Latina/o Literature and
Literature of the Americas at the
University of Northern Colorado
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ENG 430/530 Advanced Studies in World Literature: After Magical Realism In this course we will investigate the development and/or replacement of the genre Magical Realism in Latin American and Caribbean literature. Magical Realism is a term by which most of the literary world knows or presumes to know Latin American literature. In fact, Magical Realism began as a politicized term with which Latin American authors described their personal and political relationships to both their nations and the writing process and industry. Later, Magical Realism was the phrase which powered the "Boom Period" of the 60s, the period during which non-Latin American audiences came to know authors such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Alejo Carpentier, Julio Cortazar, and many, many others. In the years since, Magical Realism has grown into apparently the only recognizable trait by which Latin American literature is known and marketed, and the term itself has grown from a region-specific genre into a super-genre that sometimes is used to describe writing that is neither Latin American, modernist, post-modernist, nor stylistically atavistic. Some have even gone so far as to return to the Surrealist period of European art to proclaim that the Germans invented the term first. Especially in light of this and other acts of anachronistic appropriation, we must interrogate what Magic Realism has come to mean in the Academy today. We will examine the phrase from many different perspectives, and students will approach Magic Realism as both a genre or writing style and as a "third world" and/or postcolonial and/or culturally imperialistic politics. Required Texts (Available at The Book Stop, 931 16th Street): Asturias, Miguel Angel. Men of Maize Reserve Readings: Syllabus :Week 1 Beginning of Magical Realism: Week 2 Week 3 Politics and an emergent genre: Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 The Boom Period: Week 7 Week 8 Is it still Magic?: Week 9 3/16 Spring Break Week 10 Week 11 3/30 Cerda, Martha. Señora Rodriguez and Other Worlds Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Week 15
Assignments: Annotated Bibliography: This assignment is not as hard as it sounds. Using MLA format, list at least ten references related to Magical Realism. Each bibliographical entry is followed by a three to four-sentence synopsis of the major points and/or argument of the article of book. Internet web sites, encyclopedias and dictionaries do not count toward the ten entry requirement. Two entries must be dated prior to 1970; two must be dated between 1971 and 1985, and four entries must be dated after 1990. The remaining entries are your choice. Reaction Papers: Two papers will be assigned during the semester. Each paper will be assigned with a specific topic, you will have sufficient time to write the paper, and your papers will average eight to ten pages in length. You might want to consider them take-home essay exams. Each paper will be written in MLA format, and you will cite relevant texts assiduously and properly. As is usual, I will subtract one point from the paper’s content grade for each writing, punctuation, typographical (etc.) error I mark. If you fail to write the paper in MLA format, I will immediately subtract 12 points from the grade. If you skip class and are not aware that a reaction paper has been assigned, that is your responsibility. In-Class Presentation: Each student will make one in-class presentation about the assigned texts. Presentations may address the biography of the assigned author(s), the historical/canonical background and/or relevance of the assigned text and/or author, or the critical perspective generated by the assignment. Because we meet only fourteen times, students will make presentations in pairs. Students may collaborate, or they may go in turns. Each presentation will last thirty minutes (or an hour if two collaborate). If a student misses his or her in-class presentation, he or she will receive a zero for that portion of his or her grade. I will assign presentations based on alphabetical order, although individual students may request a particular day. Attendance: Because this class meets only once a week, it is imperative that you attend all fourteen meetings of this class. If you miss an assignment because of an unexcused absence, I will not discommode the students who do attend class for your sake. No mercy -- attend class. Grading Percentages: 25% Mid-term For the 530 class, Graduate students must write a research paper (20 pages) in addition to all the assignments above. The grade calculations are as follows: 15% Mid-term Method of Evaluation Letter grades, A-F Disability Access Statement Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability Access Center (970) 351-2289 as soon as possible to better ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Que le vaya bien. |
Comments or Suggestions? membry@unco.edu
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