Colin Casey HONS 2011J – The Spanish Civil War in Literature and Film Final Essay Professor Hernandez-Ojeda Better Red Than Dead: The Political Activism of William James Bailey Personal Statement I had no idea quite how impactful this class would be when I had first signed up for it. I knew about the Spanish Civil War only in passing, through works of art such as Pablo Picasso’s Guernica and films such as Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth. Therefore, I knew about it primarily as a precursor to WWII, and the rise of Francoism in the country. However, I had not known a thing about the Abraham Lincoln Brigade before joining…

Luisais Taveras HONS 2011J – Spanish Civil War in Literature and Film Final Essay Professor Hernández-Ojeda  Raphaele “Ralph” Fasanella Personal Statement (250) My knowledge or awareness of the Spanish Civil War was significantly limited to non-existent prior to taking this course. Overall, war and its historical figures are often displayed in a one-dimensional manner for the learner, taking away the human essence of lived experiences and the acknowledgment of the larger loss over its proclaimed victory. Consequently, when presented with the task to write a piece on a volunteer from the Abraham Lincoln Brigade for their participation in the Spanish Civil War, I envisioned conveying the life of a woman…

Eleni Mattas Professor Hernandez-Ojeda HONS 2011J 18 December 2020 The Story of Fredericka “Freddie” Imogene Martin Personal Statement: When I first began this semester I assumed this course would be just another history class. I did not expect to gain such a wide perspective of the various events that led up to World War 2. I especially was unaware of the events that transpired in Spain. When I heard about the American volunteers that willingly sacrificed their comfortable lives here in the States to fight overseas, I was inspired. Today, political involvement has been minimized to social media postings and small, diplomatic debates amongst friends and family. In the 1930s,…

Laila Abouhasswa HONS 2011J, Section 01 Professor Hernandez-Ojeda 18 December 2020 Personal Statement Prior to taking this class, I had no background knowledge on the Spanish Civil War. I was aware of  fascism in Italy and Germany but I never knew that it had occurred in Spain as well. Although I was not aware of this war, as I learned about it I found several similarities between the activism involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and the activism of the volunteers in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. I have been very involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and I was able to draw similarities between my own experiences supporting…