Fall 2004

E 314V • Mexican American Literature and Culture

Course Description

This course is a general introduction to the literature written by and about Chicanos (U. S. citizens of Mexican ancestry). Students should expect to develop some understanding of the specific cultural, historical, and political contexts that inform the literature. Knowledge of these contexts will enhance our understanding of these authors' politics and aesthetics, in addition to their views of issues such as race, gender, and class. For example, in the first weeks of class, we will discuss Aztec mythology, the Spanish Conquest, la Virgen de Guadalupe, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, and the impact these events had in the formation of a Chicana/o identity. Our goal will be to see these novels and stories as embedded in specific contexts that must be explored in order to understand, as much as possible, the cultural and political nuances of the texts.

Grading Policy

Short (2-page) papers every other week (a total of 5) 30%
One final (5-7-page) paper 30%
Reading quizzes 20%
Midterm 20%

Texts

Castillo, Ana, So Far From God
Rivera, Tómas, Y no se lo tragó la tierra/and the earth did not devour him
Urrea, Luis Alberto, Six Kinds of Sky
Villareal, José Antonio, Pocho
Viramontes, Helena Maria, The Moths and Other Stories
Articles, poems, and short story handouts

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