Urgent Discussion

Mayuris Palacios

ENC-1102

1.In “Expensive Regrets,” What is happening outside? How do the characters feel when they realize how much they missed?

In “Expensive Regrets” while the characters where immersed in their own feelings losing track of time without even knowing what day they were in, outside the city was on fire and civilization was collapsing. When they realize how much they had missed, somehow, they felt guilty for not having been able to do something. For a moment while watching the news on the TV Eve the main character says that “I thought maybe it was my fault, and I said, maybe if I’d been home, none of this would have happened!”

2. What do you think of the characters, Eve and Renzo, after this scene?

After these scene Eve and Renzo shouldn’t feel guilty about what was happening out in town. They just got carried away by their feelings and spent time together forgetting everything around them. In my opinion, I don’t think they could stop what happened in their city during those times.

3. In what ways do the Rodney King Protests in the story reflect or parallel the protests that have occurred not too long ago in Miami FL and the protests that have occurred throughout the country.

Both protests were parallel because in both of them an entire civilization was collapsing and the countries were passing through a difficult time.

4. What would you if you were Eve and this is happening outside your door?

If I were Eve and this is happening outside my door, I wouldn’t think it’s my fault, instead I would try to find out more about what happened through the news since I do not think it is wise to go out into the streets without first knowing what the reality is. Later I would think what is within my reach to help improve the situation.

5. Think about why Vicky and Kate left LA and consider Eve’s remark that “serious artists don’t come to LA… the palm trees and sunshine will make them weak. How does their leaving reflect on their artistic choices to not sell out and be true to themselves?

I think that Vicky and Kate were carried away by fame and did not think that they were leaving behind something much more valuable such as the friendships they had and people who really loved them. At the same time, they were leaving behind a place that they themselves described as a paradise and that they had spent the best moments of their lives.

6. What does this say about artist in Miami? What is your view on art? Is writing an art? Expand.

My personal view on art is that I belief art is something that should arise naturally and that we should not force. At the same time, I think that writing is art because a writer must develop a good creativity, imagination, sense of humor among many other abilities in order to maintain the audience attention.

7. Do you think Eve will ever leave LA? Is LA a second Miami? How is LA different and similar to Miami?

I do not think that Eve would ever leave LA. Yes, LA maybe a second Miami. I am that type of person that beliefs that is not about a place, we are responsible for transforming the place where we are in the one, we wanted it to be.

8. In “Miami,” what is Didion’s experience of Miami? How does she paint Miami, and do you agree?

Didion’s opinion about Miami is that she reaffirms that it has a mixed culture and that no one thought that the Cuban culture would grow to the point that today it can be considered to be the dominating culture in Miami. In my own opinion the video would have a bigger impact if she had employed logos, what I mean is that if she had used the stories of some Cuban immigrants back then her mindset would have had more credibility. Didion paints Miami as a melting pot of Cuban and white race. She also explained at that time how no or near no white people visited the Cuban markets. But in general, I agree with her point of view.

9. To which story did you connect to most? Explain.

I connect the most to the story “Expert from Miami” because I live in Miami and by the way I am Cuban. Despite coming to live to Miami at an early age since I remember as a child in Cuba, they always teach us at school everything related with the Cuban revolution.