E-Book Overview
Many readers have already discovered the magic of Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude and the allure of Allende's The House of the Spirits. By examining such popular works and introducing a host of lesser-known Latin American writers and their fiction, this volume helps readers navigate the rich and varied culture at the heart of Latin American literature. Going beyond the usual literary criticism, this book considers works of Latin American literature not only in terms of literary merit, but also with regard to their place in the literary heritage. It also examines the cultural messages we can learn from both historic and contemporary works.This volume, taken as a whole, provides a wealth of information with the depth and authority demanded for serious research. At the same time, the book is structured with chronological and topical organization, so that each chapter can be read and enjoyed independently. The analysis is written with clarity and accessibility for the nonspecialists, and all terms are defined, to help students and their teachers better appreciate the Latin American writers, their novels, and the cultures that shaped them. Ten teachers were consulted on the content to ensure that the works and authors covered met student needs and interests. A timeline of historical events, and further suggested readings lend further assistance to readers who want to research and fully understand the historical and cultural significance behind these literary works.
E-Book Content
LITERATURE OF LATIN AMERICA
Rafael Ocasio
GREENWOOD PRESS
LITERATURE OF LATIN AMERICA
Recent Titles in Literature as Windows to World Cultures Modern South Asian Literature in English Paul Brians Latino Literature in America Bridget Kevane
LITERATURE OF LATIN AMERICA
Rafael Ocasio
Literature as Windows to World Culture
GREENWOOD PRESS Westport, Connecticut • London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ocasio, Rafael. Literature of Latin America / Rafael Ocasio. p. cm. — (Literature as windows to world cultures, ISSN 1543–9968) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0–313–32001–2 1. Latin American literature—History and criticism. I. Title. II. Series. PQ7081.033 2004 860.9'98—dc22 2004007987 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright © 2004 by Rafael Ocasio All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2004007987 ISBN: 0–313–32001–2 ISSN: 1543–9968 First published in 2004 Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. www.greenwood.com Printed in the United States of America
The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z39.48–1984). 10
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To my mother, Julia Matilde Medina Marrero, for giving me the gift of reading
Contents
Acknowledgments
ix
Introduction
xi
1 2 3
Writing about the Americas: From the Colonial Period to the Nineteenth Century
1
Latin America’s Twentieth-Century Literature: Historical Movements and Landscapes
45
The Coming of Age of Modern Latin American Literature: The Boom
89
4
Women Writers: New Perspectives on Latin America
145
5
Writing about Cultural, Ethnic, and Religious Identities
189
Chronology of Historic Events in Latin American Culture
219
Index
225
Acknowledgments
I
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