Friday, February 3, 2012
Neruda
Look for two examples in the poems by Pablo Neruda (MLAH, pp. 170-173) that depict essential aspects of neocolonialism. Pick two quotes and analyze how each quote illustrates neocolonial outcomes. (Note: Neruda is a character named “the poet” in The House of the Spirits). Post your quotes and analysis on the blog as comments to “Neruda.”
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1. “Standard Oil has arrived beforehand with its lawyers and its boots, with its checks and its guns, with its government and its prisoners.”
ReplyDeleteThis example taken from pg 171 of the text is a good example of how the Standard Oil company was a dominant figure over the Latin American people. These people are referred to as slaves in this specific passage. This passage also says how the United States imposed its government as well as business on the people of Latin America.
2. “Among the bloodthirsty flies the Fruit Co. disembarks, ravaging coffee and fruits for its ships that spirit away like serving trays our submerged lands’ treasures.”
The Fruit Co. in this passage resembled the dominant figure that is taking the Latin American produce that the people work so hard to produce. The bloodthirsty description really makes an impression because it is a very strong word that makes you think of just how savage the Fruit Co. was in taking anything that it wanted from the weaker people.
1. “Its obese emperors from New York are suave, smiling assassins who buy silk, nylon, cigars, petty tyrants, and dictators” (MLAH, p. 171). This quote represents neocolonialism because the emperors from New York are extending their influence over the people of Latin America. The Standard Oil Company has become a dominant force over Latin American countries. This passage shows that Standard Oil came in with their governments ready to influence the people of Latin America.
ReplyDelete2. “United Fruit Inc, reserved for itself a juicy part, the central isthmus of my land, America’s sweet waist” (MLAH, p. 172). This quote represents neocolonialism because United Fruit Inc. came in to Latin America and took over land. They didn’t care who or what was on the land they wanted to use. All they cared about was the land that they rebaptized as “Banana Republics”. The company is seen as bloodthirsty flies because they took advantage of the inferior people by taking their coffee and fruits for their own use. The United Fruit Inc. took away some of Latin America’s most treasured items without thinking twice.
1. “Among the bloodthirsty flies the Fruit Co. disembarks, ravaging coffee and fruits for it ships that spirit away like serving trays our submerged lands’ treasures.” This quote illustrates the dependent relationship of the Latin American countries on other countries to purchase their goods to boost their economy. The dominate countries take away the resources and control the economic trade by their purchases.
ReplyDelete2. “They buy countries, people, seas, police, legislators, distant regions where the poor hoard their corn like misers their gold: Standard Oil awakens them, clothes them in uniforms, designates which brother is the enemy, and Paraguayan fight its war, and Bolivians are undone in the jungle with its machine guns.” This quote illustrates the control of the oil resources in Latin American nations by Euro-US companies. The Euro-U.S. companies like Standard Oil controlled all aspects of the running of the company and monopolize all resources of the Latin American nations. The Euro-US companies dictate what they wear, who is friend of foe and destroyed any opposition by force or economic controls.
1.) In Standard Oil Co: “Standard Oil has arrived beforehand with its lawyers and its boots, with its checks and its guns, with its governments and its prisoners”. This quote describes how the Standard Oil Co. took over the land, as well as the government and people of Latin America. They had no regard for the Latin American people, and were looking out for profits, no matter what the cost.
ReplyDelete2.) In United Fruit Co: “Among the bloodthirsty flies the Fruit Co. disembarks, ravaging coffee and fruits for its ships that spirit away like serving trays our submerged lands’ treasures”. This quote describes how the coffee and fruits are taken away from the home land, to be sold to foreigners who will take away the local treasures that the natives love so much, in order to profit themselves. This holds no regard for the natives, who have lost control of their land and government. They work so hard to keep these treasures, only to have them taken away.
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ReplyDelete1.
“the dictatorship of flies,
Truijilo flies, Somoza flies,
Caarias flies, Matinez flies,
Ubico flies, flies soaked
In humble blood and jam…”
This line from “United Fruit Co.” is a metaphor for wave of dictatorships that sprung up as the result of neocolonialism. Like flies, the dictators swarm around the fruit.
Truijilo, “El Jefe,” was the President of the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961 when he was assassinated.
Somoza was the President of Nicaragua from 1967 to 1972. He was exiled.
Caarias was a virtual dictator of Honduras beginning April 1924. He founded the National Party of Honduras in 1918 (right wing political party).
Martinez was the President of El Salvador from 1931 to 1944.
Ubico was Guatemalan dictator, president of Guatemala from 1931 to 1944. He was exiled.
The fruit is United Fruit Co. The flies exist because of the fruit. The flies will do what it takes to keep the fruit there, even if it means blood. The era of neocolonialism sub serviced Latin American countries to foreign corporations. Neocolonialism was characterized by exporting. Export products dominated economic life in Latin America. It absorbed capital, shaped infrastructure, defined political issues and determined patterns of migration. Neocolonialism created an economic dependency that was maintained by the dictators. The dictators focused on servicing the sources of economic dependency before their people.
2.
“Standard Oil has arrived beforehand
with its lawyers and its boots,
with its checks and its guns,
with its governments and its prisoners.”
This line from “Standard Oil Co.” by Pablo Neruda illustrates the power behind the Standard Oil entourage. The company does not just come in alone, it comes in with lawyers, boots, checks, guns, government (especially a form of government that favors them) and prisoners. Neocolonialism, in its efforts to progress the nation, tried to bring in big corporations. These big corporations did not come alone; they also brought things like guns and new government to protect their new “investment.” As an “investment” Latin American countries have service the foreign corporations. During neocolonialism – Britain, France, USA defined the center of the neocolonialism systen ideologically and economically. The quote illustrates the influence of Standard Oil legally, diplomatically and militarily.
“Standard Oil has arrived beforehand
ReplyDeletewith its lawyers and its boots,
with its checks and its guns,
with its governments and its prisoners.”
This quote comes from the Poem, “Standard Oil Co.” I really wanted to quote this entire poem and write about its Neocolonialism meaning but these four lines sum up very much of what the entire poems message is. These Latin American countries do not have the best resources to harvest such a valuable resource. Other countries do. This poem speaks about how its all been seen to many times before, as other countries take the resource. They come in and do not use local business people. They bring in their big businessmen; use their lawyers, their labor, and their money. It represents how the local government becomes prisoners to the bigger country’s and bullies the smaller country into feeling like it’s a prisoner is its own state.
“When the trumpet blared, everything
on Earth was Prepared
and Jehovah distributed the world
to Coca-Cola Inc., Anaconda,
Ford Motors, and other entities.”
This next quote comes from the “United Fruit Co.” and really describes what the world is coming to. I take from this quote that the world is being divided through the big businesses’. Look at what the most famous drink in the world is? Getting a coke is a reality practically world wide, the riches this company has is in the billions and it exploits cheap Latin American labor to develop its Soda. The symbol of the anaconda could relate to how these company’s do not just kill buy slowly choke you out until you are no longer its competition. Other than Pepsi there is no real competition to Coke, and Coke owns Pepsi. And the story is the same with Ford and those “other entities” that the first world countries dominate those of the Latin American countries.
The first example I found is located in the “Standard Oil Co.” poem. It says: “Standard Oil…clothes them in uniforms, designates which brother is the enemy, and Paraguayans fight its war, and Bolivians are undone in the jungle with its machine guns.” Paraguay and Bolivia were two of the most poorest countries in South America. They were pitted against each other in competition for the Gran Chaco region which was thought to be quite rich in oil. The conflict spanned the years 1932 to 1935, it was the bloodiest war for South America in the 20th century. The struggle became known as the Chaco War. The aforementioned quote is demonstrating how the use of violence can sway a group of people to carry out an oppressor's goals. Also, it can suppress any potential outbursts of protesting from the natives.
ReplyDeleteThe second quote is also from the “Standard Oil Co.” poem. It reads: “Standard Oil has arrived beforehand with its lawyers and its boots, with its checks and its guns, with its governments and its prisoners.” The quote is demonstrating how multinational corporations feel they have the means to just help themselves to other nations’ natural resources. It’s almost like stealing, except the countries that do the taking feel that the “stealing” is justified, and therefore, permitted.
Blog Assignment 6
ReplyDelete1. From “Standard Oil Co.” :
“Standard Oil awakens them,
clothes them in uniforms, designates
which brother is the enemy…”
This quote shows how a corporation can take root in a country and begin to change it. The poem, directly before this line, describes how the company uses money to gain control of people, government officials, and entire countries. Neocolonialism is described as the use of globalization, capitalism, or cultural forces to control a country, and the poem depicts how this corporation is using money to control the native people for its own gains and to open up new business opportunities.
2. From “United Fruit Co.” :
“It alienated self-destiny,
gave crowns to small time Caesers,
unsheathed envy, and drew
the dictatorship of flies.”
This quote alludes to the fact that the United Fruit Company took control of lands in South America and began using its wealth to gain support. The use of the word “flies” and the phrase “small time Caesars” indicates that the author sees the power of these men simply as pawns of the foreign corporation. They are granted power and with that power they in turn aid the United Fruit Company in gaining more control over the surrounding areas. The phrase “alienated self-destiny” demonstrates the author’s belief that the people of these lands were being controlled by the UFCO and really did not have free will. As in the previous quote, this is an example of using capitalism and globalization to control a foreign colony.
In both of the poems by Pablo Neruda, he shows a sincere sense of concern for all of Latin America and not just his home country of Chile. Through his writings, he is able to connect and inform all people of the situations where others are taking over, invading, and preying on the natives.
ReplyDeleteThe first quote that depicts essential aspects of neocolonialism is: “They buy countries, people, seas, police, legislators, distant regions where the poor hoard their corn like misers their gold: Standard Oil awakens them, clothes them in uniforms, designates which brother is the enemy, and Paraguayans fight its war, and Bolivians are undone in the jungle with its machine guns“ (pg. 191). This quote illustrates neocolonial outcomes because neocolonialism is defined as “the use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries” (New Oxford American Dictionary). This quote directly depicts how the Standard Oil Company uses economic, political, and cultural influences of the native people in both Bolivia and Paraguay, to achieve success. The cultural part involves the Standard Oil Company, from the United States, dictating which brother is the enemy in Latin America’s Paraguay and Bolivia. The Political influence that this company possessed, as stated from this quote, was that they were able to “buy” everything that would give them more power and freedom, including people, police, and legislators. Finally this quote depicts economic influences because of how the Standard Oil Company gained wealth from the resources of Latin America through the production and consumption of their petroleum and ultimately stealing their nation wealth.
The second quote that depicts essential aspects of neocolonialism is: “United Fruit Inc. reserved for itself a juicy part, the central isthmus of my land, America’s sweet waist.” (pg. 192). This quote illustrates neocolonial outcomes because it describes the economic pressure that this company has on Central America. United Fruit Inc. was a U.S. giant that was able to just move right in and stake its claim on the luscious fruit of land. Therefore, their economic influence placed pressure on Central America, which then lead to United Fruit Inc. gaining political and cultural power.
“Its obese emperors from New York are suave, smiling assassins who buy silk, nylon, cigars … They buy countries, people, seas, police, legislators” (171)
ReplyDeleteThis quote from the poem, “Standard Oil Co” by Pablo Neruda, I think shows the influence of the executives of American companies, and more specifically ones from New York, and their control of the government and the oil industry in Latin America. This corrupt control involved, buying the police and government legislators to make a profit at the expense of the people of Latin America.
“United Fruit Inc. reserved for itself a juicy part, the central isthmus of my land” (172)
This quote from the Poem, “United Fruit Co.” by Pablo Neruda, I think shows the importance of fruit to society and culture in Latin America because it is describe as the isthmus of his land. The “isthmus” is the part that holds something together. When American corporations come in to his land and take his “isthmus” or fruit, it upsets him, because he feels it is what holds Latin America together and makes them and their economy strong.
1. “Standard Oil has arrived beforehand / with its lawyers and its boots / with its checks and its guns / with its governments and its prisoners.”
ReplyDeleteI chose these lines of poetry from Pablo Neruda’s “Standard Oil Co.” because they reminded me of what I read in The Last Days of the Incas. The Spanish came in and easily conquered the Inca Empire, leaving in their wake a path of destruction and death—but all that mattered to the Spaniards were their profits. Similarly, the U.S. has conquered Latin America with corporations, so to speak. Instead of being controlled by a far-off king, they are controlled by far-off CEO’s. Latin American nations needed the United States to keep food on the table. They were forced into dependency by the corporations.
2. “Among the bloodthirsty flies / the Fruit Co. disembarks, / ravaging coffee and fruits / for its ships that spirit away / like serving trays / our submerged lands’ treasures.”
U.S. corporations in Latin American were “bloodthirsty flies”. The people of Latin America could have cultivated their own land and profited from it, running their own industries. Leave it to the U.S., though, to deem them unfit to run businesses, and to attempt to control all of the exported goods in the interests of U.S. profit. The way that Neruda describes the Fruit Company is terrifying—they took all of the goods from these people while they could only watch. Economically, Latin America needed corporations like the Fruit Company to survive, though The Fruit Company stole from them, and all the Latin Americans could do was watch.
Neocolonialism – The economic and political policies by which a great power indirectly maintains or extends its influence over other areas or people.
ReplyDelete1- “They buy countries, people, seas, police, legislators, distant regions where the poor hoard their corn like misers their gold. Standard Oil awakens them, clothes them in uniforms, designates which brother is an enemy, and Paraguayans fight it’s war, and Bolivians are undone in the jungle with it’s machine guns.” – Standard Oil Co.
Here is an example of an oil company (Standard Oil) wanting power and filled with greed. They move in with power and money where people hoarded food and take over. In doing so innocent uninvolved by standers like the Paraguayans and Bolivians are now involved without an option and the Oil Company “buys” authority and declares where the lines are drawn and who the enemies are.
2- “When the trumpet blared, everything on Earth was prepared and Jehovah distributed the world to Coca-Cola Inc., Anaconda, Ford Motors, and other entities.” –United Fruit Co.
The poem goes on to indicate the details of how the United Fruit Company was an offender of neocolonialist acts; however, this part of the poem makes a huge statement. Especially the phrase “Jehovah distributed the world to …. Entities.
All entities, corporations, and businesses have a certain realm of power. These companies have become the power cells to economies and employment. Their financial problems are our financial problems and when they are in trouble it effects everyone. Look at Ford motors and the economic down turn that resulted from their struggles. This shows you how much indirect power they have. The word is full of these power cells.
1.“Its obese emperors from New York are suave, smiling assassins who buy silk, nylon, cigars, petty tyrants, and dictators.”
ReplyDeleteI interpreted this quote that the executives and CEOs that work on Wall Street are skillful, but somewhat sneaky. They can buy anything they want such as other businesses or major companies. Buying businesses and companies gives you a lot of money when they are successful. The quote says they can buy silk and cigars that is like saying they can buy really fancy things that keep getting them more money or the rich get richer. I associate this with when the English owned all of the Argentinas railroads and companies so that it was basically the English companies. Anything the Argentinians wanted to do they had to ask the English first. This is what happens in neocolonialism because the rich buy the goods that are in need and making a lot of profit. The rich buy these goods so that they get even richer and control a lot of things.
2. “Among the bloodthirsty flies the Fruit Co. disembarks, ravaging coffee and fruits for its ships that spirit away like serving trays our submerged lands’ treasures.”
The quote is saying how greedy the people were of the Fruit Company that they took everything for the ships and took the treasures from them. This is an example of the U.S in Latin America and how they were greedy or could be called “bloodthirsty flies”. Latin America wanted to own their own companies but the U.S had so much money and power and they just wanted more money and more power. The only thing the Latin Americans could do was watch as the U.S stole basically stole the Fruit Company from them illegally. The U.S was not supposed to do that and if they were told no they found some reason around it.
Neocolonialism- the policy of a strong nation in seeking political and economic hegemony over an independent nation or extended geographical area without necessarily reducing the subordinate nation or area to the legal status of a colony.
ReplyDelete“Standard Oil awakens them, clothes them in uniforms, designates which brother is the enemy, and Paraguayans fight its war, and Bolivians are undone in the jungle with its machine guns.”
This quote shows how the Standard Oil controls Latin Americans and how they have no choice but to fight over it, because it is what clothes them and takes care of them. “Standard Oil” is like the strong nation that has control or takes control of and independent nation making them do whatever they want them to do, because they feel as though they have more power than them and the strong nation can easily control the independent nation. The quote states that Standard Oil clothes them in uniforms and designates which brother is the enemy. This really stood out to me as being neocolonialism, because their was no equality between both nation it was just control that the standard oil had over Paraguayans and the Bolivians.
“When the trumpet blared, everything on Earth was prepared and Jehovah distributed the world to Coca-Cola Inc. Anaconda. Ford Motors, and other entities.”
This quote shows neocolonialism because it tells you how the United States gets a Latin American country make Coca-Cola for cheap labor and then distribute it in America for much more. The Anaconda symbolizes how these companies are so cut throat that they will easily try to choke you out of the game and figure out ways to devourer other companies no matter what just so they can stay on top.
My first one is my favorite. “Its obese emperors from New York are suave, smiling assassins who buy silk, nylon, cigars, petty tyrants and dictators.” This depicts to me a representation of the fat cats on Wall Street who do what they can for economic gain and control. No matter the cost, even if it means human loss, as long as they make a profit. The New York "fat cats" are using their influence to gain economic control of Latin America.
ReplyDeleteSecond is from the United Fruit Co. “ Among the bloodthirsty flies, the Fruit Co. disembarks, ravaging coffee and fruits for its ships that spirit away like serving trays our submerged lands’ treasures.” Just like we saw in our Laure Moye reading, it is explained here that the land and its reaps are being taken away from the inhabitants who need it for survival so the country can increase nations economy.
“Its obese emperors from New York are suave, smiling assassins who buy silk, nylon, cigars. They buy countries, people, seas, police, legislators.”
ReplyDeleteThis quote expressed how greedy these businessmen are. They will do what ever it takes to make the big money. They will pay anyone to do whatever it is that they want. They are very destructive and will do anything, even put people's lives in danger to get what they want.
“United Fruit Inc, reserved for itself a juicy part, the central isthmus of my land, America’s sweet waist”
This quote represents the UFCO coming into Latin American and taking over. They chose their land (without asking, just took it) and then decided that they had the right to control the countries in which they had land. This ultimately led to pain and destruction in the countries where they did this.
“They buy countries, people, seas, police, legislators, distant regions where the poor hoard their corn like misers their gold. Standard Oil awakens them, clothes them in uniforms, designates which brother is an enemy, and Paraguayans fight it’s war, and Bolivians are undone in the jungle with it’s machine guns.”
ReplyDeleteThis shows how greedy and powerful Standard Oil is and how it shows neocolonialism. By them taking over land, natives to the land are being told what to do by the oil company. They declared the land and the people have no choice because the power of the oil company.
“United Fruit Inc, reserved for itself a juicy part, the central isthmus of my land, America’s sweet waist.”
United Fruit Inc. came in at this time and completely took over. They took fruit from the natives as if there was no problem with that. They were greedy and didn't care as long as they profited. This shows neocolonialism because they were powerful and greedy.
"They buy countries, people, seas, police, legislators, distant regions where the poor hoard their corn like misers their gold: Standard Oil awakens them, clothes them in uniforms, and designates which brother is the enemy"…
ReplyDelete-This quote to me sounds as if they are pertaining to the government…as if they stop at nothing even illegal actions to own and control everything. If not power being their motive, then the oil is the main reason which will eventually gain them wealth.
"Among the bloodthirsty flies the Fruit Co. disembarks, ravaging coffee and fruits for its ships that spirit away like serving trays our submerged lands’ treasures."
-In this quote, the United States is identified by the Fruit Company. The people of the land are stating that they feel that everything that they worked for is being taken away by the United States on ships.
Both of these passages are related to neocolonialism by stating how someone whether the government of their own country or another country is controlling the people.
“Standard Oil has arrived beforehand with its lawyers and its boots, with its checks and its guns, with its government and its prisoners.” This quote is from the “Standard Oil” poem on page 171. It shows how the oil company took over Latin America once it was built. It also shows how North America used its force onto another country to gain finances.
ReplyDelete“Among the bloodthirsty flies the Fruit Co. disembarks, ravaging coffee and fruits for it ships that spirit away like serving trays our submerged lands’ treasures.” This quote is from “United Fruit Co. on pate 172. The quote is basically saying that Latin America is very dependent on other countries in order to boost their economy by making a profit off of the goods. However, the more dominate country can take over the trade since they have more power and can try and control the trading by the trade routes.
1. “Its obese emperors from New York are suave, smiling assassins who buy silk, nylon, cigars, petty tyrants, and dictators. They buy countries, people, seas, police, legislators, distant regions where the poor hoard their corn like misers their gold: Standard Oil awakens them, clothes them in uniforms, designates which brother is the enemy, and Paraguayans fight its war, and Bolivians are undone in the jungle with its machine guns.
ReplyDeleteFor this particular quote from Pablo Neruda's poem; "Standard Oil Co.", it is depicting the greed that those businessmen felt. Money was their main priority and everything else fell to the waysides. They were dangerous with their selfish choices and put no value in human worth.
2. "United Fruit Inc. reserved for itself a juicy part, the central isthmus of my land, America's sweet waist."
This quote shows how this specific company gained power over the political and cultural side of Central America. The company being discussed, United Fruit Co. had a deep and long-lasting impact on the economic and political development of several Latin American countries. Critics often accused it of exploitative neocolonialism and described it as the archetypal example of the influence of a multinational corporation on the internal politics of the banana republics (a term coined by O. Henry). After a period of financial decline, United Fruit was merged with Eli M. Black's AMK in 1970 to become the United Brands Company. In 1984, Carl Lindner, Jr. transformed United Brands into the present-day Chiquita Brands International.