El Olvido:
It is a dangerous thing
to forget the climate of your birthplace,
to choke out the voices of dead relatives
when in dreams they call you
by your secret name.
It is dangerous
to spurn the clothes you were born to wear
for the sake of fashion; dangerous
to use weapons and sharp instruments
you are not familiar with; dangerous
to disdain the plaster saints
before which your mother kneels
praying with embarrasing fervor
that you survive in the place you have chosen to live;
a bare, cold room with no pictures on the walls,
a forgetting place where she fears you will die
of loneliness and exposure
Jesus, Maria, y Jose, she says
el olvido is a dangerous thing
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1. What does the term el olvido mean?
a. danger
b. forgetfulness
c. mother
d. birthplace
B?
3. According to the speaker, it is dangerous to
a. pray
b. wear traditional clothes
c. scorn religion
d. dream
C?
4. What is meant by "to choke out" dead relatives' voices, in line 3?
a. to ignore what they taught
b. to smother them with love
c. to forget their ways
d. to become angry with them
A?
Thanks
-MC
Also, I need help figuring out the tone of this poem. What is the speaker's attitude towards the subject? I know that the speaker is pretty serious ...
Thanks
-MC
Your answers look right to me.
Correct answers:
1. What does the term el olvido mean?
b. forgetfulness
3. According to the speaker, it is dangerous to
c. scorn religion
4. What is meant by "to choke out" dead relatives' voices, in line 3?
a. to ignore what they taught
Explanation:
1. The term "el olvido" is a Spanish phrase, and its literal translation is "the forgetfulness." In this context, it refers to the act of forgetting or disregarding one's cultural heritage, including the climate and traditions of one's birthplace.
3. The speaker is highlighting the dangers of forsaking or disrespecting one's cultural and religious upbringing. In this case, it refers to scorning or rejecting religion, which can lead to a loss of connection with one's roots, values, and family.
4. The phrase "to choke out" in line 3 metaphorically means to suppress or diminish the presence and influence of dead relatives in one's life. It implies a deliberate act of disregarding the wisdom, guidance, and teachings that they passed on. By ignoring their voices, dreams, and the secret name they call the speaker with, the speaker is suggesting that the danger lies in severing ties with one's ancestral heritage and losing the valuable knowledge and connection that it brings.