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ENGLISH 380; Fall 2007 Dr. William Barillas

Literature of American Ethnic and Minority Cultures Office: 425 N CWH; 785- Tuesday / Thursday 2:15 – 3:40 p.m. 124 CWH Office Hours: M,W, 2:00–3:00, T–4:00-5:00 and by appt.

Latino / Latina Literature of the United States

People and their cultures perish in isolation, but they are reborn in contact with other men and women, with men and women of another culture, another creed, another race. If we do not recognize our humanity in others, we shall not recognize it in ourselves. —Carlos Fuentes

According to the U.S. Census, the Hispanic population of the United States grew from 22.4 million in 1990 to 35.3 million in 2000—a 58 percent jump. Hispanics now make up 14 percent of the U.S. population and have become the largest minority group in the United States. Their presence and influence is undeniable, in the national economy, in our increasingly diverse communities, and in popular culture. We are witnessing the “Hispanicization” of the United States, in language, style, and cultural sabor. Of course, Latinos (the preferred term) have always been part of the (North) American scene. Spanish speakers inhabited parts of what is now the United States (the Southwest, California, and Florida) long before English speakers. What is (North) American has always been shaped by Latinos, a large and diverse group including Mexican- Americans, Puerto Rican-Americans, Cuban-Americans, and descendants of people from other Latin American nations. This holds true of literature, from the accounts of early Spanish explorers to the recent “boom” of Latina / Latino writers writing in English. In this class we will read such writers in the context of cultural history, including connections between literature and film, music, and politics not only within the United States but also Latin America and Spain. We will also discuss and write about Latino writing, particularly contemporary, as aesthetically and philosophically sophisticated literary art. Since the class is designed as a discussion seminar, you need to come prepared to speak about the day’s texts and topics. You should also make an effort to attend events (films, lectures, etc) on campus having to do with Latin America and Latinos in the U.S.

TEXTBOOK RENTAL Alvarez, Julia. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents (1994). Baca, Jimmy Santiago. Martín and Meditations on the South Valley (1986). Cofer, Judith Ortiz. The Latin Deli: Prose and Poetry (1993). Hacker, Marilyn. A Writer’s Reference, fifth ed. (1999). Pérez Firmat, Gustavo. Next Year in Cuba: A Cubano’s Coming-Of-Age in America (2000).

Rivera, Tomás. Bless Me Ultima (1970). Stavans, Ilan. The Hispanic Condition, second ed. (2001).

BOOK PURCHASE Coursepack.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Short daily writings on readings: one page, typed double-spaced, due at the beginning of class. Topic and approach for the next session’s writing will be announced in class. Bring two copies. These serve as the basis for class discussion.
2. One 3-page essay and one 5-page essay on texts discussed in class. A strong essay features a title specifying its particular focus; an introductory paragraph that immediately introduces a highly focused topic, then leads to a strong, argumentative thesis statement; a well-organized argument, developed with specific examples and textual citations; coherent paragraphs that stress argument, not summary; an engaging writing style; and correctness in grammar and MLA manuscript style. The second paper must make substantive use of secondary sources, which will be credited according to their scholarly merit.
3. Participation in a small-group presentation. The topics are as follows: Gustavo Pérez Firmat, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Achy Obejas, Omar Castañeda, and Julia Alvarez. For each presentation you will do the following (use this as a checklist): a) Meet as a group outside of class. b) Read additional material by and about the subject. If the class is reading selections from a book (stories by Achy Obejas, for example) read the entire book, as well as other work by the author and secondary sources with scholarly merit. c) Two weeks before presentation meet with professor to discuss presentation strategies. d) One week before your presentation, provide the class with topics for their writing, approved by the professor. e) On the day of your presentation, provide the class with a bibliography and at least one excerpt of scholarship. f) Speak BRIEFLY about the writer's biography, subject matter, style, and critical reception. g) Lead the class in discussing the assigned texts. This is the most important part of the presentation. The entire group will be graded on the a) quality of the presentation; b) the materials provided to the class; and c) success in generating discussion not only during the presentation, but also the entire class session.

GRADES

Attendance and participation: 10%; Presentation: 10% Essay 1: 20% Essay 2: 20% Short assignments & quizzes: 10% Exam 1: 10% Exam 2: 20%

SCHEDULE
English 380 Fall 2007
Tuesday / Thursday 2:15 – 3:40
124 CWH

Tuesday, Sept 4 Introduction Film: My Family (Gregory Nava, 1995).

Thursday, Sept 6 My Family continued.

Tuesday, Sept 11 José Cuello, “Latinos and Hispanics: A Primer on Terminology”; Enrique Fernández, “Salsa x 2”; Ilan Stavans, The Hispanic Condition chapters 1 (1-30).

Thursday, Sept 13 Early Spanish presence in North America Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca, “The Account.” Film (excerpt): Cabeza de Vaca.

Tuesday, Sept 18 Mexican-Americans Corridos: Background information; “Corridos” (The Handbook of Texas); “The Corrido of Gregorio Cortez”; Stavans, The Hispanic Condition chapter 3 (69-106).

Thursday, Sept 20 “Song of the Cause”; Gabriel Grimaldo, “Verses about Gilberto Ramos”; 9/11 corridos.

Tuesday Sept 25 Film: Chicano! (Episode 1: Quest for a Homeland; 1996)

Thursday, Sept 27 Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzáles, “I Am Joaquin.”

Tuesday, Oct 2 Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima.

Thursday, Oct 4 Anaya, continued

Tuesday Oct 9 Jimmy Santiago Baca, Martín and Meditations on the South Valley.

Thursday, Oct 11 Baca, continued.

Tuesday, Oct 16 Puerto Ricans Judith Ortiz Cofer, The Latin Deli: Prose and Poetry. Key readings TBA

Thursday, Oct 18 Martín Espada, poems; Stavans, The Hispanic Condition: Chapter 2: Puerto Rican- Americans (31-57)

Tuesday, Oct 23 EXAM 1

Thursday, Oct 25 Cuban-Americans Ilan Stavans, The Hispanic Condition Chapter 2 (57-68); Gustavo Pérez Firmat, Next Year in Cuba: A Cubano’s Coming-Of-Age in America

Tuesday, Oct 30 Pérez Firmat, continued.

Thursday, Nov 1 Achy Obejas, stories from We Came All the Way from Cuba So You Could Dress Like This? Video: Achy Obejas interviewed by Ilan Stavans

Tuesday, Nov 6 International Contexts Film: Carlos Fuentes’s The Buried Mirror, episode 5: Unfinished Business.

Thursday, Nov 8 Pablo Neruda, poems and prose Film (excerpt): Il Postino

Tuesday, Nov 13 Ariel Dorfman, “The Other September 11”; Victor Jara, “Estadio Chile”; Aristóteles España, “Wire Meshes,” “Notes”

Thursday, Nov 15 William Barillas, “Gringo Chapín: Seven Perspectives on Being Guatemalan-American.”

Tuesday, Nov 20 Omar Castañeda, “On the Way Out,” “Shell and Bone.”

Tuesday, Nov 27 Julia Alvarez, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents.

Thursday, Nov 29 Alvarez, continued

Tuesday, Dec 4 ESSAY #2 DUE. Presentations of research

Thursday, Dec 6 Presentations of research

Tuesday, Dec 11 EXAM 2

Ilan Stavans, The Hispanic Condition

Be familiar with these topics covered in Stavans’s

book. You may wish to follow up on one or more as

topics for your essays.

Chapter 1: 1 (1-30)

Martín Ramírez

Gringo

Frida Kahlo

Myth of Aztlán

Late 1960s confrontationalism

Gloria Anzaldúa

“The New Latino”

John Leguizamo

The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love

Magical realism

Miami

Concept of “borderland”

Guillermo Gómez-Peña

Lingua franca

Iberian

Gusanos, pachucos, and pochos

Latinos in U.S. wars

Río Grande

Hispanics, hispanos, and other names

Judith Ortiz Cofer’s bodega

Chapter 2: Puerto Rican-Americans (31-57)

Latino diversity and intermarriage

El Super

Political status of Puerto Rico

Eugenio María de Hostos

José Martí

Nuyorican

West Side Story

William Carlos Williams

Miguel Piñero

Chapter 2: Cuban-Americans (57-68)

“among the most educated, well-off Latinos”

New Jersey and Florida

“Dos patrias”

Cuba libre

Bay of Pigs

Cuban Revolution

Fidel Castro

Che Guevara

Mariel boat lift, April 1980

Reinaldo Arenas

Media stereotypes of Cubans and Cuban-Americans

Oscar Hijuelos

Cristina Garcia

Desi Arnaz

Anti-Castro Cubans in Miami

Elián González affair

Chapter 3: Mexican-Americans (69-106).

Pochos, La Raza, Chicanos

Braceros

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848

Joaquín Murrieta

José Antonio Villareal, Pocho

Frida Kahlo

Luis Valdez

Ritchie Valens

Rubén Salazar

Orozco, Rivera, and Siqueros

Rodolfo Acuña

el pachuco

César Chávez

Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales

Reies López Tijerina

Murals and graffiti

Rudolfo Anaya

Sandra Cisneros

Ana Castillo

John Rechy

ADDITIONAL TERMINOLOGY TO DISCUSS ON

DAY TWO

Latina / Latino / Latina/o America / American Gringo

RESEARCH TOPICS

Images of Latinos in film and television

QUESTIONS ON WORKS OF FICTION

Setting Identify the main settings of the story, in both time and place. What role is played in the story by the characters’ geographical circumstances (landscape and region as well as social situation) and by the historical times in which they live?

Character Make a list of the main characters and make a note about each to distinguish him or her. Identify the protagonist (central character). Describe the main character’s personality and motivations and note places in the narrative that illustrate your description. These may be character descriptions, actions, dialogues, or thoughts.

Conflict Identify what you consider to be the central conflicts in the story. This may include interpersonal conflicts; issues of social class, gender, and ethnicity; political concerns; and psychological issues.

Themes What is the book about, philosophically, culturally, psychologically, etc.? What ideas and issues does it most provoke in you as a reader?

Literary Form Describe how the narrative is put together. Is it arranged chronologically or does it rearrange time? Are there shifts in point of view--do different characters take turns narrating? Is narration limited to first or third person? Present tense or past? Most importantly, what effect do the book’s organization and methods of development have on characterization, conflict, and theme?