Hispanic Literature

1
Hispanic Literature

• History and Background

2
Latino v. Hispanic v.Chicano

• Whats the right term?

3
Latino

• Latin comes from Italy
• Latin in the base language of Spanish, Italian,
  Portuguese, and French
• For example, in Spanish the word for cave is
  cueva, in Portuguese cova, Italian cava

4

• The Latins (aka Romans) invaded the Iberian
  Peninsula
• Founded a province named Hispania
• Lived there
• 7 centuries
• Hispania
• evolved into
• España (Spain)

5
Latin America

• Latin America is a geographic location
• People from Latin America are all Latin, but not
  all Hispanic
• For example, Brazilians speak Portuguese, making
  them Latin not Hispanic

6
Latino/a

• The term Latino (as we -- Americans-- use it)
  encompasses all citizens of the United States
  whose heritage is Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban,
  Central American, and South American.

7
Hispanic

• Hispanic was later used to refer to all
  territories conquered by Spain in the New World
• This covers almost all of Latin America

8

• Hispanic came about in the 1970s as a US Census
  attempt to quantify Spanish-speaking people
• Today Hispanic is used to refer to any people
  whose culture and heritage have direct ties to
  Spain

9

• Hispanic is not a RACE but an ETHNIC distinction
• Hispanics come from all races and physical traits

10
Chicano

• Exclusive term used solely in reference to people
  of Mexican descent
• Conquistadors called Mexican Indians Mexicas
• Spaniards dropped the me and called them
  Xicanos (or Chicanos)

11
Chicano

• Became popular in 1930s and 40s as a derogatory
  term for Mexicans imported for cheap field labor.
• Term went out of style
• In 1960s and 70s the Brown Power Movement
  adopted it as term for Mexican-American
• Today term still has negative connotations for
  many Mexican-Americans

12
History of Latino Literature

• Roots in legends and
• myths
• Began as oral
• tradition
• Ties to the Catholic
• religion of Spain

13
Latino Literature

• Common themes

Familial relationships and Loyalties
Poverty Gender roles Social protest
and Exploitation
14
Why Poverty?

• Poverty is largely at issue because of the
  desperate situations in which many Latin American
  countries find themselves.

15
Why Families?

• Family is considered one's strongest bond and
  loyalty, and people in the workforce must often
  work to support relatives both in the U.S. and in
  other native countries.

16
Why gender roles?

• Traditionally, older customs and cultural
  traditions prevail. Women were expected to be
  obedient and uphold the family honor.

17
Why social protest and exploitation?

• Many Hispanic countries have gone through periods
  of social unrest.
• Cuba communism
• Dominican Republic dictatorship

18
Conclusion

• Hispanic literature is rich with culture and
  social commentary.
• Hispanic literary themes echo American literature
• Themes are based on life experiences
• We will use terms Hispanic and Latino
  interchangeably.