CHILATST 67:
Contemporary Chicano & Latino Literature (ENGLISH 67)
What does it mean to be Chicano and Latino in the United States today? And, how have U.S. writers portrayed the evolution of a Latino identity as it has changed from the age of the Civil Rights Movement to the age of Twitter? This class provides students with an overview of 20th and 21st century U.S. Latino/a literature by focusing on American authors writing after the 1960s to the present. We will read a range of writers, including Gloria Anzaldúa, Sandra Cisneros, Héctor Tobar, and Junot Díaz, and examine how these authors grapple with the artistic task of representing the different national cultures and histories (Mexican American, Puerto Rican, etc.) that inform the U.S. Latino experience. Throughout the quarter we will explore how these fictional narratives offer insights into the topics of American identity, immigration, assimilation, class status, Women of Color feminism, gender and sexuality. In addition, we will also consider contemporary representations from film and television, ultimately working toward a comprehensive analysis of how literary genres and popular cultural contribute to the meaning of Latinidad in the U.S.
Terms: Win
| Units: 4