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Understanding Hispanic Literature

Hispanic literature has its roots in oral traditions and ties to Spanish Catholicism. Common themes in Hispanic literature include familial relationships, poverty, gender roles, and social protest/exploitation. These themes reflect the life experiences of Hispanic communities, such as desperate poverty in Latin American countries, supporting family members both in the US and native countries, traditional gender roles, and periods of social unrest in many Hispanic home nations. In conclusion, Hispanic literature provides a rich commentary on Hispanic culture and society.

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Aril Ismail
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107 views18 pages

Understanding Hispanic Literature

Hispanic literature has its roots in oral traditions and ties to Spanish Catholicism. Common themes in Hispanic literature include familial relationships, poverty, gender roles, and social protest/exploitation. These themes reflect the life experiences of Hispanic communities, such as desperate poverty in Latin American countries, supporting family members both in the US and native countries, traditional gender roles, and periods of social unrest in many Hispanic home nations. In conclusion, Hispanic literature provides a rich commentary on Hispanic culture and society.

Uploaded by

Aril Ismail
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Hispanic Literature

History and Background

Latino v. Hispanic [Link]


Whats the right term?

Latino

Latin comes from Italy Latin in the base language of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and French
For example, in Spanish the word for cave is cueva, in Portuguese cova, Italian cava

The Latins (aka Romans) invaded the Iberian Peninsula Founded a province named Hispania Lived there 7 centuries Hispania evolved into Espaa (Spain)

Latin America

Latin America is a geographic location People from Latin America are all Latin, but not all Hispanic For example, Brazilians speak Portuguese, making them Latin not Hispanic

Latino/a

The term Latino (as we -- Americans-- use it) encompasses all citizens of the United States whose heritage is Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central American, and South American.

Hispanic

Hispanic was later used to refer to all territories conquered by Spain in the New World This covers almost all of Latin America

Hispanic came about in the 1970s as a US Census attempt to quantify Spanishspeaking people Today Hispanic is used to refer to any people whose culture and heritage have direct ties to Spain

Hispanic is not a RACE but an ETHNIC distinction Hispanics come from all races and physical traits

Chicano

Exclusive term used solely in reference to people of Mexican descent Conquistadors called Mexican Indians Mexicas Spaniards dropped the me and called them Xicanos (or Chicanos)

Became popular in 1930s and 40s as a derogatory term for Mexicans imported for cheap field labor. Term went out of style In 1960s and 70s the Brown Power Movement adopted it as term for Mexican-American Today term still has negative connotations for many MexicanAmericans

Chicano

History of Latino Literature


Roots in legends and myths Began as oral tradition Ties to the Catholic religion of Spain

Latino Literature

Common themes:
Familial relationships and Loyalties Poverty Gender roles Social protest and Exploitation

Why Poverty?

Poverty is largely at issue because of the desperate situations in which many Latin American countries find themselves.

Why Families?

Family is considered one's strongest bond and loyalty, and people in the workforce must often work to support relatives both in the U.S. and in other native countries.

Why gender roles?

Traditionally, older customs and cultural traditions prevail. Women were expected to be obedient and uphold the family honor.

Why social protest and exploitation?

Many Hispanic countries have gone through periods of social unrest. Cuba = communism Dominican Republic = dictatorship

Conclusion

Hispanic literature is rich with culture and social commentary.


Hispanic literary themes echo American literature Themes are based on life experiences

We will use terms Hispanic and Latino interchangeably.

Common questions

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The Spanish Catholic religion's historical influence on Latino literature likely impacts literary themes by shaping narratives around moral and ethical concerns, emphasizing familial piety and traditional gender roles. Catholicism's values may inform the depiction of social justice issues and personal struggles, ensuring these narratives resonate with the cultural and religious identity of the characters and audience .

Latino literature echoes American literature through its rich cultural and social commentary. Themes such as familial relationships, poverty, and gender roles, along with social protest and exploitation, reflect the life experiences and are similar to broader American literary themes that explore family dynamics, socio-economic struggles, and social justice issues .

Poverty is a recurring theme in Latino literature because many Latin American countries face desperate situations that significantly impact their populations. This theme reflects the economic hardships and social issues prevalent in these regions .

Familial relationships and loyalties are prominent themes in Latino literature because family is considered one's strongest bond and loyalty. Individuals must often work to support relatives both in the U.S. and in their native countries, reflecting the strong familial connections that transcend borders .

Oral traditions have influenced the development of Latino literature by serving as its foundational roots, particularly in legends and myths. These traditions have preserved cultural stories and historical events, forming a basis for written narratives that continue to reflect communal values and shared histories .

The term 'Chicano' is exclusively used for people of Mexican descent. Initially, it was a derogatory term for Mexican laborers in the 1930s and 40s. The term evolved during the Brown Power Movement of the 1960s and 70s, where it was reclaimed as a term of empowerment for Mexican-Americans. Despite this reclamation, it still holds negative connotations for some .

The term 'Latino' refers to people from Latin America and encompasses citizens of the United States with heritage from Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central American, and South American backgrounds. Its origin is related to Latin, which is the base language of Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and French. 'Hispanic', on the other hand, refers to people whose culture and heritage have ties to Spain, covering territories conquered by Spain in the New World. Unlike 'Latino', the term 'Hispanic' is used as an ethnic classification created in the 1970s by the US Census to quantify Spanish-speaking people .

The term 'Hispanic' reflects an ethnic distinction as it categorizes people from diverse racial backgrounds with a shared cultural heritage linked to Spain. This distinction is significant in the U.S. as it identifies people by cultural and linguistic ties rather than race, influencing identity, policy-making, and affirmative recognition of a diverse community .

The historical and social contexts, such as communism in Cuba and dictatorship in the Dominican Republic, have led many Hispanic countries through periods of social unrest. These contexts influence the themes of social protest and exploitation, as literature often serves as a platform to comment on and critique these societal issues .

The term 'Hispania', the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula, evolved into 'España' (Spain), influencing the contemporary use of 'Hispanic' to denote people with cultural ties to Spain. 'Latino' evolved separately to encompass people from Latin America, whose languages derive from Latin, the language of the Romans who invaded the Iberian Peninsula. These historical links contribute to the ethnic and linguistic distinctions between 'Hispanic' and 'Latino' today .

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