Chaves, Camila Language and Written Expression IV ISFD 30 ____________________________________________________________________________
Irupé, the Water Rose: A legend to reflect upon teens‟ risky behaviour Teenagers are natural risk-takers. They seem to feel the necessity to experience dangerous and unpredictable situations. During adolescence, boys and girls are willing to take risks and to test their limits. But, why is it so? American psychologist and educator, G. Stanley Hall (1904, cited in J. J. Arnett, 1999) proposed that adolescence is a time of “storm and stress”. Hall considered that, in this period, all young people undergo a process of emotional and behavioural changes, before they establish a more stable balance in adulthood. These changes affect all aspects of their life, and school is not an exception. According to Hall, one of the main characteristics of this period of “storm and stress” is risky behaviour. We, as teachers, are constant witnesses of this. The classroom is a context in which teenagers share a significant amount of time with peers and adults and in which such risky behaviour is displayed. Whenever adolescents rebel against their teachers, make use of violence against their peers or surpass the limits imposed on them, they take risks. Irupé, the Water Rose is an Argentine legend in which adolescents‟ risky behaviour is reflected. The legend is about a love story between a girl, Morotí, and a boy, Pitá. In the legend, Morotí is described as a beautiful girl who is very proud of her boyfriend, and Pitá is depicted as a very courageous and strong young man, who is always willing to fulfil his girlfriend‟s demands. And it is this willingness what makes him put his life in danger. Since in order to prove his girlfriend how brave he is, he risks his life. So it is precisely the boy‟s action what emulates the adolescents‟ risky behaviour. By establishing a connection between the Argentine legend Irupé, the Water Rose and adolescents‟ risky behaviour, the aim of this paper is to show that this legend can be a source for teachers to discuss with adolescent students about their risky behaviour and its consequences. In her book Classic Connections: Turning Teens on to Great Literature, H. Koelling states that between the ages of 15 and 16, teens “...do not have a sense of their own mortality” (Koelling, 2004). Despite the fact that this is a true reason for adolescents to take risks, research shows that adolescents‟ risky behaviour goes beyond the sense of mortality. Research suggests that adolescents‟ necessity to experience risks is normal within their process of maturation. In addition, despite common belief, adolescents do not take risks just because. It has been proved that “adolescent risk behaviors are functional, purposive, instrumental, and goal-directed and that these goals are often central to normal adolescent development” (Jessor, 1991). Jessor also states that “these goals can be instrumental on affirming maturity and marking a transition out of childhood and toward a more adult status” (Jessor, 1991). In the Argentine legend, Irupé, the Water Rose, the main character, Pitá, takes a big step towards adulthood. In an attempt to prove his bravery, his girlfriend asks him to recover a bracelet she had thrown into a dangerous river. Without a doubt, the boy submerges in the waters. By doing this, he not only demonstrates his love for his girlfriend, but also his courage. This demonstration means an affirmation of maturity. The boy does not show any sign of fear; he takes a considerable risk by putting his life in danger. Therefore, he ends up behaving as a brave man, and not as a coward child. As it has been mentioned before, we, as teachers, are able to observe our students and their risky behaviour. Nevertheless, our mission is not only to observe them, but also to help our students become self-aware of their own actions. The classroom can be a place in which students reflect upon the risks they take.
Thus far, it is clear that adolescence is a process which implies a transition towards adulthood, and that risky behaviour is a key element of this process. It is important to recognize the adolescents‟ risky behaviour as a real need to affirm maturity. This is essential not to justify teens‟ actions, but to understand why adolescence means “an explosion in „risky‟ activities” (Burnett, 2010). All in all, through the connection drawn between the Argentine legend, Irupé, the Water Rose and the adolescents‟ risky behaviour, it is possible to affirm that this legend can function as a source for teachers to debate with adolescent students about their behaviour. By means of reflecting upon the legend, students can find relations between the characters‟ actions and theirs. This can be a starting point for adolescents to think over their actions. Although, as it has previously mentioned in this paper, risky actions are considered a normal step in adolescents‟ process of maturation, sometimes they can be dangerous. Therefore, it is our task, as teachers, to help students reflect upon the potential consequences of their actions, and in that way encourage them to think twice before taking risks, in order to preserve their own safety.
References: Burnett, S. (2010) Teenagers programmed to take risks. http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/newsarticles/1003/10032503 Accessed 25/10/12 Hall, S. G. (1904, cited in J. J. Arnett, 1999) Adolescent Storm and Stress, Reconsidered. PDF file. Jessor, R. (1991) Risk behavior in adolescence: A psychological framework for understanding action. PDF file. Koelling, H. (2004) Classic Connections: Turning Teens on to Great Literature. Westport, CT. Libraries Unlimited.
Irupé, the water rose Entre los jóvenes de la tribu, Pitá era el más valiente, el más fuerte, el más audaz. Y el más enamorado. Todo su coraje se rendía a los pies de la hermosa Morotí. La muchacha estaba muy orgullosa del amor de Pitá y del poder que tenía sobre él. Se jactaba de la pasión que había inspirado, capaz de transformar al joven guerrero en juguete de sus caprichos. Cierto día paseaba con sus amigas por las orillas del Paraná. Los vientos y las lluvias recientes habían provocado una peligrosa crecida y las aguas del río bajaban torrenciales. En ese momento Morotí vio que se acercaba su fiel Pitá y quiso demostrar ante las otras muchachas todo lo que el guerrero estaba dispuesto a hacer por ella. Sin pensarlo dos veces, Morotí se sacó el brazalete y lo arrojó a las aguas enfurecidas y turbias. -¡Pitá, mi brazalete! -dijo. Y fue suficiente para que el muchacho se lanzara al río detrás del objeto brillante. Pitá podría haber salido airoso de la prueba. Como cualquier guerrero guaraní, era un excelente nadador, conocía muy bien los riesgos y las jugarretas del Paraná y sus aguas traicioneras. Pero Ñandé Yará, el Gran Espíritu, había dispuesto castigar la coquetería de Morotí. Por un momento se vio asomar de las aguas la cabeza de Pitá y después, atrapado por un remolino, volvió a desaparecer. Esta vez, para siempre. Morotí y sus amigas no podían creer lo que habían visto con sus propios ojos.
Recorrieron la orilla río abajo y río arriba, convencidas de que Pitá les estaba haciendo una broma. Gritaron su nombre con todas sus fuerzas. Después gritaron con desesperación. Pero no era un juego. Cayó la noche y Pitá no volvió a la tribu. Morotí estaba enloquecida de dolor. Por su capricho y su tonto orgullo, Pitá había muerto ahogado. Sin embargo, el chamán de la tribu consultó a los dioses y obtuvo otra respuesta. Pitá no estaba muerto. I Cuñá Payé, la hechicera de las aguas, lo retenía en su palacio del fondo del río, envuelto en sus redes de amor brujo. Desesperada, arrepentida, Morotí se ató al cuello una enorme piedra y llevando esa carga se arrojó al río antes del amanecer, cuando nadie podía retenerla. Una de sus amigas la había seguido y alcanzó a verla hundiéndose en el agua revuelta del Paraná. A gritos pidió ayuda. Los hombres y mujeres del pueblo guaraní vieron entonces salir de las aguas una enorme y extraña flor que jamás habían visto antes. Era hermosa y su perfume, delicioso. Los pétalos del centro eran blancos, como la pureza de la linda Morotí, y los del borde eran rojos, como la sangre bravía y enamorada de Pitá. El Gran Padre Tupá había perdonado su locura de jóvenes y había unido para siempre el alma de los dos enamorados en la flor del irupé.