The Social Conscience of Latin American Writing

by Lindstrom, Naomi

• ISBN13: 9780292746985
• ISBN10: 0292746989
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-04-01
• Publisher: Univ of Texas Pr

Summary

"On one level, this is a brilliant scholarly answer to the bedeviling question asked by non-Latin Americanists, 'What is Latin American literature like?' On another level, it coordinates and clarifies, for specialists, the complex of current issues that are often confusing and even discouraging because they are incompletely understood."--John S. Brushwood, Roberts Professor Emeritus of Latin American Literature, University of KansasLiterature in Latin America has long been a vehicle for debates over the interpretation of social history, cultural identity, and artistic independence. Indeed, Latin American literature has gained international respect for its ability to present social criticism through works of imaginative creation.In this comprehensive, up-to-the-minute survey of research and opinion by leading Latin American cultural and literary critics, Naomi Lindstrom examines five concepts that are currently the focus of intense debate among Latin American writers and thinkers. Writing in simple, clear terms for both general and specialist readers of Latin American literature, she explores the concepts of autonomy and dependency, postmodernism, literary intellectuals and the mass media, testimonial literature, and gender issues, including gay and lesbian themes. Excerpts (in English) from relevant literary works illustrate each concept, while Lindstrom also traces its passage from the social sciences to literature.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	1	(12)
One. Autonomy and Dependency in Latin American Writing	13	(30)
Two. Postmodernism in Latin American Literary Culture	43	(27)
Three. Testimonial Narrative: Whose Text?	70	(22)
Four. Literary Intellectuals and Mass Media	92	(23)
Five. Latin American Women's Writing and Gender Issues in Criticism	115	(36)
Conclusion	151	(6)
Notes	157	(22)
Selected Bibliography	179	(4)
Index	183