Times Issue 2

8/14/2019 Times Issue 2

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Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail

We are looking or articles on: • Current aairs

The British flm season continues…

“Te story o a desperate quest or an ancient relic…an adventure story, with

British humour at its best!”

Want to write or the next issue?

• Personal experiences – opinion

• Sport • Art and Entertainment

• Creative writing • Book – flm reviews

E-mail us your articles by 23rd o June 2008: [email protected] [email protected]

Te online version of imes 32 is available at: http://times32.wordpress.com

AVEALMEC and the MSc in Foreign Languages eaching and Learning jointly organised two regional workshops in April 2008:

• Integrating the use o blogs into the teaching and learning o oreign languages

• Te use o wikis in the teaching and learning o oreign languages: class projects.

Audience: Foreign Language eachers

AVEALMEC President: [email protected]

For urther inormation about AVEALMEC please send an e-mail to: [email protected]

AVEALMEC Regional Workshops

Times

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p. p. 12 p. 13

Issue 2

School o Modern Languages - ULA 32Women’s role in the Venezuelan Society Te Concept of Journalism as a

Business

Should the British Royal amily be abolished?

Te Average Venezuelan is

Materialistic Te ghost of my ex-girlfriend in the posada

Women in Victorian society...

How do the our women in the play

represent Victorian society? Are they

realistic stereotypes?

I we take a look at the recent history o our country, a particular reality stands

out: women’s participation in productive activities is not an

old characteristic o Venezuelansociety. Several acts provide evidence o this situation:brothers, companions, riends,teachers, admiration, as well as those o envy, pain, coldness,

The Victorian erabegan when the Princess Victoria

became Queen in 1837.

Journalism is dened as the dis-cipline o getting,

writing and reporting inormation, so this could be a little bit controversial. Tis is because it is not as easy as it may sound.Tere are a lot o rules to ollow, and o course there are a loideas. A journalist’s rst obligation is to the truth, his rst alty is to the citizens, his essence is a discipline o vericathis practitioners must maintain an independence rom those tcover, he must serve as an independent monitor o power, he m provide a orum or public criticism and compromise, he mstrive to make the signicant interesting and relevant, he mkeep the news comprehensive and in proportion, his practitiers have the obligation to exercise their personal conscience, a nally citizens too, have the rights and responsibilities whe

comes to the news.

I we take a quick look at the world’s history, it is not dicult to observe the

vast inuence that the United

Kingdom o Great Britain and Northern Ireland has exerted on its socio-cultural evolution.From very ancient times (even long beore becoming aunied nation), Great Britainhas been characterized by its political, economic, and cultural pre-eminence over other countries all over the world. An important and

interesting eature o Britishculture is represented by its Monarchy, which has long been the country’s traditional

regime type (i.e. its orm o government).

ridicule, malaise, hatred,vanity, disrespect, chaos.

rust

Sometimes, in lie, we knowbeings who, or one or

reason or another, leave tracks in our heart, in our mind or our crossed paths. Te tracks are very diverse: there are those o aection, understanding,human heat, solidity depth,sincerity, brothers, companions,

riends, teachers, admiraas well as those o envy, pacoldness, ridicule, malahatred, vanity, disrespchaos.

p

A couple o months ago two young

guys were thinking about going on a tripbut they did not knowwhat city they would visit.

M y statement in class

that the average Venezuelan is ma-terialistic was con-tradicted by some classmates. Due tothis attempt to be-

lie my armationand to the presence o my statement in

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Rebecca and Isabelle

G r a p h i c D e s i g n : k e r v i n v i v a s @ h o y m a i l . c o m

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A quick note rom the Editors

[email protected]@gmail.com

W ell, here we nally are in the month o May, January and February having own by in a urry o carnivals and celebrations, which we hope were enjoyed by all. Ater the great success o the rst issue o imes 32, we’re hugely proud to present the second edition which is

bursting with articles that cover a whole range o ascinating topics. Following

on rom some o the themes raised in the previous number, this month we have two essays that, once again, ocus on women’s issues - one concentrating on problems that the women o British Victorian society aced many years ago,as portrayed by the dramatist Oscar Wilde, and another that glances at the woman’s role in Venezuelan society today. It is extremely interesting to note that, despite a lapse in time and space, many o the struggles that the eminine community were up against in nineteenth century Britain also existed across the Atlantic and, to some extent, still exist today on both continents. David Navarro’s article, however, ends on a note o optimism that signals a change or women in Venezuela and, we can only hope, around the globe.

Other students talk about more controversial opinions concerning the supposed role o the modern journalist, the proposed abolishment o the British Monarchy and the idea o widespread eelings o materialism within Venezuela - all presented with inormed, insightul points o view. Last, but o course not least, creative ink has been spilt and has borne ruit to several beautiul pieces,

including poems, prose and a short story that are both sensitive and though- provoking.

So, we hope that you enjoy turning the pages and relishing the contents o your copy o imes 32. I you eel inspired, set your pen to paper, let your thoughts ow and send us an article! Remember you can also submit essays that youwrote in class or write to us with your comments or suggestions:

Coordinated by Prof. eadira Pérez

Pro. Alredo AnguloDecanato de la Facultad de

Humanidades y Educación

Pro. Roberto ChacónConsejo de Publicaciones

Facultad de Humanidades y Educación

Pro. Carmen Mota de C.Dirección de la Escuela de

Idiomas Modernos

Special thanks to:

Depressed eenager

My persistent, rustrating sadness akes up the guise ‘ unyielding madness It degrades experience to naivety And the pursuit o objectives to apathy

My interests collapse in a ash My hobbies convert to trash Morality is denied ‘n’ enthusiasm died…Eagerness is whipped into mash.

Pre-romantic Lyric

Oh, how work the wonders o this lie! How are these marvels that surround us;Te very marvels that season our lives,For which we ot’ make a proound uss.

Oh, how does weather please us! How the chilling breeze can tame.Warmth and light does the sun g rant us,Yet retribution’s ot’ lame.

Oh! How the rain rereshes! How leay trees do us shade,Showing how the Lord can cherish And why we were ever made.

Oh, how amazing are dreams! How beautiul they can be; Many times, they’re peaceul indeed, As peaceul as Eden might be.

owards the Umbra of Adversity

When sprouting knowledge And budding wisdom Maternally nurse innocence And nourish love,Te inconspicuous breeze o ignorance Caresses smooth taut skin.

When inevitable afiction And tormenting conicts Establish rustrating demotion And blemish unconscious moral behaviour,Te gale o experience Coughs on innocence.

When sustained unpleasant experiences And intolerable immoral conditions

Agonizingly slaughter innocence And hijack love,Te torment o the perception o senselessness Boldly smites, and cruelly coerces the last breath o tolerance.

By Guillermo Stoll

POEMS




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driver who knew where it was located, and Chelsea and Zer elt very happy and relieved because they wanted to take abreak and sleep because they were really tired rom the bus- journey. When Chelsea and Zer arrived at Las Margaritas Posada they were surprised by how beautiul it was. But onentering the posada, Chelsea elt a shiver go down her spine because the place was completely empty. he only person who was there was the receptionist whose name was Lauren. “Look at this place Zer…it’s very weird that there is nobody here except you and me…” said Chelsea,“and the receptionist’s ace seems like Chukie’s wie!”

“C’mon Chelsea” said Zer, “I know that woman is not as beautiul as you are, and we do not want to get married to her. We just want to spend a good time here and enjoy all that amazing landscape which is out there together.” Ater that, they went over to the receptionist to reserve a room or their stay.WhenChelsea was in her room it was night but the lights didn’t work. She had to use a candle to light up the room. Chelseawas araid because she

remembered the nightmare that she had had when she was in the bus, so she decided to go and see Zer and tell himthat she was scared and she did not want to sleep alone inthat dark room and whether

he would mind sleeping inthe same room. Zer agreed to it, but when they were sleeping, Chelsea suddenly heard a weird sound that said “uhhh you cheated onme”. Chelsea was petriied made Zer wake up. She told him what she had heard,but he only responded with“C’mon Chelsea, what’s going on? Do not tell

me that you had another nightmare again?” Chelseaassured him that it had not been a nightmare, and that she really had heard something. “But what does it mean?” cried Chelsea,

“It didn’t sound normal…nobody who is alive makes those kinds o sounds…” ocalm her down, Zer decided to check the corridor outside the room. As he was walking down the corridor he noticed what looked like the shape o a shadow on the wall.“Who is there?” he called out, “Lauren is that you?” but nobody answered him.

Zer was beginning to eel uncomortable because no-one was answering him, althoughhe was almost certain he could eel someone else’s presence…He continued to make his way down the corridor, and all o a sudden the weird

shadow appeared again, but this time it was much closer.When Zer saw the shadow he stopped in his tracks, because it reminded him a lot o his last girlriend who died in anaccident.

o be continued...... ...

rust Dayana A. Rojas

Sometimes, in lie, we know beings who, or one or reason or another, leave tracks

in our heart, in our mind or

our crossed paths. Te tracks are very diverse: there are those o aection, understanding,human heat, solidity depth,sincerity, brothers, companions, riends, teachers, admiration,as well as those o envy, pain,coldness, ridicule, malaise,hatred, vanity, disrespect,chaos.

In short, many tracks lose importance with time and only sometimes, when we reviewour “bedroom o memories”,we nd there between old newspapers, spider webs and dust, several “ cuts” o our past which revive experiences o yesterday with nostalgia, sighs,sadness and pain or resentment that time has adorned with

petals. Many actors such as

these give character or value toall the reasons why, long ago,we ought and we obtained or we lacked and we obtained or we lacked and we ailed.

Tey could be joys or sadnesses o seconds or several years, but they are experiences that we have loaded or that we have kept... and sometimes until we orget, we close our trunk,our door o the “bedroom o memories” and thus we are with this present that we live and the ample uture that we ace. Many things depend onus, not o the past, which we cannot change, but o this moment, in this OR.

We have the key to leave the house to ace our lie, our ght,our world or to be us, only seated in the room, hoping that lie passes without us...We are ghting companions in this system, in this world and all we wish to be and tobecome better, so... it counts

on me, it counts on this ha riend, which I extend towith my heart, and withI say to you: I FILLS WIH RUS HARUS YOU.






12 5

Te Average Venezuelan is Materialistic Guillermo Stoll

M y statement in class that the average Venezuelan is

materialistic was contradicted by some classmates. Due to this attempt to belie my armation and to the presence o my statement in a previous paper or this subject, I eel compelled to support my argument. Besides, a problemis not consciously solved i it is not identied. Te average Venezuelan adult indulges inunnecessary spending, whichis paradoxical because she/he barely earns over the minimumwage (DAANÁLISIS 2007).Tis unnecessary spending is

done either by overspending (and taking on debt) or by purchasing what is unnecessary instead o the necessary (without overspending). Because I interpret both o these as materialistic behaviors, I think that the average Venezuelanis materialistic. Lack o time avoids other eatures o materialistic behavior, suchas seeking unjustied prot,blackmail and the culture o corruption, rom being analyzed in this paper.

Overspending is

usually due to ollowing aconsumerist behavior pattern, ashion being an objective in this race with no denite winner. Whether a product is ashionable or not depends onthe place, time and the taste o

the buyer. But a general rule which has not changed over centuries is that a ashionable product is usually expensive. Asign o a ashionable product may be its trademark, its designor the product itsel. Examples o the rst are watches, boots,sneakers, sweaters, running suits, jeans, sunglasses and -shirts. Examples o the second are notebooks, ball-point pens,and bicycles. Examples o the third are colored contact lenses,

leather jackets and jewelry.However, a consumerist canspend copiously not only toacquire a ashionable product,but also to be noticed at anexclusive place with ashionable people. Venezuela does not escape

this destructive trend called consumerism. And because its rate in Venezuela is alarming, as Siontes warned (ENORNO-EMPRESARIAL 2006), it is not easy to accurately asseverate that the average Venezuelan is not materialistic.

Buying unnecessary items instead o the necessary is a kind o “trivial” sacrice.Unnecessary purchase is unnecessary spending and it has jeopardy as a natural

outcome. Tere are many negative consequences or consumerists as well as or the less privileged portion o the population and or ecology. Lowstudent/worker perormance and undernourishment in the

household are barely two o them that can be a result o practicing this kind o sacrice,

which includes purchasing under social pressure or or mere ashion. Buying a pair o expensive sneakers or the sake o having them o a giventrademark or design and buying a cellular telephone every six months or similar purposes are some o the causes o negative impacts on Venezuelan socio-economics.Te average Venezuelan has arelatively low income. Some o my classmates sustainthat this is a reason or not considering materialism a

quality among Venezuelans; people will spend all their income on undamental items,such as those or subsistence.But it is mistaken to assume that poverty is a neutralizer o consumerism and, as expressed by Datanalisis, in Venezuela poor people are also strong consumers (DAANÁLISIS 2006abril). And given the highrate o purchase among many o my nancially sustained acquaintances and those whohave to live on an income that may basically equal costs o

subsistence, I think that the average Venezuelan indulges inconsumerism and, thereore, inmaterialism.

Te Concept of Journalism as a Business Luis F Sumoza

Journalism is dened as the discipline o getting,writing and reporting

inormation, so this could be

a little bit controversial. Tis is because it is not as easy as it may sound. Tere are alot o rules to ollow, and o course there are a lot o ideas. A journalist’s rst obligationis to the truth, his rst loyalty is to the citizens, his essence is a discipline o verication, his practitioners must maintainan independence rom those they cover, he must serve as an independent monitor o power, he must provide a orum or public criticism and compromise, he must strive to

make the signicant interesting and relevant, he must keep the news comprehensive and in proportion, his practitioners have the obligation to exercise their personal conscience, and nally citizens too, have the rights and responsibilities whenit comes to the news. Journalism rom the point o view o history is one o the oldest ways to tell the world what is “really happening”, rom the times o ancient Rome where people used toexpressed their critics through

orums, daily. O course this is all theory, to truly know what the unctions o journalismare; we have to know that the people who manage this ideaare not perect. Journalists or the community who manage

the “truth” are just people with jobs in a magazine, newspaper,among others. Tis, o course,has a delicate result, because this is a delicate subject. However,some journalists sometimes just take control o their companies in a wrong way, they sometimes orget what they are managing,and they only care about the money and the propaganda.Tis not only aects the good journalism, this also aects entire society. Tereore,sometimes the causes o the

problems are the journalists too- sometimes they are corrupt.We need to know that abusiness is just a relationshipbetween services and consumers based on economic gains. Inaddition, i we apply this

concept to journalism, we are going to transorm these thoughts in some sort o writing business. We have to be careul with this phenomenon, because it is taking control over a lot o complex concepts, or example,music that represents a whole universe is reduced to a little game o producing songs withcatchy rhythms. It is the same thing with movies, and even ood. I’m not only trying tocriticize the “big brother” corporations - when it comes

to elements that create anentire environment in dierent societies, and possible changes in their lie philosophy, we need to be thoughtul. Te writing business sometimes is out o control, because there

are newspapers that only about sensationalist news; take the news and they puin another level o account, to get people’s attention. is corruption o inormatI need to clariy that notnewspapers and magaz ollow this stupid trend,the amount o ignorance outo this kind o conducincreasing all the time.Te public o newspapers haentire right to know the nas it happens. What I mea

that the theory o journasays that we have to keepinormation “relevant interesting”, but this is talkabout the style o a journawhich elements they shoused to create an interes




6 11

point o view about some event, but without corruptiono inormation. Businesses generally don’t take care o this, they only care about howto write to get people to buy the newspaper. For example:I’m the owner o a popular

newspaper, and I hire a great writer that tells people what he really thinks, sometimes it may be oensive but is the pure truth o acts, o course eventually people are going tostart hating the writer, so I re him, because I don’t want to put the popularity o the paper and my personal earnings at risk. Consequently, not only the person who is red is aected,we are aecting the news, the truth and journalism.I understand that the mediais a business, but I think we should base our business indeeper levels than just the act o making money. Ethics is denitely an environment that we have to create around the media; it is something that news people should knowabout. Journalists have a lot o responsibilities, but sometimes stupidity, humor, and irony are good qualities. Societies need to see things rom all points o views. It’s our nature to eel good with the humiliation o others,or even the disgrace o ourselves.But this does not mean that we can change inormation as we wish. We have to be clear what the limits are, and o course sometimes adding a little spice to the writing doesn’t hurt that much.

Even i there are companies and people who want to distort

this amazing practice and discipline o writing to their own personal way, it’s our duty to claim our rights to know the

real inormation. Also, as we are living (as the Venezuelan

society) a war between ideas and political tendencies, we sometimes don’t know what to believe. Te result is that

the principles o journalismand how it is inuenced by

the word business become acomplex dispute to talk and write about. Tis is because we are touching two huge manners o powers, and power is a ormo control, and control is ormo inuence, and when we have the power o inormation, is dicult to know what to do.But at the same time, it is one o the many ways to contribute to the constant evolution o our world and the media. Moreover,this creates the enrichment o our world community and the logical constructions o our

points o views within the world o our humans’ impulses.

to choose what they want to study, and have access to higher education. As a matter o act, women represent more than hal o all the university students in Venezuela. Regarding political participation and rights, women have a more signicant role nowadays. Tey are present in public positions at all levels, and there are a lot o organizations that are dedicated to look ater women’s rights in society. “I believe women play an important part in Venezuelan political lie”, said Ligia Arrieta. “For example, here in the University o Guayana, six important directive positions are occupied by women. On a national scale,

we can observe that women participate in political lie. Te Minister o Work has been a woman or a long time, and we have even had a emale vice-president”. However, women’s participation in political positions is still not even close to that o men, since most o the legislative and executive positions inthe government are occupied by men, and women represent aminority in the National Assembly.Te discovery o birth control methods has enabled women tohave control over their bodies, and motherhood is no longer a decision reserved only to men. Women are ree to decide whether they want to have children or not. Some o them donot even see maternity as a priority, and preer to develop other abilities instead. “Te number o women that do not plan tohave children in Venezuela is rising every day”, said MaríaEugenia Arrieta. “Many o us think that motherhood is not the only possibility in lie, and rather develop other skills and our intellectual abilities, without eeling bad about it”. Tis kind o opinion is a clear evidence o how women’s role in Venezuelansociety has changed in the last ew years. In the past, it was not possible or women to choose to develop those “other skills” María Eugenia mentioned.

Te Future aking a look at the dierent roles and activities perormed by women in the Venezuelansocial setting nowadays, I canmake some presumptions about what the emale participationin society might be in the uture.In my opinion, the emale role in our society is going to get even more important thanwhat it is today. Not only are they still going to be the base o most amilies, but their participation in economic and cultural lie is going to

I we observe how women participate in dierent soc proessional and cultural environments nowadays, it is possto assure that there exists a combination o roles by womenVenezuelan society. Even though motherhood and home-relaactivities are still an important part o the lie o many womit is also true that most o them combine these roles with tindividual development. What is more, in some cases they orced to do it. Tat is the situation o a great number o simothers that have to work to maintain their children amilies.Comparing women’s situation in the present with the pasis clear that their passiveness towards participation in dier

productive activities has been substituted by an active presin almost every area o economy, society and culture. Worepresent a signicant part o the intellectual potential the working orce o the nation, and their contributions toeconomic, social and cultural development are valuable.

be vital or the development o our nation. I believe that the tendency o elimination o the sexual division o work is going to continue in the uture,and not so ar away rom now,women are going to occupy the most important positions in government. It is my opinionthat the emergence o womenas productive individuals is not going to stop in the next ew years. On the contrary,they are going to represent the most important part o the working and intellectual

potential o Venezuela. I believe that the day when gender will no longer be abarrier in any area o social,working, economic, political and cultural lie is not so ar away. I agree with CynthiaIurinic, 21, who thinks that “In the uture, the role o women here in Argentina or there in Venezuela will be the same as in China or any other country in the world, and, at the same time, it will be the same as men’s role. Tere has to exist the balance between

both sexes. We can not about the ideal o a spe gender, but about the idea person”.






8 9

political decisions, which are the responsibility o the Prime Minister. For this reason,Peter armed, British people see ony Blair (the current Prime Minister at the time o writing) as the actual Head o the Government. In my opinion, it is very interesting to notice that many people living in Great Britain do not consider themselves as being ruled by the Queen, but as living in a democratic society,

in which they are able to elect their political leaders.I then asked Peter

what his opinion about the British Monarchy was. He declared that he was in avour o it or several reasons. Inthe rst place, said Peter, the Royal Family is an important emblem o national unity and a link to the country’s past. Ineconomic terms, Peter thinks that the Monarchy actually generates more money than it spends. He said that tourists visiting Great Britain eel

deeply attracted to everything related to the Royal Family, producing an incredibly large amount o money that is used torestore historic buildings. Even

though he is a monarchist, Pete also pointed out some negative aspects o the Royal Family,such as the immoral behaviour o some o its members. Pete explained that the members o the Royal Family were seenas role models by many people,and that it was not positive

when they behaved in aninappropriate way publicly.

Ater taking the

opinion o a British citizeninto consideration, I was nally able to orm my ownopinion about whether the British Royal Family should be abolished or not. From my point o view, the gure o the Monarchy is one o the most important historic, social, and

cultural eatures o that nation;thereore, its existence should be respected and protected.

Te Royal Family is a very representative symbol o the British culture, and i it were abolished, Great Britainwould be deprived o its most distinctive emblem o national identity. Te Monarchy alsoconstitutes Great Britain’s most powerul connection with its own history and tradition, and represents a symbol o prestige and uniqueness in ront o the rest o the world. It is alsothe source o a signicant amount o economic income,

and a generator o tourism.From my perspective, some o the arguments used by BritishRepublicans to oppose the Royal Family lack o consistence. For example, it is plain to see that the British Government is democratically led by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, and does not reside in the Queen’s absolute power to rule, as Republicans arm. All in all,I think that the Royal Family should never be abolished, or it does not represent any danger to democracy in Great Britain.

On the contrary, it has adapted to the British modern socio- political setting, maintaining its condition o national symbol and cultural icon.

British Royal family Women’s role in theVenezuelan Society C. David Navarro A.

Te Past I we take a look at the recent history o our country, a particular reality stands out: women’s participation in productive activities is not an old characteristic o Venezuelan society. Several acts provide evidence o this situation:

In the rst place, in the rst decades o the 20th Century, emale roles were limited to home-related labours and motherhood.Tis, in my opinion, was due to the way society and, specically,education, were structured in Venezuelan society. Women were taught, since they were kids, that their main responsibilities had to do with the maintenance o their homes, and that their main goal as individuals had to be to orm a amily, to which they had to dedicate themselves entirely. “At home, the roles where divided according to our gender”, said Irma Arrieta, 60, wholived her early childhood in the 1950’s. “We (women) had to do those things that were related to the care o the house,like cooking, or the laundry, while they (men) had to domore physical activities, such as taking out the garbage. Te education they gave us (women) was very dierent rom the one they (men) received, and established that we were expected to be good wives and mothers, that is why we had to learn how to do

the housework”. Most women grew up thinking they were not able to do anything else in lie but be mothers and housewives.Furthermore, marriage represented the best economic guarantee or most women, since they were not allowed to perorm any jobs aside those that were o use in their homes, such as cooking,washing and sewing, among others.Tis imbalance among male and emale roles was also reected

in education opportunities.Women and men received dierent kinds o education,

since they were thought to have dierent abilities, qualities and unctions in society. In act, most women did not have access to higher education inVenezuela or –i they did– had to give it up to attend totheir home responsibilities.Tereore, they were not able to develop their intellectual and proessional abilities, and acquire jobs in productive areas o the working universe. At the same time, their role as mothers was underestimated,since motherhood was conceived

as separate rom production,because it did not yield any economic benet. “I became amother at a very young age and, or this reason, I was not able to go to University”, said Irma Arrieta. “I had to take care o

your mother and make that everything around house was ne. My child

my priority, and I had to up other things and activin order to raise my daugand give her all the attenshe needed.” Another piece o evwhich demonstrates disparity that existed Venezuelan society among mand women is that the emcommunity was deliberaexcluded rom political Te Law did not estabequality among both gendbut the predominance o mover women in terms o rig

and political participatWomen were not allowedvote, occupy public positor be organized in groupdeend their rights. It wasuntil the 1940’s when situation began to change,


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