MDLG/SPAN
233
Literature of Latinas/os in the United States
Spring 2004
Prof. Anne Lambright
Office: Seabury 45 B
E-mail: anne.lambright@trincoll.edu
Tel.: 297-2433
Office Hours: MWF 12-1
Course Description:
This course studies the literary production of the Hispanic Diaspora, concentrating
on those four groups historically understood to constitute "Latinos"
in the United States: the immigrants of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican
Republic. Through the literature and cinema of these groups we will not only
study the socio-cultural situation and history of this heterogeneous Diaspora
but will also explore and come to question central themes traditionally used
to discuss Latinos in the US: identity, language, culture, community, exile,
and memory. In examining a literary and cultural production that spans three
centuries, we will read texts in translation from the original Spanish, bilingual
texts, and texts written in originally English. A reading knowledge of Spanish
helpful but not essential.
Texts:
Baca, Jimmy Santiago A Place to Stand
Castillo, Ana So far from God
Díaz, Junot. Drown
Fernández, Roberto Raining Backwards
García, Cristina Dreaming in Cuban
Quiñones, Ernesto Bodega Dreams
Rivera, Tomás …and the earth did not swallow him
Santiago, Esmeralda America's Dream
Tomas, Piri Down These Mean Streets
Course packet
Grade Distribution:
Class work and participation: 15%
Commentaries: 10%
Presentations: 10%
Final essay: 20%
Examen de medio semestre: 20%
Examen Final: 25%
Class work: You are expected to come to class having prepared the assigned
reading and ready to discuss them in Spanish. Active class participation is
expected of all. You will periodically be assigned the role of "discussion
leader" of the class. That day you are expected to come to class with extra
questions and ideas with which to begin discussion. You will be assigned daily
participation grades based on the following scale:
0 - absent
2 - present, not prepared and did not participate
4 - participated only in small group discussions or when called upon
4.5 - participated frequently and voluntarily
5 - exceptional participation
Commentaries: For each assigned reading, you are to turn in a typed commentary
or 100-150 words at the beginning of each class. If more than one reading is
assigned for the day, then you should endeavor to synthesize or otherwise address
all readings in your commentary. Commentaries may include questions you would
like to ask or discuss in class. Late commentaries will NOT be accepted; however,
you are allowed to drop (or not turn in) 2 commentaries.
Presentations: You will have two presentations: 1) a 5-10 minute individual
presentation on the life/work of an author read in class; 2) a 15-20 minute
group presentation on a topic to be discussed with me.
Final Paper: This will be a short (7-9 page) analytical essay on a work
not read in class, preferably by an author not read in class. Detailed requirements
will be provided at a later date.
Absences and late work: Attendance to class and recitations is mandatory.
You are allowed a total of three (excused and unexcused) absences during the
semester. After the three absence, a full point will be deducted from the final
grade for each additional absence. Any exception to this rule will be made only
in consultation with your advisor.
Any late work will receive 5 points off the final grade per day until the work
is turned in, starting an hour after the class that the assignment is due. After
five days, a zero will be assigned.
NOTE: Besides the assignments listed below, there will be two outside
lectures which you will be required to attend. The first, by Alicia Schmidt-Camacho
of Yale University, will be in mid-February; the second, by Puerto Rican writer
Mayra Santos Febres, March 24.
CALENDAR
21/1 Introduction-Latinos in the US
23/1 Chicanos in the US-
Obeler, "Hispanics? That's What They Call Us"
Oquendo, "Re-imagining the Latino/a Race"
Rivera 83-107
28/1 Rivera 107-end
30/1 Fusco, Coco: "Passionate Irreverance: The Cultural Politics of Identity",
Johnson, Kevin R. "Citizens as ‘Foreigners’"
Chicano poetry (Alurista through I am Joaquin)
4/2 Luis, William, Dance Between Two Cultures, Ch 8
Stavans, Ilán, "Life in the Hyphen"
"Zoot Suit" (group comentary)
6/2 Anzaldúa, Gloria, Selections from Borderlands/La Frontera
Rosaldo, Renato, "Surveying Law and Borders"
Santiago Baca 1-42
11/2 Santiago Baca 42-199 (group commentary)
13/2 Baca 199-end; presentation: pinto poetry
18/2 presentation: corridos and tejana music
Castillo 1-150
20/2 Castillo 150-end (group comentary)
25/2 Dominicans in the US; Díaz 1-88
27/2 Visit by Prof. Anne Gebelien, Columbia U. "Recovering the Hispanic
Heritage Project"
3/3 Díaz 88-end; "Raising Victor Vargas" (group comentary-email
me stories you wish to discuss)
5/3 Midterm exam
10/3 Puerto Ricans in the US; Nuyorican poetry (Pietri through Esteves)
Flores, Juan ‘Living Borders…’
presentation: History of the Nuyorican Poets' Cafe
12/3 Haney López, "Chance, Context, and Choice in the Social Construction
of Race"
Tomas 3-154 (Documentary: "Every Child is a Poet")
VACACIONES DE PRIMAVERA
24/3 Tomas 154-end (group comentary)
LECTURE BY MAYRA SANTOS FEBRES; 4:00
26/3 Quiñones 1-82 31/3 Quiñones 82-end
2/4 "Short eyes" and "Piñero"; Visit by Prof.
Guillermo Irizarry, Yale University
7/4 Santiago 1-180
presentation: Puerto Rican music legacy in the US
9/4 Santiago 180-end (group comentary)
14/4 Cubans in the US;
Martí, José. "Coney Island"
Pérez Firmat, Gustavo, "The Desi-Chain"
García 1-101
16/4 García 101-end
21/4 Fernández (group comentary)
presentation: Latinos in/and the political sphere
23/4 Fernández; take-home portion of final exam assigned
Final exam: May 3, 3:00 p.m.