Summary of La voz de la literatura | Ernesto Rodríguez Abad | TEDxLaLaguna

00:00:00 - 00:15:00

In this TEDx talk, Ernesto Rodríguez Abad discusses the power of words and how they can be used to accomplish great things. He tells the story of a woman who was sold into slavery at a young age, but eventually gained power through her ability to tell stories. Rodríguez Abad urges all readers to learn to read and write from an early age, as this will help them to think freely and become more creative.

• 00:00:00 In this talk, Ernesto Rodríguez Abad discusses how he learned to enjoy words through stories told to him by his mother and local storytellers in his hometown. He then discusses his experiences reading and writing as a youth, and how this led to his passion for adventure and travel. Rodríguez Abad shares a quote by Pablo Neruda that sums up his perspective on words: "Words are alive. I adore them, I pursue them, I capture them. They are so beautiful, I want to put them all in my poem." Rodríguez Abad goes on to say that without words, we would not be able to communicate and learn as adults. He urges all readers to learn to read and write from an early age, as this will help them to think freely and become more creative.
• 00:05:00 In this TEDx talk, Argentinian author Graciela Cabal shares an anecdote about her father, a schoolteacher who used to sit her down and recite religious texts to her while she sewed and sang songs to him. Javier Puente del Campo, a Spanish writer and winner of the prestigious National Prize for Literature for Young People, shares the same story, recalling the time when his mother would sit him down and sing nursery rhymes to him while he sewed. It is these stories, and the voice behind them, that have shaped both men's careers as writers. Puente del Campo recalls a poem he wrote for his mother, which he never got the chance to put into words.
• 00:10:00 Ernesto Rodríguez Abad, a famous Spanish author, talks about the power of words and how they can be used to accomplish great things. He tells the story of a woman who was sold into slavery at a young age and grew up feeling the weight of her enslavement all her life. But, eventually, she was given to a very important man, Hernán Cortez, and used as his translator. This allowed her to understand him and, in turn, him her. When Cortez and Moctezuma meet to discuss peace, Mendezga is brought in to help translate. She eventually gains power through her ability to tell stories. Andersen, the son of aalcoholic mother and a poor carpenter, tells the story of his unlikely rise to fame as a master storyteller. He talks about the importance of storytelling and how it can be used to connect with others. He concludes by telling the story of a little girl who is reading a book about a princess who goes on a journey. The little girl is feeling scared and alone, but she is comforted by the story. Andersen says that, by reading stories, we can feel connected to others and understand the world around us.
• 00:15:00 Lorca tells the story of how he had such power to captivate audiences with his voice that people would faint when he told stories of horror or cried with the misfortunes of his characters. Lorca says that poetry is the fortuitous meeting of two words that never knew they could be together and that they discover their power and strength when united. As a child, Lorca even used to gather together the women who worked in his home as servants, his sisters, mother, and then would give lengthy speeches about theatre at conferences all over Buenos Aires, becoming famous for his ability to touch the piano and sing while giving a conference. His power to captivate audiences didn't stop there. Even his radio and television appearances as a speaker were popular due to his ability to play the piano and sing while talking. Lorca's message is that there is no difference in knowledge between different perspectives- the knowledge is found in arriving at understanding one another more deeply from any perspective. I just ask that readers not forget what books are for- to read aloud to children and listen attentively to stories always, because that is what makes reading a right, not just an educational activity, for children and young adults. And, as