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Initially I was sceptical about presenting as a group as in the past I have found group projects to be rather difficult- when faced with people who do not pull their weight within the group. I have to say however that this was never an issue with the girls in this group. Everyone was extremely focused on the work that needed to be done and had a very in-depth understanding of the class material.

I felt that having girls who were confident in their Spanish really encouraged me to strive to show my own knowledge within the group. Each person was extremely diligent with their own role yet allowed their knowledge to be shared among the group if they felt it could be of benefit to another member. I really appreciated everyone’s opinions, decisions and choices were made as a collective rather than individually.

I found this project a great way to be creative with the knowledge we learnt. Writing essays can often be monotonous yet the padlet presentation brought a new and engaging way to express your knowledge.  I personally would like to see more of this method being used as it shows a much wider range of investigation rather than an essay style format. Overall, I really enjoyed this group presentation and had a lot of fun creating it!

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Group projects always have their ups and downs, and this one had the unique challenge of creating a presentation on a new platform that none of us were previously familiar with. It was difficult for me at least, to figure out the layout, format and how to edit the Padlet at first, but after a day or two it became easier. In the end, I really did end up liking the Padlet platform and how you could see almost everything at just one glance and add a lot of different media such as text, photos, videos and music.

Everyone in my group did their part and we all even helped each other, so it really was a group effort. Often in group projects the members find it difficult to plan a time where everyone can meet and discuss the assignment objectives that suits everyone’s timetables, but we did manage to meet up twice. One thing we could have done better was practicing the presentation itself or create notecards for the presentation so we wouldn’t be reading off the Padlet. Doing this would have helped us keep the presentation at ten minutes and present our points and research more clearly and concisely.

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Marianne

When doing this project, we originally divided the content into four sections- the four columns of the padlet, and focused on those. However, when we each had outlined our section, everyone added and edited all posts and sections. Personally, I was focused on the genre conventions, but also had a general overview and worked on design.

This project has been challenging yet engaging in my opinion. I enjoyed being able to express my knowledge in a creative forum, where design was central. The challenge presented itself in the choice of what to include on the paddled. In terms of the creative aspect of this project, I wanted to include more interactive media, and therefore added a music video to inform the setting of the story. As a group we also included plenty of pictures, to break up the arguments, and secondary sources so that readers could expand their understanding of the topic should they wish.

Working in this way has been beneficial to me, as the continuous work on the padlet has allowed me to immerse myself in the topic, to a larger degree than a power point would. I am proud of what we have produced.

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"The band [Los Van Van] has also created a wide spread and loyal fan following by utilizing the salsa song as a vehicle for social and political commentary, sometimes explicitly and at other times through veiled messages and double entendres. " (Bodenheimer, p 218-19)

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LA HABANA NO AGUANTA MAS -  Los Van Van, canta Pedrito Calvo

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Bodenheimer, Rebecca. “"La Habana no aguanta más": Regionalism in Contemporary Cuban Society and Dance”. The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 92, No. 3/4, 2009, pp. 210-241 www.jstor.org/stable/27751862

Braham, Persephone. Crimes against the State, Crimes against Persons: Detective Fiction in Cuba and Mexico. NED - New edition ed., University of Minnesota Press, 2004. www.jstor.org/stable/10.5749/j.cttts4tb.

Danyte, Milda. Introduction to the Analysis of Crime Fiction. Vytautas Magnus University Kaunas, 2011, vb.vdu.lt/object/elaba:4626326/4626326.pdf.

Dove, N. George. The Police Procedural. Popular Press,1981.

"La Habana no agunta mas” YouTube, uploaded by Gerardo Garcia, 24 April 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mwEUie1-uc

Padura, Leonardo. Vientos de cuaresma. Maxi Tusquetes, Barcelona, 2016.

Primasita, Fitria Akhmerti, Ahimsa-Putra, Heddy Shri. “An Introduction to the Police Procedural: A Subgenre of the Detective Genre”. Humaniora, Vol. 31, No. 1, 2019, pp. 33-40,  jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jurnal-humaniora/article/view/15309

Vientos de la Habana. Directed by  Félix Viscarret and written by Lucia Lopez Coll and Leonardo Padura,  Hernández y Fernández Producciones Cinematográficas, 2016, Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/80149088.

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El Conde and Manolo - typical role of 'good cop, bad cop'.

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http://lelibros.online/libro/descargar-libro-vientos-de-cuaresma-mario-conde-las-cuatro-estaciones-en-pdf-epub-mobi-o-leer-online/

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"Unlike the classic detective story that relies on ratiocination and the “hard- boiled” tradition that uses the pursuit and infiltration, the police procedural uses the police routines as the method of resolution in its plot development ." (Dove, 1982, p. 49)

We can see that the book follows the conventions that this quote suggests, relying heavily on forensics and procedure to be able to solve the case. Access to spaces and witnesses, as well as the blood types found through the examination of the semen, plays a crucial role in the development of the narrative.

"According to Dove (1982), whereas the Classical amateur detectives rely on ratiocination and scientific explanation and the “hard-boiled” private investigators on canniness and agility, the police detectives follow certain police routines, such as using informants, stalking suspects, and making use of crime laboratory and forensics in their investigation activities." (Primasita, Ahimsa-Putra, 35)

When it comes to the investigation method, Conde and Manolo go about it in opposite ways. Conde always follows his intuition and does whatever it takes to get the job done, anything but the paperwork, while Manolo is more by the books, does the necessary police work, listens to orders and follows the protocol almost to a tee.

The very first instance of this is when Manolo gets to the crime scene much earlier than Conde, both in the film and the book.

Then at their first visit to the school, Conde tells Manolo to talk to the principal while he walks around reminiscing on his youth and talking to some students.

Additionally, Manolo is well versed in forensic data. He analyses the autopsy report and forensic reports on the semen found in Lissette that linked the two samples to a person of blood type A and someone with blood type O, which he then relays to Conde.

There are times when Manolo's hard work is undermined by Conde's impulsiveness.

The most notable of these is when Conde and Manolo are trying to track down their suspect with the Type O blood. Conde tells Manolo to go through the lists of Lissette's students from the past two years and Conde goes to talk to his student informer Jose Luis.

Through tedious police work, Manolo finds the name of the suspect, and is excited to share his finding with his boss. However, Conde found the same name from Jose Luis and interrupts Manolo before he can tell Conde what he discovered.

This shows the power relationship between the two, Conde's impulsiveness frustrates Manolo and it invalidates the time and effort that he put into this task.

—Conde, Conde, Conde —brincaba Manolo, con un júbilo de niño en día de cumpleaños, (p 178)

La sorpresa del sargento fue espectacular: como si un perro lo hubiera mordido levantó los brazos y soltó los papeles, como un muchacho desilusionado (p 179)

In the book only Manolo interrogates Lazaro, while we see Conde reflect upon his testimony. Still, it is interesting to note that Lazaro keeps looking at Conde. This reveals that Conde holds the authority in the room, despite being silent.

—Creo que sobre la profesora Lissette. Yo estaba en el baño el día que el compañero entró y preguntó por ella —dijo [Lazaro] mirando al Conde. (p 202)

In the film, Conde does speak, something that seems necessary due to the lack of narration. In this way his authority is further established in the context.

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          How does he adheere to genre conventions?

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          How does he adheere to genre conventions?

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The sidekick is a popular character that is present in most crime fiction, and Latin American Neoplicial is no exception. Here that role is filled by Manuel Palacios; Manolo.

In classic Whodunnit stories, the sidekick is often important to the narrative, and as in Golden age crime fiction,  “these are usually stories told not from the point of view of the detective, but of the detective’s friend or assistant.” (Danyte, p 11)

However, Manolo is not the narrator, as the story is told in third person, and follows Conde closely. In this way he is one of the elements that sets the novel apart in terms of genre, and marks it distinctly as part of the Cuban noir and police procedural, rather than the classical whodunnit.

In terms of genre, Vientos de Cuaresma closely follows the conventions of the police procedural. Manolo, as a result, becomes part of the team. However, while it is true that Conde relies on others throughout his investigation, for forensic science for example, it is mainly his intelligence and cunning intuition that carries the case.

Persephone Braham on the neopolicial;
"The new genre traced the root causes of criminal behavior to preand counterrevolutionary values and attitudes. The writers emphasized the virtues of “integration” and collective action through an adaptation of the police procedural, which allowed for detailed descriptions of the police hierarchy and the dayto-day activities and interactions of the police as a group. Aesthetically, the new detective novel represented a return to a plainer, more externalized kind of narrative." (p. 30)

Manolo is a conventional character in that he functions as a part of the team, yet he is not necessarily viewed as an equal, such as conventions suggest. He is clearly beneath Conde in rank, despite their banter.

"Teniente Mario Conde y sargento Manuel Palacios —dijo el Conde, a modo de presentación—. Somos compañeros del capitán. "(p 111)

He is the one set to do menial tasks, such as go thrugh files and talk to witnesses when Conde doesn't want to.

Danyte argues that "What is most important, however, is that they belong to a strict hierarchy, are assigned  specific tasks in an investigation, some of which are dull and lead nowhere, and work in  pairs and teams, reporting back regularly to police headquarters." (p 29)

In this way Manolo easily finds his role within the team, as the agent assigned to many menial tasks that don't have massive importance.

In conclution, Manolo is a fairly conventional sidekick, by the standards of the police procedural and the neopolicial of Latin America. He does not act as Conde's complete equal, as some critics argue is neccesary for him to follow these conventions, yet he does have his place within the team, and fulfills an important role. He is clearly distinct from the sidekick of the whodunnit, and does not fit the mold of the oftentimes emotional suportive helper in Hardboiled fiction, but rather works very well as the teamplayer that he is made to be.

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His relationship with Conde,                              and his function in the novel

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His relationship with Conde,                              and his function in the novel

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There's definitely a close familiarity
between Manolo and el Conde that
can be seen throughout the novel.
This can be seen in the way they
interact with one another- very informal, always
pestering each other and using foul language.

¿Me vas a seguir jodiendo con eso?- Manolo (78)

But Manolo knows not to push his limits with Conde or question him- "Manolo no se atrevió a preguntar" (113)

"Casi dos años de trabajo y convivencia con el Conde le habían enseñado al sargento Manuel Palacios a no hacer preguntas cuando su jefe le pedía algo que pudiera parecer insólito. La fama del Conde como el loco de la Central no eran simples habladurías y Manolo lo había comprobado más de una vez" (83)

They really enjoyed working with and had mutual admiration for one another, despite their differences, which is what makes them a good team. They complement one another.

"Aunque eran dos personalidades tan opuestas los meses que llevaban trabajando juntos les había creado una dependencia mutua que ambos disfrutaban..." (213)

Not enough trust?
Despite how close they are and how well they work as a team, Conde doesn't include Manolo in his unlawful ventures, such as visiting Candito in order to obtain information. He goes alone. (80)

Manolo functions as one of
Conde's friends and his
partner- "compañero de trabajo,"                               yet perhaps more importantly                                     he functions as the contrast to                          Conde's intuitive genius and                   impulsiveness.

When there is procedural work to be done, Manolo is set to do it, showing him as the rule-following, yet essential provider of intelligence that he is. "Claro que para algo le servia Manolo" (115)

Manolo is not pleased with always being set to do the dirty work, but always follows though. Without him playing the role as the procedure-following helper, Conde would have a much harder time finding the killer. For example, it is Manolo that, in the novel, reveals the results yielded by the autopsy report. This critically influences the investigation.

"Mientras Manolo apuntaba algunos datos del expediente laboral de la joven asesinada.... el Conde salió al patio con la intención de fumarse un cigarro" -Manolo does the work El Conde doesn't want to do.

Manolo casts Conde in a better light, and one of his functions in the novel is to speak to Conde's character.
"Pero el sargento lo admiraba, como no había admirado a casi nadie en su vida, pues sabía que trabajar con el Conde era una fiesta y un privilegio." (83-84)

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Sargento Manuel Palacios.

1. A man of small build that would go unrecognised in many situations- "tipo flaco y mal hecho"- first representation. (37)

''Tal vez si Manolo no se hubiera presentado como policía, el bedel habría preguntado si él mismo no era el cabroncito'' (little twerp) aquel que se le escapaba todos los días a las doce y cuarto descolgándose por el patio de educación física'' (39)
- In this instant he looks like a small twerp presenting to the reader an image of a small skinny man.

2.Conde insists Manolo is cross-eyed-
"Era el caso de bizquera intermitente más singular que el Conde hubiese visto" (54)
¿Por fin tu eres bizco, Manolo? (78)

3. A womanizer who shows excessive interest in sexual matters.

Manolo se acercó
...pero muy lejos de
la conversación....
estaría observando a
las muchachas , respirando el aroma de tantas virginidades amenazadas... (46)

Changes girlfriend often- Adriana is the current one,  "su novia de turno". (48)

Always involved in a "love" affair- "

-Coño, Manolo, si no es Adriana es su hermana, tú siempre tienes el mismo lío."  (49)
-Has had many girlfriends, shows little regard for the women. (50)

Objectifies womn often, always referring to their bodies as a source of pleasure.
"una mulata con el culo mas duro"
"Mira como me tiene..."

4.  One of Manolo's traits is that he likes speed, cars and adrenaline.

We see this in his first appearance- when he     came to meet Conde in Lisette's apartment- "un auto enloquecido que doblaba en la esquina y frenaba con chillido de caucho calcinado frente al edificio de Lissette..." (37)

He later crosses a train line without slowing down giving the reader the impression he enjoys the adrenaline rush.

"Ve suave Manolo, por una vez en tu vida" (98)

"—¿De verdad

te gusta ser policía, Manolo? —le preguntó, casi sin proponérselo.

—Creo que sí, Conde. Además, no sé hacer otra cosa.

—Pues si te gusta estás loco. Yo también estoy loco.

—Me gusta la locura —admitió Manolo, que atravesó la línea del tren sin alterar la velocidad" (49)

He is a dedicated police officer.

Tough Cop- very firm in his interviews (Caridad Delgado y Pupy) , a toughness Conde admires and tries to emulate in his absence "en su honor". (74)

"No vuelva a hablar si no le pregunto...se calla!" (161-1)

Despite all this, funnily enough, Manolo is actually afraid of dogs! He avoids questioning Dagmar because of his "fobia perruna". (71)