SYLLABUS
Guadalupe, Malinche, and Mexico
Spring 2006
Tues. 5:30 – 8:30
208 Agnes Arnold
Modern & Classical Languages
Span. 3394 – Sec. 13439
M. Theresa Hernandez, PhD
Associate Professor
Office: 437 Agnes Arnold
Phone: 713 743 3074
Email: mthdz@uh.edu
Office Hours: 3-4 pm. Tues.
and Thurs
This course is about two figures/women/icons that have been integral to the history and
identity of México (and its immigrants to the U.S.). The relationship between them and
ethnic Mexicans is completely reciprocal. Their existence (and stories) have strongly
influenced cultural practices and ideology. In addition, people’s actions and beliefs have
driven the narratives about Guadalupe and Malinche into the widest imaginable
geographies. Iconography of Guadalupe proliferates throughout North America, thanks
to continuing Mexican immigration (and American desire for low wage, hard working
employees). Malinche’s name is what has traveled, not her image. The term
“Malinchista” has come to be derogatory and denotes that of a traitor. Ethnic Mexican
female academics have confronted Malinche’s negative designation and re-worked her
narratives into that of the Chicana with agency and power. In México she continues to
silently symbolize the thousands of “casa chicas” - the informal pairings between married
men and (usually lower class and/or darker skinned) women that produce second-class
children.
This course takes on a “Cultural Studies” perspective, in which religion, popular culture,
history, literature, and ethnography are woven together to form a body of knowledge that
encompasses the broad spectrum of Mexican life affected by Guadalupe and Malinche.
Required Reading: (in the order assigned)
January 24 - Lucha Corpi
Black Widow's Wardrobe
January 31, 7 -Timothy Matovina
Guadalupe and Her Faithful: Latino Catholics in San Antonio
February 14, 28 - Sandra Cypess
La Malinche in Mexican literature From History to Myth
March 7, 21 -Rolando Romero and Amanda Harris (Editors)
Feminism, Nation and Myth: La Malinche
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April 4, 11, 18 - David Brading
Mexican Pheonix: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Image and Tradition Across Five Centuries
April 25 - Brading, Mexican Pheonix. Selections from La Jornada (México City) on
Rector Schulenberg.
Requirements:
Essays: 2 seven page essays - due March 7, and April 4 (20% each) 40%
Class Presentation and participation-discussion (20 % each)
40%
Final Paper - 12 pages, will count as grade for final exam (20%)
20%
total
100%
ATTENDANCE
Students wanting to make an "A" or "B" in the course cannot be absent for more than one
class during the semester. Anyone missing more than one session will automatically
make a C (or less depending on their other grades).
January 24 -
Read La Virgen de Guadalupe Se Fue de Mojada
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2006/01/17/023a2pol.php
Movie, Tizoc: Amor Indio
January 31 -
Corpi, Black Widow's Wardrobe. Selection from R.E. Rodriguez,
“Cultural Memory and Chicanidad,” Contemporary Literature. 43, 1,
138-70, Spring 2002. Pages from this excerpt 159-165.
How does the narrative work with history and memory in the present?
Considering this is a novel, how “accurate” is Corpi in her historical
representation (and why)?
February 7
Matovina, Guadalupe and Her Faithful. Intro., Chapter 1-4.
Matovina is a former priest. Do you think his history may have
affected his research? What about a non Latino writing on Guadalupe?
February 21
Matovina, Guadalupe and Her Faithful. Chapter 5 and Epilogue
Compare how Guadalupe is viewed (as expressed by Matovina) in the
present, versus colonial times? How have city and ethnic politics
affected (or been affected by) Guadalupe’s followers and their
practices?
February 28
Cypess, La Malinche
Cypess’ focus is more literary and narrow. What is her position? Is he
wanting to re-invent Malinche as does Corpi? What about the idea of
rape vs. seduction, betrayal or force?
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March 7
Cypess, La Malinche
What do you think of Marina’s decisions regarding La Noche Triste?
Which of her actions have affected Mexican society the most?
March 21
Feminism, Nation and Myth: La Malinche. Intro. to p. 81
There is more than ten years between the publication of Cypess’ book
and Feminism, Nation and Myth. How doe the two connect (or
disconnect)? Do the authors from Feminism, Nation and Myth seem to
be more aware of the global implications -how do they demonstrate
this?
March 28
Feminism, Nation and Myth: La Malinche . Page 82-159
How is anger and resentment dealth with in the essays? Discuss the
rational for these positions? Where do you stand on this? How would
you discuss this with your classmates? Family? Friends?
April 4
Brading, Mexican Pheonix. Intro- Chapter 1-4. i -p. 95
What is Brading’s position on the validity of the Virgin’s apparition?
What is your opinion after reading these chapters?
April 11
Brading, Mexican Pheonix. Chapter 5-7 p. 96-168
Was it really the epidemics and how Guadalupe “saved”
México City that affected political opinion?
April 18
Brading, Mexican Pheonix. Chapter 8-10. p. 169-257
How was the connection with Tonanztin viewed by the late 1700’s
(eighteenth century)? How was the famous sermon by Servando
Teresa de Mier connected with contemporary beliefs in Guadalupe?
What do you make of his ideas and how he was disciplined?
April 25
Brading, Mexican Pheonix. Chapter 11-15. p. 258-368
Readings from La Jornada on Rector of Basilica de Guadalupe,
Schulenberg.
The debate on Juan Diego continues. What do you think of Brading’s
position? Why do you think Juan Diego was not canonized until the
twentieth century? What about Brading writing about Guadalupe
as an English academic? How does the controversy with Schulenber
and Juan Diego fit in?
May 11
Final Papers Due at 2 pm.
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