The Literature and Creative Writing Club Collaborate with the Women’s Leadership Initiative, Psychology Society and Queer Alliance to create a new series of events.
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By Sofia Innocenzi | Newsreporter
This fall, the Literature and Creative Writing Club reached out to other clubs and organizations across JCU to create a series of joined events that brought together students from different majors and backgrounds to discuss themes around literature: the Literary Works Exchanges.
“Literature connects us,” said Barbara Peña, the Events Coordinator of the Literature and Creative Writing Club. This was the reason behind the club’s initiative, connecting through literature.
The Literary Exchanges were planned and organized alongside the Women’s Leadership Initiative, Psychology Society, and the Queer Alliance, and according to Peña, they are events in which pieces of literature with the same themes as each of the clubs are analyzed.
“Literature always has a theme, and if it’s a theme, it usually applies to one of the clubs,” said Peña.
Revived during this fall semester by a new board, the Literature Club added “Creative Writing” to their name and organized an array of events that range from book clubs, writing, workshops, and a ‘book vs film’ event in conjunction with the Film Appreciation Club.
“We just enjoy having any sort of discussion on any material,” said the Literature and Creative Writing Club Treasurer, Isabella Sevilla.
Peña said that these events are a way for the Literature and Creative Writing Club to make friends with other organizations and re-assert themselves within the JCU community.
The first exchange with the Women’s Leadership Initiative took place on Tuesday, Oct. 22. The works analyzed were a series of poems by feminist authors such as Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson and Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (Mexican intellectual poet and nun).
The Women’s Leadership Initiative President Brontë Delmonico said the poems Metaphors by Silvia Plath, You Foolish Men by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, and I’m “Wife” by Emily Dickinson were read aloud by a board member from each club. The Literature and Creative Writing Club led the discussion that followed, through questions and prompts.
Delmonico said they “had a wonderful experience working with the club and would happily do so again.”
The second exchange was with the Psychology Society on Monday, Oct. 28. The chosen text was Roald Dahl’s short story, Lamb to the Slaughter, and the topics of discussion were mental disorders, justice, and potentially toxic relationships.
The atmosphere was lively and informal: members gathered in a circle, had biscuits and hot chocolate, and after listening to an audio version of the story, the board members of both clubs led the discussion through questions that called for a psychological analysis of the story. Members were asked whether the protagonist could have a mental disorder, and if so, which one.
The Psychology Society President, Ana Lucia Ajuria, said members were very engaged and eager to share their opinions on the story. The event “went really well,” according to Ajuria, who said she “would love to collab with the Literature Club again.”
The final exchange of the semester was with the Queer Alliance on Monday, Nov. 11. On this occasion, the text analyzed was Margaret Cavendish’s Play The Convent of Pleasure. The discussion focused on queer themes in literature and featured insights and analysis from English Literature Professor Shannon Russell, who, as well as teaching Cavendish’s play at JCU, she is also the advisor for the Literature and Creative Writing Club.
“I’m very enthusiastic about their enthusiasm,” said Professor Russell. “Literature is interdisciplinary.”
The eagerness for interdisciplinary connection has also led the club to collaborate with the Studio Art and Design Club on an exhibition in which poems and other literary works written by students were translated into visual art forms by other students who applied to be artists.
The exhibition was curated by the Art History Society and was held on Friday, Nov. 22.
“Our enthusiasm on the project has led all of us to work together in the ways in which we can contribute to make this event a space for students to express themselves and enjoy different forms of art,” said Dafne Cunillé, the Studio Art and Design Club Vice-President.
Cunillé says that they are open to future collaborations with the Literature and Creative Writing Club.
The Literature and Creative Writing Club will plan more Literary Exchanges for the next semester, says Peña. For more information, students can visit their Instagram page.
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