Telenovelas: A Comfort Food

As I begin to explore the world of telenovelas, I am fascinated by the pivotal role they play in Latin American politics, culture and society.

Of the articles we have read so far, I found Carolina Espada's article, "Qué es una telenovela?," especially interesting. In the article, Espada explains that in Latin America, telenovelas are, among other things, a staple of stability and comfort. "...en una zona geográfica donde nadie está seguro de nada, tener la seguridad de que todos los días a la misma hora y por el mismo canal se ve la misma historia con los mismos actores y soluciones parecidas es profundamente reconfortante."

Upon reading this quote I immediately thought of Argentina in the 1970s, during la dictadura. In the midst of atrocious cruelties and crimes against humanity, Argentina managed to host and win the World Cup! As family members and loved ones disappeared, the country relied on soccer to distract them from the devastating realities of their lives.

I'm sure that if I were to look at the history of other countries, I would find similar scenarios. As human beings, we rely on various means to distract us from the harsh reality of everyday life and to cope with the many inequalities and hardships with which we are presented. Some of us turn to religion, some of us turn to sports, and some of us turn to telenovelas.

Telenovelas not only offer a temporary escape for the people who watch them; they also provide a forum where people from all walks of life can come together and build communities based on a single commonality- a love for telenovelas.