In the early ‘80s VW added Cornat Blue (LH5H), Medium Blue (LH5G), Tarpon (LE5Y) and Helios (LA5Y) as well as Regatta (LB5Y) and Lago (LE5B). Frost (LE5U) and Monaco (LA5D) came along in 1983, followed by Strato (LA5Z) a year later. Poulin, Jacques, (1984) (2004), Volkswagen Blues, translated by Sheila Fischman, Toronto, Cormorant Books, 219-220. Bernier, France, (1998), Du paratexte au texte: lire l’Amérique dans Volkswagen Blues de Jacques Poulin, Laval, Faculté des Lettres Université Laval.

Gilberto Gil was inspired to write Volkswagen Blues by his own experiences and observations of life. The song reflects his deep longing for freedom and his desire to explore new horizons. 2. What does the Volkswagen Beetle symbolize in the song?

Gilberto Gil: Nêga Tracklist

While Volkswagen Blues does not have an explicit political message, it can be seen as a reflection of the political and social climate of its time. The song speaks about the desire to break free from societal norms, which was a common theme in the countercultural movements of the late 1960s. 7. How did Volkswagen Blues resonate with audiences when it was released? The novel is set in Canada during the 1970s. With this period, the author explains, came a large group of French-speaking Quebecians who thought it wise to try to declare independence from the rest of Canada. As we know, this did not end up happening, but it plays a role in conflict in the story. The idea of secession from the country isn't the main problem in the story, rather, the main ideas that each person considers in times like that, like cultural unity and self-actualization.

The ending is not what you would expect. I really enjoyed that there was not a "perfect" ending for these characters. But one of my favorite instances is a romantic encounter where the protagonist prematurely explodes when "The Grasshopper" attempts to ride him out in the open. Apparently nature really did it for him and he just couldn't contain himself. It was adorable. At the end of the journey, the couple find Théo and to their surprise he is suffering from amnesia and paralysis, he is unable to remember his brother. However, as a result of this, Jacques finds the inspiration to write a new book and he seemingly has a fresher outlook on life, as though he is finally affirmed as to his true identity. Furthermore, the couple end up having a rather sceptical view of the ideological American dream, perhaps because they have travelled such a long way through the vast land of North America only to find Théo terminally ill rather than the wealth and prosperity that they had hoped for. I suggest that you look into some of the allusions to get a full understanding of the text. For example, "The Grasshopper" is also a French film. Throughout some of these allusions add for a deeper level of understanding.Volkswagen Blues was translated into English by Sheila Fischman and published by McClelland & Stewart in 1988 and subsequently re-issued by Cormorant Books in 2002. The lyrics in Volkswagen Blues are significant as they convey deep emotions and thoughts about freedom and identity. The poetic and metaphorical language used in the song allows for personal interpretation, making it relatable to a wide audience. 6. Do the lyrics of Volkswagen Blues have a political message? The main character of the novel is Mr. Jacques Waterman, who happens to have the same name as the author of the novel. Once a proclaimed writer, Jacques is now on this road trip to "discover something new". Upon waking one morning, he meets a young woman, with whom he converses in conversation. The woman's name is Pitsemine, and she has ancestry to the Canadian First Nations. Pitsemine continues on the trip with Jacques urn:lcp:volkswagenblues0000poul:epub:b8311e93-3413-4b9d-85f5-ea6b67f2b137 Foldoutcount 0 Identifier volkswagenblues0000poul Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t58f1fz7t Invoice 1652 Isbn 0771071582 Lintvelt, Jaap, (2000), Aspects de la narration : thématique, idéologie et identité : Guy de Maupassant, Julien Green, Anne Hébert, Jacques Poulin, Québec, Éditions Nota bene, 218.

Gilberto Gil, who was also a key figure in the tropicalismo movement, uses powerful imagery and metaphors in the song to convey his message. The mention of the Volkswagen Beetle in the title serves as a symbol of both nostalgia and freedom. The car in the song represents a means of escape, a vehicle that can take us on a transformative journey, both physically and spiritually. Volkswagen Blues was nominated for the Governor General's Award for French-language fiction at the 1984 Governor General's Awards and was one of the selected novels in the 2005 edition of Canada Reads, where it was championed by author and former National Librarian of Canada, Roch Carrier. What a refreshing story... Two characters, randomness, a quest... This book is so full of love, simple love, but also history, hurt, disappointment and anger, too. I just love this kind of books, because even though the story seems so peculiar and maybe, in a way, unrealistic, it really is about life, in the end. Nonetheless, during the journey we can observe that Jacques and Pitsémine are not always certain that they are going in the right direction and often get lost. Furthermore, they are not totally sure of the goal of the journey and this is much the same of the journey of Quebec and the population who live in it. This uncertainty is reflected in Jacques as he does not necessarily understand the main reason as to why he is looking for Théo, who he has not spoken with for many years and is only a memory inside his head. It is possible that the author is trying to convey the message that Quebec is also uncertain of how it wants its journey to finish. Much of the population of the region at the time were calling for independence from Canada, however many people were also opposed to this, also a large number of people were calling for better integration of the ethnic groups of Quebec, again many people were against this as they wanted to protect the unique cultures. Things started to come a bit more down to earth again with rather unimaginatively named VW Blue (L 633) – see below – which was offered between 1966 and 1968 alongside Zenith Blue (L 639) from August 1967. Cobalt Blue (L 630) was similarly subdued and appeared on a variety of VWs until around 1970. This was followed by Diamond Blue (L 50B) from 1969 and Marina Blue (L 54) and Sapphire (L 50D) from 1970. Gemini (L 96) heralded the first of the vibrant ‘70s metallics. Gentian (L 51B) joined VW’s colour palette from 1971 and a rather unusual Turquoise metallic (L 95) appeared a year later.

Lintvelt, Jaap, (2000), Aspects de la narration : thématique, idéologie et identité : Guy de Maupassant, Julien Green, Anne Hébert, Jacques Poulin, Québec, Éditions Nota bene.