INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH STORIES AND THEATRE

The contemporary era and the welfare state have led to a significant increase in life expectancy, leading to a need to rethink the concepts of young and old, as well as the social and cultural spaces occupied by different generations. Literature and theater reflect these changes, encouraging us to reconsider what it means to be young and/or old, and to challenge the stereotypical ideas we have inherited about intergenerational relationships. The workshop we propose consists of three sessions, each focused on discussing and analyzing various literary texts through the lens of intergenerational relationships and the age stereotypes present in the stories. We aim to explore concepts related to generational connections through an open and relaxed analysis of the literary works in the program, while also incorporating some creative activities around them.

On Wednesday, January 15, the first session of the workshop series on literature, intergenerational relationships, and aging, offered by members of Dedal-Lit-CELCA and PRO-SUEDAD, took place at the Ateneu Popular de Lleida. In this session, we focused on a story by British author Julian Barnes titled The Fruit Cage. During the session, we explored how the author constructs a love triangle between three aged characters, in their seventies and eighties, and how, through these characters, he challenges age-related stereotypes as well as the concept of ageism.

Instructors: Maricel oró and Àngels Llurda

On Wednesday, January 29, the second session of the workshop series on literature, intergenerational relationships, and aging, offered by members of Dedal-Lit-CELCA and PRO-SUEDAD, took place at the Ateneu Popular de Lleida. This workshop aims to raise awareness of the richness of age as a source of theatrical creation, while also shedding light on the social and cultural constraints that limit it. Through various theatrical games, participants explore the emancipatory possibilities of their own age and that of others, creating dynamics of connection and creative processes that lead to better intergenerational communication and understanding.

Instructors: Núria Casado, Inesa Shevchenko, and Guillem Mas

On Wednesday, February 5, the third and final session of the workshop series on literature, intergenerational relationships, and aging took place at the Ateneu Popular de Lleida. In this session, we focused on observing and analyzing the stereotypes of both grandparents and grandchildren in contemporary children's and YA literature. During the session, we read excerpts, explored the models and characteristics of the grandparents appearing in current stories and children's literature, and analyzed them from each person's personal experience. We also reflected on everyday life, real-life cases, and other examples of how grandparents can be and act, which are not represented (or not as much) in literature.

Instructor: Anna Soldevila