This course provides an introduction to one of the fundamental chapters of twentieth century literature: the generation known as the Latin American “boom”. Through the work of its most notable writers —Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargas Llosa and José Donoso, among others— the course will study the literary works that made the reputation of Latin American literature, as well as the key role played by Barcelona in its emergence and diffusion.
Attendance policy:
Attendance is mandatory for all IES classes, including field studies. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies. If a student misses more than three classes in any course half a letter grade will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Seven absences in any course will result in a failing grade.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Identify the literary, social and political factors involved in the consolidation of this phenomenon.
Recognize the evolution of twentieth century Latin American literature. Discuss a Latin American literary work, its strategies and procedures, and interpret it in relation to other works and/or authors.
Apply the critical tools acquired during the course to the written analysis of a Latin American literary work.
Method of presentation:
Lectures, class discussions, student presentations, video screenings of interviews, walks and visits, critical reading and discussions of novels and short-stories.
Required work and form of assessment:
Class participation (20%); term paper outline (5%); term paper final draft (25%); oral presentation in Spanish (10%); mid-term exam (20%); final exam (20%)
Students will choose any text from the Latin American authors discussed in class, and present their work in progress at three different stages: a one or two page outline due on session 10, an oral presentation on sessions 18-19, and an 1800-word term paper due on session 23. The work will be written in Spanish. Class participation is expected to stimulate and enrich class discussion; this grade will take into account every aspect of the student’s performance, including preparation, contributions, effort and attentiveness. Midterm and final exams will be essay format, asking students to read closely, analyze, and interpret a particular passage of one of the texts studied.
content:
Session No.
Required reading:
Session 1: Introduction and course presentation.
Session 2: What do we mean by “boom”? The social and political context: a new literature for the decay of the Franco dictatorship. The writers and the revolution: Cuba as a common ground.
Rodríguez Monegal, Emir. El boom de la novela latinoamericana. Caracas: Editorial Tiempo Nuevo, 1972: 11-24.
Session 3: Editors and writers. Carlos Barral and Seix-Barral as creator of a literary phenomenon. José Donoso and the insider’s view.
Class discussion.
José Donoso, Historia personal del boom, 1972, Chapter 7 (memoir and testimony).
Session 4: The forefathers of the Latin American “boom” (I): Jorge Luis Borges. The short-story in the Latin American tradition.
Ricardo Piglia, “Tesis sobre el cuento”, en Formas breves, 2000 (essays);
Jorge Luis Borges, “El sur”, in Ficciones, 1944 (short stories).
Session 5: The forefathers of the Latin American “boom” (II): Jorge Luis Borges. The short-story in the Latin American tradition.
Jorge Luis Borges, “El escritor argentino y la tradición”, in Discusión, 1932 (essays).
Jorge Luis Borges, “La muerte y la brújula”, in Ficciones, 1944 (short stories).
Session 6: The forefathers of the Latin American “boom” (III): Juan Rulfo.
Juan Rulfo, “Nos han dado la tierra” and “¿No oyes hablar los perros?” in El llano en llamas, 1953 (short stories).
Session 7: The forefathers of the Latin American “boom” (IV): Juan Carlos Onetti.
Juan Carlos Onetti, “El infierno tan temido”, in Tan triste como ella y otros cuentos, 1976 (short stories).
Session 8: The protagonists (I): Julio Cortázar.
Cortázar and the art of the short story.
Julio Cortázar, “Del cuento breve y sus alrededores”, in Último round, 1969.
Julio Cortázar, “Casa tomada”, in Bestiario, 1951 (short stories).
Session 9: Term papers due (outlines). The protagonists (II): Julio Cortázar.
Julio Cortázar, “Cartas de mamá”, in Bestiario, 1951 (short stories) and “Continuidad de los parques”, in Final del juego, 1964 (short stories).
This course provides an introduction to one of the fundamental chapters of twentieth century literature: the generation known as the Latin American “boom”. Through the work of its most notable writers —Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargas Llosa and José Donoso, among others— the course will study the literary works that made the reputation of Latin American literature, as well as the key role played by Barcelona in its emergence and diffusion.
Attendance is mandatory for all IES classes, including field studies. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies. If a student misses more than three classes in any course half a letter grade will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Seven absences in any course will result in a failing grade.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Lectures, class discussions, student presentations, video screenings of interviews, walks and visits, critical reading and discussions of novels and short-stories.
Class participation (20%); term paper outline (5%); term paper final draft (25%); oral presentation in Spanish (10%); mid-term exam (20%); final exam (20%)
Students will choose any text from the Latin American authors discussed in class, and present their work in progress at three different stages: a one or two page outline due on session 10, an oral presentation on sessions 18-19, and an 1800-word term paper due on session 23. The work will be written in Spanish. Class participation is expected to stimulate and enrich class discussion; this grade will take into account every aspect of the student’s performance, including preparation, contributions, effort and attentiveness. Midterm and final exams will be essay format, asking students to read closely, analyze, and interpret a particular passage of one of the texts studied.
Session No.
Required reading:
Session 1: Introduction and course presentation.
Session 2: What do we mean by “boom”? The social and political context: a new literature for the decay of the Franco dictatorship. The writers and the revolution: Cuba as a common ground.
Rodríguez Monegal, Emir. El boom de la novela latinoamericana. Caracas: Editorial Tiempo Nuevo, 1972: 11-24.
Session 3: Editors and writers. Carlos Barral and Seix-Barral as creator of a literary phenomenon. José Donoso and the insider’s view.
Class discussion.
José Donoso, Historia personal del boom, 1972, Chapter 7 (memoir and testimony).
Session 4: The forefathers of the Latin American “boom” (I): Jorge Luis Borges. The short-story in the Latin American tradition.
Ricardo Piglia, “Tesis sobre el cuento”, en Formas breves, 2000 (essays);
Jorge Luis Borges, “El sur”, in Ficciones, 1944 (short stories).
Session 5: The forefathers of the Latin American “boom” (II): Jorge Luis Borges. The short-story in the Latin American tradition.
Jorge Luis Borges, “El escritor argentino y la tradición”, in Discusión, 1932 (essays).
Jorge Luis Borges, “La muerte y la brújula”, in Ficciones, 1944 (short stories).
Session 6: The forefathers of the Latin American “boom” (III): Juan Rulfo.
Juan Rulfo, “Nos han dado la tierra” and “¿No oyes hablar los perros?” in El llano en llamas, 1953 (short stories).
Session 7: The forefathers of the Latin American “boom” (IV): Juan Carlos Onetti.
Juan Carlos Onetti, “El infierno tan temido”, in Tan triste como ella y otros cuentos, 1976 (short stories).
Session 8: The protagonists (I): Julio Cortázar.
Cortázar and the art of the short story.
Julio Cortázar, “Del cuento breve y sus alrededores”, in Último round, 1969.
Julio Cortázar, “Casa tomada”, in Bestiario, 1951 (short stories).
Session 9: Term papers due (outlines). The protagonists (II): Julio Cortázar.
Julio Cortázar, “Cartas de mamá”, in Bestiario, 1951 (short stories) and “Continuidad de los parques”, in Final del juego, 1964 (short stories).
Session 10: Film: Blow-Up. Michelangelo Antonioni, 1966.
Julio Cortázar, “Las babas del diablo”, in Las armas secretas, 1959 (short stories).
Session 11: Midterm exam.
Session 12: The Boom in Barcelona.
Gerald Martin, “Barcelona and the Latin American Boom”, in Gabriel García Márquez: A Life, 2008 (biography).
Session 13: The protagonists (III): Gabriel García Márquez. The roots of Cien años de soledad: the short stories of García Márquez.
Class discussion
Gabriel García Márquez, “Un día de éstos” and “La siesta del martes”, in Los funerales de la Mamá Grande, 1962 (short stories).
Session 14: The protagonists (IV): Mario Vargas Llosa. The Biblioteca Breve Prize. At the beginning was the novel.
Class discussion.
Mario Vargas Llosa, La ciudad y los perros, Chapter I, 1962 (novel).
Session 15: The protagonists (V): Mario Vargas Llosa. The Biblioteca Breve Prize. At the beginning was the novel.
Class discussion.
Mario Vargas Llosa, La ciudad y los perros, Chapter II, 1962 (novel).
Session 16: The protagonists (VI): Carlos Fuentes. The Great Mexican Novel.
Class discussion.
Carlos Fuentes, La muerte de Artemio Cruz, 1962, p. 1-28 (novel).
Session 17: Student presentations. Class Discussion.
Session 18: Student presentations. Class Discussion.
Session 19: The protagonists (VII). Gabriel García Márquez: “The Latin American Bible”.
Class discussion.
Gabriel García Márquez, Cien años de soledad, 1967, Chapter 1 (novel).
Session 20: The protagonists (VIII). Gabriel García Márquez: “The Latin American Bible”.
Class discussion.
Gabriel García Márquez, Cien años de soledad, 1967, Chapter 2 (novel).
Session 21:
The protagonists (IX). Gabriel García Márquez: “The Latin American Bible”.
Class discussion.
Gabriel García Márquez, Cien años de soledad, 1967, Chapter 15 (novel).
Session 22: Film: Antes que anochezca. Julian Schnabel, 1996.
Session 23: Term papers due (final versions).
The boom’s last sigh. The writers and the revolution: Cuba as the bone of contention.
Class discussion.
Guillermo Cabrera Infante, “La respuesta de Cabrera Infante”, in Mea Cuba, 1992.
Session 24: Course conclusions.
FINAL EXAM.
Borges, Jorge Luis (1994). “El escritor argentino y la tradición”. In Obras completas. 267-274. Buenos Aires: Emecé.
“El sur”. In Obras completas. 525-530. Buenos Aires: Emecé.
“La muerte y la Brújula”. In Obras completas. 499-507. Buenos Aires: Emecé.
Guillermo Cabrera Infante (1992). “La respuesta de Cabrera Infante”. In Mea Cuba. 335-364. Madrid: Alfaguara.
Cortázar, Julio (2005). “Del cuento breve y sus alrededores”. In Último round. 42-55. Barcelona: Destino.
Cortázar, Julio (1986). “Casa tomada”. In Cuentos. 11-16. Barcelona: Ediciones Orbis.
“Cartas de mamá”. In Cuentos. 143-164. Barcelona: Ediciones Orbis.
“Continuidad de los parques”. In Cuentos. 77-78. Barcelona: Ediciones Orbis.
Cortázar, Julio (1988). “Las babas del diablo”. In Las armas secretas. 123-139. Madrid: Cátedra.
Donoso, José (1999). Chapter 7. In Historia personal del boom. 115-126. Madrid: Alfaguara.
Fuentes, Carlos (1993). La muerte de Artemio Cruz. 9-28. Bogotá: Fondo de Cultura Económica.
García Márquez, Gabriel (2007). Chapter 1. Cien años de soledad. 9-28. Madrid: Alfaguara.
Chapter 2. Cien años de soledad. 29-48. Madrid: Alfaguara.
Chapter 15. Cien años de soledad. 333-356. Madrid: Alfaguara.
García Márquez, Gabriel (1996). “La siesta del martes”. In Cuentos 1947-1992. 119-127. Bogotá: Norma.
“Un día de éstos”. In Cuentos 1947-1992. 128-131. Bogotá: Norma.
Martin, Gerald (2008). “Barcelona and the Latin American Boom”. In Gabriel García Márquez: A Life. London: Bloomsbury.
Onetti, Juan Carlos (1993). “El infierno tan temido”. In Tan triste como ella y otros cuentos. Barcelona: Lumen.
Piglia, Ricardo (2000). “Tesis sobre el cuento”. In Formas breves. 103-111. Barcelona: Anagrama.
Rodríguez Monegal, Emir (1972). “El origen, los múltiples orígenes”. In El boom de la novela latinoamericana. 13-24. Caracas: Editorial Tiempo Nuevo.
Rulfo, Juan (1969). “Nos han dado la tierra”. In Pedro Páramo y El llano en llamas. 141-146. Barcelona: Planeta.
“¿No oyes ladrar los perros?”. In Pedro Páramo y El llano en llamas. 243-247. Barcelona: Planeta.
Vargas Llosa, Mario (1997). Chapter 1. La ciudad y los perros. Madrid: Alfaguara.
Chapter 2. La ciudad y los perros. Madrid: Alfaguara.
Harss, Luis (1967). Los nuestros. Buenos Aires: Sudamericana.
Vargas Llosa, Mario (1971). García Márquez: historia de un deicidio. Barcelona: Seix-Barral.
Oviedo, José Migue (l1986). Mario Vargas Llosa: La invención de una realidad. Barcelona: Seix Barral.
Fuentes, Carlos (1993). Geografía de la novela. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica.
Yurkievich, Saul (2004). Julio Cortázar: Mundos y modos. Barcelona: Edhasa.
Bryce Echenique, Alfredo (1993). Permiso para vivir (antimemorias). Barcelona: Anagrama.
Barral, Carlos (2001). Memorias. Barcelona: Península.
Donoso, José (1981). El jardín de al lado. Barcelona: Seix Barral.