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The spirit of the villagers changed drastically as a result of their experience with Esteban. They saw how different he was compared to them and knew they needed to change their own everyday lives. They felt sad about how he wouldn’t be perceived as normal in their village, so they changed their housing and the size of their homes to make it like he lived there. The Colonel changes after his first encounter with Belisa by becoming less stuck up. He dropped his ego and just fell in love with Belisa, only thinking about her and living strictly for the idea that he needs her in his life. Rihad changes a lot after he arrives in Agua Santa. He witnesses the boy’s death and orchestrates his funeral to help out Ines. He turns into a more capable, hands on person. I think change is an important motif in life in general, not just in Latin American literature. I think everyone should experience change because life isn’t always steady and easygoing. Change is an important aspect of life and what keeps the world spinning. Therefore, I don’t think only Latin American literature needs change as an important motif.

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That's a very good question Emily, I'm not sure why this specific body changed their lives and the others didn't. It could've been because of the way he looked, or maybe something happened right before this body washed up that changed their perspective. There's no way to know for sure but something definitely changed.

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I agree with Juliette, him having someone made him happier and he had someone to look foward to because he really never had someone who loved him he was lonely so having Belisa made him softer and happy.

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I feel that Belisa is the person that really changes the Colonel for the better. She really makes the Colonel a "President," she transforms him from a barbaric military leader to a refined man that is ready to take office and rules with words, not blood.

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No, i think it makes him more strong because he had the power to admit his feelings for Belisa even though he was seen as a tough guy by everyone around him.

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Ally do you think that the Colonel becoming softer makes him less strong or more vulnerable?

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I think the colonel becomes a lot more kind hearted and happy. Being able to have someone like Belisa made him less angry and cold

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I think the Colonel changes after his encounter with Belisa because of the two words he was told. Whatever the words may have been, they made the Colonel go crazy over them, and completely changed his appearance/mental health because it was all that he thought about.

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It says in The Handsomest Drowned Man that he didn't weigh or feel like the other bodies that washed up on shore, implying that there has been other bodies to wash up. Why do you think only Esteban had an impact on the village, and not the other bodies?

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I think the words that was given to the Colonel which were I love you, it made him feels things. He felt loved and like he finally had someone, he was less lonely at that point. He changed in a better way and he became softer and more lovable.

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So he changed, into a nicer person. He also was less lonely because he now had someone.

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The Colonel becomes nicer. The soldiers said that he became softer, and it was because of Belisa.

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I agree with Aleena, Esteban gave them a reason to change, he put variety in their life which is something they needed. Why do you think they couldn't do this on their own?

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How do you guys think the colonel changes?

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I agree with Ally as he became Esteban he changed people, It took the men of the village time to really believe that he was Esteban and he should be worshiped but after the fully believed it brought change and made their town better.

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I agree with Isaiah. Esteban gives the village purpose, otherwise the village is relatively isolated, save for the passing ship, so for them to dress everything up fancy and be ready for any encounter in the future, whether it be a passing ship or Sir Walter Raleigh himself is a huge change of spirit

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I agree with Isaiah, Esteban was such a big deal to everyone because they had never seen someone like this and it changed their perspectives on the world and people outside of their village

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Esteban changed the whole village when he arrives. They worship him, and want to even change the way there town looks for him. They didnt even know if it was him, but the more they believed it and changed there town, the more he became Esteban without a doubt.

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The spirit of the villagers change as a result of their experience with Esteban because they felt honored to have had him there. They claim that the village felt bigger after Esteban’s body’s departure, and emptier. Their new plans reflect this change because they show that they were greatly affected by Esteban’s “visit”. They stated that they would now act differently from there on out. The Colonel becomes more laid back after Belisa’s first visit, because he felt some kind of connection with her. He eventually becomes crazy because all he would think about was the two words he was told. Rihad changes after he arrives in Agua Santa because he formed a friendship with Ines, and eventually helps Ines cover up her murder. Change is important in both Latin American Literature and life in general, everything needs change after a while, or else it could drive someone crazy. We always need some kind of entertainment, and change is something that we look forward to sometimes, and it also may be needed after a while.

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After Esteban’s arrival the town was completely changed. Their world was opened up to the wonders of what couldn't be attained on that island. They see that there are bigger, more handsome men out there and without Esteban their village feels so small, insignificant and empty.

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It’s so important for them to believe he is Esteban because if it was just a random person, they wouldn’t have been so motivated and influenced by this presence. Since they knew it was Esteban, they changed their way of life and thinking after seeing him. He influenced them, and I don’t think that they would’ve been impacted if it was someone else. I think there is a message about belief in “The Schoolteacher’s Guest”. It shows the reader that Ines’s belief in herself, and maybe a higher power if she believed in one, helped her to seek out her son’s killer and kill him. I think it is important for people to believe in general because it gives them something to hope for and trust in. Common things people believe in are God, ghosts, Santa, and love at first sight. People believe in these things because it gives them something to look forward to for their futures and has a reassuring aspect to it.

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I think that everyone needs to believe in something so they have some sort of motivation to do things. You can believe in different things and it does not matter how big the thing you believe in is. You can believe heavily in God, like Elie did in Night, or you can believe in something simple like I believe that I am going to get an A on my math test.

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People believe in faith, superstitions, good things, evil things. Things you belief show character, and you can even believe in negative things. Belief doesn't always have to be positive. The things you believe become who you are.

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They all have very strong examples of belief. With The Schoolteacher's Guest and The Handsomest Drowned Man they believe in a higher power and are able to look at that to fill some sort of hole they seem to have.

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I think that they believe it is Esteban since he is abnormally large and muscular and it is important for them to believe because he is so special to them and it gives them a sense of excitement. I think people believe in Belissa's words because people like to have something to believe in something that will help them it gives people a sense of comfort. I think that the message of belief in the Schoolteacher's guest is that it is important to have friends who believe you. Her friends and neighbors continue to support her and believe her even after she brutally murdered her son's killer. I think that it is important to believe people in general because it builds confidence when people believe you and it gives you someone in your corner. If you didn't believe people life wouldn't be very exciting. You never know if someone is lying or being honest so believing is really a game of trust.

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Esteban is the strongest example of belief. The people of the town believed in him, even though they did not even know the man.

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I agree with Jake that Esteban is the strongest example of belief because they could of just thought that he was a normal man and had nothing special about him. The other stories could go without belief because there are other important themes in the story other than belief. The entire story of Esteban revolves around the belief in Esteban and how the villagers care about him and praise him.

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I think Two words has a strong example of belief. I don't know if it was the strongest, but in order for Belisa to have the power she does people need to believe that she can actually sell them words. If people didn't believe this she wouldn't have been able to continue selling words as her "career". Then she wouldn't be able to travel and most likely wouldn't have met the Colonel

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I think the Handsomest Drowned Man had the most powerful message of belief, because the entire mood of the village changed when they found out the man was Esteban. It was shocking because once they found out who he was, they acted completely differently, being influenced by their beliefs.

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I think that like the other two stories, there is also a message about belief in The Schoolteacher's Guest. All of the people in the town believe in Ines and everything she does. Even when she murdered a man, the believed in her decision to do it. All of these stories carry this idea of belief which is very important. Believing in something creates something to look forward to in life and brings a sense of "color" to a world that can be so bland.

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I agree with Emily because Ines believed that fate brought the murderer back to her so she could get her revenge for killing her son. She wanted to give the man the same feeling that her son did, so she believed in the fact that the man was brought back to her so she could feel somewhat whole again.

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Esteban was definitely a stronger example of belief.

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I agree with Aleena's point about how fate brought the man back to the town with Ines, and it was fate that ended up killing the man.

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What story do you guys think had the more powerful message of belief?

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I agree with what Cat said earlier about The Schoolteacher’s Guest. I think Ines believes that revenge would ease the pain of losing her son.

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The theme of belief in the stories is very strong. The towns people fall on Esteban for a person to believe in. he gives them hope and something new. In such a small boring town Esteban is such an amazing sight. Belisa's case is a bit different. She is more real to these people because they can actually talk to her and see her.  With Inés there isn't too much that relates back to belief, however the townspeople believe her actions are right and they must believe in the eye for an eye idea.

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In The Schoolteacher's Guest Ines's belief in fate plays an important role. If she didn't believe the man coming back to the town was fate she may have never killed him.

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I agree with Aleena that the town believing in this drowned man allowed for them to change their lives for the better, to change their lives away from the "old" routine that they had always previously lived in.

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I agree with Harry it was important to believe in the man because he brought change and made the village better and if they never cared about him or didn't believe their village would've stayed boring.

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If the people didn't believe in Esteban their village wouldn't have been able to change. After Esteban the village was much happier and the villagers had something to celebrate and be happy over. Without that belief the village would still be boring and dreary.

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Avery, I think that they would have just thrown him back into the ocean instead of spending so much time making new clothes for him, cleaning him, and having a funeral for him. After they realized that he did not belong to any of the other villages, they would have just gone through with the men's plan to throw him back into the ocean with an anchor.

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I think in The Schoolteachers Guest there was a message of belief. The message was when Ines saw the man at the hotel, and believed it was fate and that he was very bad luck. If her son was never murdered, I don't think she would have the same sense about the man she killed.

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If the people of the village didn't believe in Esteban, then the arrival of his body would have had no significance to them whatsoever. If people didn't believe in general, there would really be nothing to be hopeful for, or they wouldn't be able to feel safe somewhere, such as with God.

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It is so important for the people of the village to believe the man is Esteban because it promotes unity in the town. Without this unity, the town would be split apart and pinned against one another. Also, the village was said to be a very bland and colorless town. Believing in Esteban brought a sense of happiness and color to the town.

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I agree with Jack that the villagers need to believe that the drowned man is Esteban because they needed something to celebrate his life and they wanted to believe that a godlike person showed up in their vilage and they wanted to be chosen to receive a special person in their life.

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What would happen if the people of the village didn't believe in Esteban? What would happen if people didn't believe in general?

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In “schoolteacher's guest” the message about belief could be belief that justice is served to those who deserve it, or that those who were victims get their justice. Only because Ines believed that justice would only be served if she herself took action instead of letting fate do it’s punishing, did she murder the man who murdered her son.        It’s important for people to believe as it allows for hope and it allows for change. Many people believe in a god or fate or destiny. these forces let people believe that there’s less for them to worry about as there are forces doing work for them.

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In " The Schoolteacher's Guest there could be a message or belief on fate and whether on not that is why the man came back.

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It is important for them to believe that he is Esteban because Esteban was a very famous man that was famous amongst the slaves because of his heroic acts. It was also important for them because if it was Esteban, the villagers could now declare that their village took care of, and had a “Funeral” for Esteban, making their village important. There is belief in The Schoolteacher’s Guest, the people in Agua Santa believed in Ines and they went to her for advice because of her wisdom, and care for the community. They all believed she was a wise, good woman. It is important for people to believe in general because it gives people a sense of reassuring hope. It can help people look forward to something after a bad event, or anything really. A common belief for people is God, and this is common because people like to believe that there is somewhere to go after death, and this reassures everybody that believes in God because they know that they will go somewhere happy after death.

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I agree with Harry, "Two Words" seems to be the one created earliest in time. There's no technology to spread the news of the world and people live quite far from each other.

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I think that each story is written from outside the country. They have interesting cultural uniquenesses. In “Two Words” we see many examples that the story was written in Mexico as we see the lines “ El mulado had spent his life fighting in the civil war” The author uses pesos as money. The Schoolteacher's guest took place in the 1900’s as there was television and cars and was said to be set in Agua Santa which sounds like a latin speaking country. The handsomest drowned man takes place on an island some time I predict, possibly some time in the 1600s as they still believed in mythical and magical figures and rituals to perform on the dead. Stories with more specific settings block the openness for one to interpret the story as they wish. The openness to form one's own imagery in their own mind and form a picture of their own.

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Harrison, wasn't the murderer returning on the basis on having his windshield smashed by rock on his truck?

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I agree with Cat because these stories are only a few pages long and do not focus on setting because they care about the themes in the sories. Longer stories can have more description about the setting because they are more plot based because they do not focus on themes as much, like in Macbeth or Master Harold.

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I think that Two Words took place the earliest in time. There seemed to be the most "magical" or "supernatural" themes in the story, which was accepted more long ago. Also there was no motor vehicles like there was in The Schoolteacher's Guest.

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I agree with Cat, with longer stories it is more important to have a setting because sometimes it is needed to make the story make sense. With short stories they usually showcase a certain lesson and having a setting can take away from the lesson being the center of the readers attention.

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I agree with Catriona. The setting isn't quite as important as the story in these short stories, so leaving the location up to date is a smart decision to condense the story

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The time isn't necessary for these stories. They are pieces that will be timeless because of the main ideas within them.

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I disagree Aleena, not being able to include things like cars, tvs, or things that take place in this time would be hard. However, it's also very difficult because this could imply the story took place before these things were invented. It's a hard balance.

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Personally, I would rather have a setting that is described not explicitly said in the text. All of these stories have a setting: almost like their own magical world we can imagine they take place in. Settings need to be described through description, and allow the reader to relate to the setting.

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I think it's also important to think that with stories like Macbeth, they're longer stories. The three short stories we read were all trying to show or convey a message or theme and with only a few pages, having detailed settings would only take away from the portrayed message or theme. In longer stories, there's less worry for the story or theme to be burried by setting or location descriptions so they can have these detailed settings.

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Juliette, i think it depends but i like both. Sometimes i dont want to have a setting because i can create my own but sometimes having a setting helps readers

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I agree with Avery because they want the stories to be timeless and people who read them can relate to them no matter how old they are. People in the future can still relate to the stories because they are more about themes of life, death, and women, then they are about a specific time period.

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I feel that Two Words took place in Mexico, perhaps during or after the Mexican Civil War, while the Schoolteacher's Guest took place on a Caribbean Island like St. Croix or St. Maarten, while The Handsomemest Drowned Man took place years back on the Canary Islands, considering references to Sir Raleigh

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I think The Schoolteacher's Guest most likely took place in the second half of the 20th century. There were cars and an arcade, so it could not have taken place any earlier.

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I disagree with Juliette, not having a time or setting may make it easier because you dont need to have specific things that relate to that place or that time period. The author can write without having to be factually correct.

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Having an automatic setting allows the reader to imagine exactly what the writer is trying to portray. Would you rather have a setting or no?

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I believe they all take place in a Latin American Country.  Two Words most likely takes place during the 20th century, as modes of transportation were mentioned as foot, or horse. Also, I don't think these stories were meant to be set in a specific time period or place. I believe the author intentionally left these stories up to the reader's imagination for the time period. This added a more magical element, and contributed to the overall magic realism.

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I agree with Ella that "two words" took place in Mexico from the few context clues within the story. With their names and the use of pesos as currency, it makes sense.

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I think that there are pro and cons for having a setting and not. If a story has a setting, like Macbeth or Night did, then you know about the lives of the people and how people lived during that time and place. This type of story does not use much imagination because if you want to know something about the setting, you can easily look it up. A story without a specified setting allows the reader to have more imagination and freedom in the story. This allows the people to relate the story to them and places they have been. The cons of not having a setting is that people can have varying opinions and you never know if the information is true that you think or if it completely wrong.

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I agree with Aleena, it gives everyone the freedom to be creative with what they think the time and setting could be.

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The stories are better this way. When writing about life lessons and things that are common ideas such as life and death, it is best to make the stories so they can be understood for generations.

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However, I think this is a lot more difficult to write. Not having a setting or anything to indicate a time is a lot harder to do.

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Where do you think the stories took place?

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I agree with Juliette, not having a time period or setting allows the reader to focus on things that are more important than the time or setting like lessons or a specific lesson

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It allows the readers to kind of personalize the story and take away the bigger lessons of the story in their own way. With out a specific settings and times people can use their own experiences to connect to the story and it makes it more interesting between readers.

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I agree with Juliette and Catriona, I feel that a story that does not have a specific place in time really broadens the view of the reader.

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I agree with what Aleena said. I feel that when there is no time period or place given there is little room for any sort of bias. There is much more room for people to take the story and apply it to their lives in any way they feel necessary.

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I agree with Emily, being able to use your own experiences and memories helps personalize the story and make it more engaging as well

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I agree with Juliette, a story without a setting also shows how the lesson/message that we learn in the story can be applied at anytime and anywhere

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personally, I think stories not having specific locations or places for setting as it is a magical sort of story and it's meant to be imaginitive, so letting the readers create and decide what the world looks like and how much it's "magical." And depending on how magical you think a story is, the way you interpret all the characters and their decisions and actions change. Having that flexibility in a story makes it special.

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I agree with aleena its more interesting when you can make your own sort of setting

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I think a story with a setting is more effective in character development and reasoning. However, I think it's also better not to mention where the place is because it allows the reader imagination and you can bring in your own personal ideas.

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I think in regards to these stories not having a time period or setting helps us focus on the more important things in the story

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When a story is written with a specific setting and time period you automatically picture that setting, but when there is no specific setting it allows more freedom for the readers imaginations

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I think in the context of this story, the man had to be a sort of mythological figure. Any other body would show great trauma from the water but this was not found on the man.

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I think the stories take place in other countries. I just imagine they are in different countries. I think because they are originally written in different countries. All of them have ideas that revolve around other cultures. Estaban is a character from spanish culture.

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I think it was destiny

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Do yall think that Esteban was meant to wash up on the shore or was it luck?

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Belisa always had power as she held the power to bring and withhold information from people. She delivered messages from family to family, news from town to town and world news in general. Even if she never wrote a speech for the Colonel or told him his two words, she still had her own version of power over people.

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Belisa would have continued to be independent and shared her words herself. The fact that she waits for the Colonel to come get her, and not go out and find him herself takes away a bit of her power.

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The speech was the reason that Belisa was brought to the Colonel, so they would have never met each other in the story. Also, if Belisa wrote a bad speech, then the Colonel would probably kill her because she ruined his chances of winning the election and he would be very mad at her.

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How do you think Belisa's power would have changed if she never wrote the speech for the Colonel?

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I think Belisa ultimately had the potential to have the most power with her words and mostly did, until the ending when she let herself and her words be used by the Colonel

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I think her affect on people was due to her words and her power but with the Colonel her affect over him came from herself not just her words

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I think that Belisa had the power to make anybody feel specific ways, but perhaps just decided to make the Colonel feel a different way because of the type of man he was.

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I think she could affect people, but I dont believe she had as strong of a hold on them as she did the Colonel.

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Do you think that Belisa was able to make other people feel specific ways or did it only work on the Colonel?

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I agree with Cat and Avery, the town respecting her and wanting to help her because she had helped so many of them gave her more power

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I agree with Avery that Ines is definetly a strong women and the town helping her clean doesn't make her any less powerul, if anything it makes her more powerful as it shows just how many people support her through anything and everything. To have the support of so many means shes well respected, and in my opinion, to have respect is to have power.

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I agree with Harry because Ines has the strength to hold onto her feelings for a long time and she knew when to act on her feelings. She had the strength to go through with the murder and was able to tell someone what she had done and was pretty calm because she was not freaking out and crying because of what she did.