Department of Foreign Languages
SHN 3537 U.S Hispanic Literature
Instructor: Dr. María Patricia Napiorski
TEXTS:
En otra voz: Antología de la literatura hispana de
los Estados Unidos. Ed. Nicolás Kanellos. Houston: Arte Público
Press, 2002
En el tiempo de las mariposas by Julia Álvarez.
Cuando era puertorriqueña by Esmeralda Santiago
La casa en Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:
The student will study the evolutionary process of the literature
produced by Spanish Speaking authors in the territory of what today is
known as the United States. From mid 1500’s to the present the Hispanic
literary line has been an important part of the cultural production of
the American continent, but unfortunately it is considered to be a
recent phenomenon that resulted from the Chicano movement, when in
reality this literary tradition has been present in North America from
pre-Hispanic times. We will follow the historical thread of such
impressive evolution thorough the works of a great diversity of
writers, closing our course with the novels of the most contemporary
Latina writers. The student will develop a critical thinking of such
literary work, and hopefully, they will gain a better understanding of
the cultural intensity of this literature and its impact on the
politics of border (cultural) crossings.
CLASS REQUIREMENTS: The student is expected to have read the required
assignments before each class period. Participation and discussion is
essential during the class period. Also, students will be expected to
work on assignments and programs developed by the instructor and found
in her home page.
ATTENDANCE: two unjustified absences will be permitted. Your grade
will be lowed if your unjustified absences are more than three, they
will lower your final grade one letter.
IF YOU HAVE A VALID EXCUSE, YOU MUST PROVIDE A VALID PROOF (EG. MEDICAL
CERTIFICATE) ON THE FIRST DAY YOU RETURN TO CLASS.
GRADING CRITERIA:
Attendance and Participation:
Mid Term:
Presentation:
Essay Paper:
Final Exam:
15%
25%
10%
20%
30%
Explanation of the above grading criteria:
Attendance and Participation: In this class students will be expected
to attend to class and to participate actively. To complete all their
writing assignments on time, and to use the office hours when the
constraints of class-time do not allow for any additional explanation
that he/she might need.
Mid Term: Consist of a number of essay questions on the texts read
Presentation: The student must give a 15 minutes presentation to the
class about an author of the anthology that is NOT covered in class
Needs previous approval of the instructor.
Essay Paper: A critical ten page paper on one of the novels.
Final Exam: Comprehensive, on the texts, and ALL class lectures, and
discussions.
Format: Essay questions.
Academic Honesty: I follow carefully the University and departmental
regulations in regards of academic dishonesty in exams, tests, homework
etc. Please remember that turning in another person’s work is
considered plagiarism, and it results in any appropriate action that I
or other university authority deem necessary. If I suspect that a
student has committed plagiarism, before taking a disciplinary action I
would ask him or her to defend his/her paper, exam or test to the
class. I have the liberty to invite to this defense other Spanish
faculty members if I deem it necessary.
Important Explanatory Information:
I do encourage you to visit me during office hours, or to make an
appointment whenever you have doubts, questions, or need clarification
with issues related to the class. I would like to help you in any way
so that you can make this course a productive and an interesting
experience.
If you are unable to attend class on a day that you have to turn in an
assignment, and/or a presentation, homework, etc., you must inform me
beforehand or your grade will be zero.
Cell phones must be off during class. MANDATORY.
No make up quizzes or examination. Your are expected to be present in
class at the time of the quiz or examination. If a homework is due the
day you are absent, you cannot ask a classmate to turn in for you, or
to place it in my mail box. All work due should be turned in directly
to me, unless otherwise stated. Nevertheless, if your are excused to be
absent for class you can turn in your work the following class, but no
later.
Three late arrivals will count as 1 absence.
Some useful websites in Spanish: WWW.HITN.TV (Spanish public television
network that provides interesting programs on a good variety of issues,
including Pop culture, music, and more. The channel on T.V. is 9430, or
check their website for information). WWW.terra.com (This site presents
a variety of elements of the Latino community in the U.S. in Spanish,
check it out, it is contemporary and interesting). Latin Section on FM
89.5 on Sundays from 7-9 p.m. this public radio station has a program
on Latin Jazz, and Latin music in general.
Calendario Tentativo
Semana:
Trabajo:
8/23
Introducción. Presentaciones.
Panorama de la literatura hispana de los Estados Unidos
8/30
Literatura de exploración y colonización
Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (P. 2)
Fray Marcos de Niza (P. 9)
Fray Francisco de Escobar (P. 28)
Literatura Nativa
Antonio José Martinez (P. 39)
Anónimo La indita Placida Romero (p. 45)
9/6
Eulalia Pérez (P. 51)
Apolinaria Lorenzana (P. 55)
Pablo de la Guerra (P. 67)
Juan Nepomuceno Cortina (P. 69)
Anónimo Joaquín Murieta, Gregorio Cortez (P. 83)
Eusebio Chacón (P. 87)
Jovita Idar (P. 95)
La Defensa (P. 99)
Anónimo Luisa Moreno (P. 114)
9/13
Américo Paredes (P. 153)
Gloria Anzaldúa (P. 166)
Pat Mora (P. 168)
Tomas Rivera (P. 174)
Rosaura Sáchez (P. 178)
9/20
Literatura de inmigración.
José Martí (P. 194)
Alirio Díaz Guerra (P. 206)
Guillermo Cotto-Thorner (P. 222)
Wenceslao Gálvez (P. 227)
Gustavo Alemán Bolaños (P. 229)
Conrado Espinosa (P. 232)
9/27
Daniel Vanegas (P. 239)
Anónimo El lavaplatos (P. 255)
Anónimo Lamento de un jíbaro (P. 258)
Américo Meana (P. 260)
10/4
René Marqués (P. 261)
Ramón “Tianguis” Pérez (P. 289)
Mario Bencastro (p. 293)
10/11
Fall Break
10/13
Película
10/18
Midterm
10/20
Luisa Capetillo (P. 298)
María Luisa Garza (P. 303)
Netty y Jesús Rodríguez (P. 308)
Consuelo Lee Tapia (P. 313)
10/25
Literatura del exilio
Pedro Santicilla (P. 445)
Francisco Gonzalo Pachín Marín (P. 451).
Reinaldo Arenas (P. 495)
Luisa Valenzuela (P. 501)
Juan Armando Epple (P. 504)
11/1
Sandra Cisneros’s La casa en Mango Street
11/8
Esmeralda Santiago’s Cuando era puertoriqueña
11/15
Julia Alvarez’s En el tiempo de las mariposas
11/22
Continuación. Thanksgiving Holiday
11/29
Continuación
12/6
MLA Format Review.
12/09
Examen Final (3 – 5:30 PM)