American Institute

Literature

Narrative
Customary

Valdir Candia

Richard Callizaya

Diana Chávez

Melisa Castañón

Grade: Sixth Year of Secondary 'B'

Teacher: Nieves Urquidi Silva

Shift: Afternoon

La Paz–Bolivia

2018
As an introduction

At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, Latin American literature is invaded by
Realism. This new movement represented a break with the widely read Romanticism.
logical as in the formal. In ideas, the writers renounced fantasy, to the
imagination and the irrational forces of the spirit to channel its interest to its surroundings
social observing and objectively describing reality. As for the form
They existed in verse and preferred narrative (novels and short stories) and, to a lesser extent, theater.

The custom that at a certain moment gained great strength due to the relationship
man-nature united with the customs and traditions of the rural area.

The customary narrative in Bolivia

The national critic Luis H. Antezana classifies this literature as 'costumbrismo'

mestizo, and explains that it does not derive from a process of influences, but from the admirable
the ability to prolong and remain relevant, as well as to continuously recover.

Although the traditional narrative has one of its fundamental themes...

“crowding”; however, this movement is linked to the more general and abstract
the problematic of miscegenation that, with variations, continues to this day. In this
Both novels and short stories, as well as some plays, contain within their pages
of mestizo characters with their everyday conflicts close to the reader.

To objectively understand the development of Bolivian costumbrist narrative.

Luis H. Antezana proposes to study it in three periods.

First period

It begins in the early 20th century and lasts until approximately 1930. The theme that is
it focuses essentially on indigenous-rural. The societies of provinces and cities
they still retain features of the colonialist system and objectively describe the miserable
life of the peasants. For this reason, many works take on a controversial tone and of
social denunciation such is the case of Wata Wara and Vida Criolla by Alcides Arguedas.
Second period

It encompasses the years from 1940 to 1960, and the theme is linked to social problems with differences.

racial and ethnic-cultural. This period arises after the traumatic Chaco War,
specifically since 1940. During these two decades, a flurry of activity begins.
literary, journalistic, and political in which intellectuals intervene passionately.
Socialist nationalism was the doctrine that had the most acceptance among intellectuals.
of the era. In this sense, literary production became a very idealistic
similar to the early works of the century, influenced by Romanticism.

The artistic orientations are still not well assimilated by those writers.
they are still overwhelmed by realism and influenced by James Joyce, and fear falling into
the absurdity of things in the contemporary bourgeois world; for this reason the
The customs of this period are local, more descriptive and landscape-oriented.

The most representative novels are La Chaskañawi by Carlos Medinaceli, The Girl of
his eyes by Antonio Díaz Villamil, The Virgin of the Seven Streets by Alfredo Flores
Green drunkenness by Raúl Botelho Gosálvez and Yanakuna by Jesús Lara. However, in
The story has the best achievements, which over time became "classics" of
the national literature. Among them is the Miskki-Simi by Adolfo Costa Du Rels, The cruel
Martina de Augusto Guzmán, The Sergeant Charupas of Alfredo Flores among others.

Third period

This spans from the 1960s and 1970s to the end of the 20th century.
In this stage, young writers emerge who show a marked sign in their works.
of renewal. They are people who have lived in rural places and who make known the
customs and ways of life of their peoples one of the most notable characteristics
of this use of language with a colloquial tone typical of the place, with the purpose of achieving
greater impact of the regional and customary. During this period, the cruceño Paz stands out.
Padilla with his work Nel Umbral and the vallegrandino Manuel Vargas with Sad Tales
Pillars in the Fog.

Themes
Folkloric literature reflects what the inhabitants of the areas live daily.
rural, as well as their syncretism customs, traditions, beliefs, relationships
social, religious and syncretic practices, etc. The manifestation of these aspects is
produced in a specific natural space and, sometimes, through an interaction
social with the city.

Characteristics

Among the most general traits of costumbrist narrative, the following can be highlighted
following:

The behavior of a human group is described objectively within its context.

historical, social, and natural to show the defects and virtues of the mestizo classes
oh chola.
The psychological description of the characters is deepened with the purpose of
discover a reality hidden by social convictions.
It is limited to a nearly pictorial description of the landscape, customs, etc.
The geographic space also comes to life because it constitutes part of the center of
narrated world.
The narrative forms respond to the canons of the traditional novel.

Authors and representative works

Adolfo Costa Du Rels (1981 - 1980): Distinguished writer and poet. He cultivated the novel.
becoming one of the best figures of her time in Bolivia. A large part of her works
were published in French and then translated into Spanish. Critics consider it a
"intellectual tourist" because although it skillfully enters into the intimacy of its
characters and masterfully describe the context, abandon their purposes in the middle
a path without delving into them. His most representative works within the narrative
costumbrista is the tale La Miskki Simi and Enchanted Lands (1940), one of the ten
best Bolivian novels.

Raúl Botelho Gosálvez (1917 - 2004): This national writer introduced in his diversity
of landscapes and human types which makes him the most 'Bolivian' of writers
nationals, since this author reflected in his works, with remarkable depth and capability
of perception, the psychology of Aymaras, Quechuas, and Orientals. His best novel is
Altiplano (1945), which deals with the life of the indigenous people of the Bolivian highlands. In this
the work exposes coldly, ruthlessly and objectively the social and tyrannical exploitation in the
Long live the Indigenous. Among his most notable narratives are: Green Drunkenness.
(1938), Coca (1941), Tierra Chúcara (1957)

Alfredo Flores (1900 - 1987): Novelist, short story writer, journalist, and diplomat. This writer
he has the ability to captivate the reader in his narratives and feel the drowsiness of the forests,
the flavor of juicy pineapples and "chancacas." The cheerful and aged mansions of Santa
Cruz has been painted with such fidelity that it has been saved from oblivion. Its main work
The Virgin of the Seven Streets (1941) is the main truly cruceña novel and one
one of the most representative texts of the customs narrative of Santa Cruz. It is
it is considered one of the foundational novels of national literature.

Carlos Medinaceli (1900 - 1949) Novelist and literary critic whom few writers
they could match in their conceptual originality and in their erudition. It is a profound
knowledgeable about rural life, from which he has left us several extraordinary contributions.
For him, literary text must challenge the individual as a social subject. His most notable work
La Chaskañawi (1947) is representative, one of the ten best national novels.
where the author presents the social and historical theme of 'encholamiento'. With this work,
Medinaceli leaves a human footprint as it acquires a true human value. How
he himself states in one of his letters: "Adolfo is a guy from the past - end of the race - without

future; Claudina is the present that contains, in potential, the future...

Antonio Díaz Villamil (1902–1948) Writer, traditionalist, playwright, and historian.

Many critics agree that he was one of the authors who shook the
social problems of Bolivia. In his works, whether narrative or theater, he presents
characters types of village, mestizo and cholo. Among their most important works we can
Citing Plebe (1943) and The Girl of His Eyes (1948).

Jesus Lara (1898 –1980): Poet, novelist, playwright, and Quechua scholar.
In an interview with the magazine 'Hipótesis' in 1977, Lara confessed: 'In all my books, there has been ...

there has been a permanent thread: my purpose of writing as a son of my race.

I have always believed that more indigenous blood runs through my veins than Spanish.
I have not forgotten that I am mixed race, all my life I have tried to identify with the Indian.
Since my tender childhood, I have lived alongside him, I have slept in his hut, I have eaten his lawa.

and shared their lice. I've seen their misery, their frustrations, and their misfortune. Always
I have felt indebted to him and therefore I have tried to translate his life into my novels.
as a complaint, as a protest.” Sunovela Yanakuna (1952) is a work
literarily exceptional, all woven around a figure of enormous literary vigor,
Wayra.