of city life, rural, etc in comparison to what I used to know as a low income area yet having a tight knit community in order to keep each other safe, street venders in every few street corners, and being consistently surrounded by spanish media and culture. No where is going to be the same as the place you once knew, but it is nice to find bits and pieces that make you feel that you are right back home.
Disconnection from ones culture is a common feeling when moving to college, but with a bit of searching you can find home and remember
Ponte las pilas
Figure 8: Instagram user, kurtanhkhoito. November 1 2022
Corrupted file: GLiTCh 2
Corrupted file: GLiTCh 2
With this ideal world one might start feeling trapped, such as I did for a minute, everything felt too perfect, too quiet. Once you have lived in a loud place it's hard to get used to the quietness especially when your culture normalizes being loud. It was normal to have a big family, it was normal to be close with those in the vecindad because you never know who might need help. This need to be together is rooted in the fear of migrating into a new place, it is important being able to find comfort in others who share the same feelings of alienization or fear that you can get deported any minute. For me that is my normal and I still don't see it any different. Even if I don't need to have this sense of protectiveness at UCI, I switch back once Im back home. The best way to describe UCI is as relaxed, I am assuming this is the norm for an Americana teenager. With time and realization one discovers a lot about themselevs and how much their environments truly effects them, but what many don't see is the way one views their environment plays an even bigger role in the environment affecting them in the end.
Reflection
Reflection
Once you finish university you don't act as if it was something that disappears forever, the school physically will still be here, the classes you went to will be occupied by new people next year. It truly never ends. Of course it will be seen as a part of one's life, but it doesn't end. In order for something to be a liminal space, there has to be an ending and in theory yes you could end it by never coming back here or never talking about it, but the university can be both world apart or liminal space depending on who you are talking to, it's more of what you make of it. I personally see it as both as I view college as a stepping stone toward a stable future, but as I continue to be here and have new experiences it truly feels like a new world. Whenever I go back home I feel as though I have outgrown it, yes my bed is still there, same wall drawings when I was 7, same pictures on the wall, same markings on the wall trying to mark our heights, but it feels so distant such as passed memories. It feels as though I'm walking back into a time capsule or as if I am regressing back, it freaks me out. Once I reach UCI I feel at peace with myself knowing this is where I belong and need to be as of right now, in school, as if I am following a path, which in that case makes it liminal space. But when I am done with my academics I think a lot and wonder what I am doing here, I want to go back home with my friends and family and feel that beyond academics I have nothing to do here. That feeling has changed, now I have found that I can still continue to do my hobbies, make friends, and have fun, not everything is strictly academics and although I have found a balance I don't see that other half as a "stepping stone". It's a new world. Now I see my home more as a liminal space now then in comparison to UCI. Truly I believe it depends on how you see it and view it. A few months ago I thought the opposite, and who knows what I will think in a year or even next quarter. It depends on one's outlook on life.
Citations:
Rebhorn, Wayne, translator. The Decameron. By Giovanni Boccaccio, Norton Critical Editions, 2014
Shemek, Deanna. "In Praise of Cleverness in Boccaccio's Decameron, Days one and Two". Humanities Core. University of California, Irvine. Irvine. 24 October 2022. Lecture
Shemek, Deanna. "The Decameron's World in a Frame". Humanities Core. University of California, Irvine. Irvine. 19 October 2022. Lecture
GIF Sources:
Book School [Digital Image]. 2020. Retrieved from https://tenor.com/view/book-school-paper-books-anime-gif-19222226
Would You Like To Play? [Digital Image]. year unknown. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/732820170634512372/
Waterfall [Digital Image]. year unknown. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/732820170634700463/
Image Sources:
Figure 1: Luigi, Sabatelli. The Plague of Florence in 1348, unknown date, The Welcome Collection, London
Figure 2: Reddit user, jajarovas. Mesa Road from bridge to Mesa Parking Structure. 15 October 2022
Figure 3: Reddit user, jajarovas. Path leading From Inner Ring Road to Student Center. 5 October 2022
Figure 4: Infinity Fountain. Taken by Helem Rivera
Figure 5: William, John. A Tale from the Decameron, 1916, Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool
Figure 6: Mesa Court Tower's view. Taken by Helem Rivera
Figure 7: The Arts bridge. Taken by Helem Rivera
Figure 8: Instagram user, kurtanhkhoito. November 1 2022
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