SaraEstelaAriel

Section 1

Rudolfo Anaya and Bless me, Ultima

Born in 1937 in Pastura, New MexicoAttended the University of New MexicoBless Me, Ultima was his first novelBased on personal experienceBless was awarded 1971 Premio Quinto Sol Literary

PrizePart of trilogy: Heart of Aztlan and TortugoAnaya was invited to teach creative writing at the U of

NM

New Mexico HistoryHome to native cultures before Spanish

explorersExplorers arrived in 1500s looking for

seven cities of gold1540 Fransisco Vasquez de Coronado

arrived in NM and for 140 years afterwards, colonized it as New Spain and tried to convert and make the culture Spanish

Natives accepted, then resented, these attempts – led to Pueblo Revolt of 1680

Spanish then took Santa Fe by forceSpanish settlements became more tolerant of

native religionsNM shows unique mix of Catholicism and

native religionsSpanish governors managed NM until 1821

when Mexico gained independenceDuring Mexican American war, US colonel

took NM and gave citizenship to peopleAs a result, population increased and was

more industriousIn 1912 NM became 47th state, after 2 failed

attempts

Point of View of Bless Me, Ultima

Bildungsroman- follows progress of a youth to manSimilar to A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (James

Joyce) and The Red Badge of Courage (Stephen Crane)Uses first personTold chronologicallySet in New Mexico during World War II

Historical ContextEffects of war are evident on LupitoHe is a war-damaged soldier and at his death believes he

is surrounded by Japanese soldiers

Plot SummaryAntonio’s experiences throughout conflict and crisesThese include death of Lupito, the curse on Uncle Lucas,

the encounter between Ultima and Tenorio after Tenorio’s daughter dies, death of Narciso, the curse on the Tellez family, Florence’s drowning, final encounter between Tenorio and Ultima

ConflictsBetween parents’ expectations and the three older sons’

behaviorFather’s family were vaqueros on llano and mother’s

family were farmers in Las PasturasMother is devout Catholic and father is notMom wants Antonio to be scholar priest and father wants

him to be a vaqueroAntonio finds that mom and dad’s views can peacefully

coexist in the natural world

Students speak Spanish and teachers speak EnglishUltima helps people and Tenorio’s daughters seek to harm

peopleUltima is a force of good and Tenorio is the embodiment

of evilAntonio is torn between mother’s Catholicism and folk

beliefsSeems to lean away from church because of many

unexplained phenomenon and toward a spirituality grounded in nature and folk beliefs

Learns that these two can coexist or perhaps make something new

DreamsForeshadow events and highlight inner conflicts and

spiritual dilemmasShow earlier events, such as birth of TonyBring supernatural elements such as Ultima’s owl,

Trementina sisters, golden carp, and mer-woman

Water ImagesRiver has “presence” of its ownGuadalupe is surrounded by waterMermaid lake and Blue lake, where Florence drowns

Natural WorldEmphasis on plants from mother’s side of the familyUltima picking herbsNarciso’s beautiful gardenSignificant events occurring near juniper tree

The Number ThreeThree brothers of TonyThree Trementina sistersThree cultures: Spanish , Mexican, Native AmericanThree deaths witnessed: Narciso, Lupito, and FlorenceThree ghosts of IndiansThe Trinity: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit

StyleMagical Realism: rational and irrational appear together

in a realistic settingPath toward adulthoodInfluenced by A Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManExample: story of bird and eternity

Section 2

“United Fruit Co.” Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)Neruda was born in Passal, ChileBegan writing poetry as a teenagerIn 1924 published “20 Love Poems and a Song of Despair” and

was translated into 20 languagesBelieved in poetry of real life and rejected beautiful in favor of

harsh and elementalBelieved poems should be in plain language and be “real”Served in Chilean consular servicePolitical views were radical and joined Communist partyMember of senate in ChileWent into exile

Came back from exile and elected presidential candidate, but supported the winning candidate

Won the Nobel Prize for literaturePublished “The Elementary Odes”Died of cancer in 1973United Fruit Co was part of longer work titled Canto

General, an epic poemTells history of Latin America from Marxist perspectiveLament about Latin American nations losing their

abundant natural resources to powerful North American commercial interests

“The Switchman” Juan Jose Arreola (1918-2001)Juan born in Zapotlan in Jalisco, MexicoTeacher of history and literatureAlong with Antonio Alatorre, he founded a literary magazine

called Pan in 1945Published book Varia Invencion in 1949,Confabulario in 1952,

and La Feria in 1963Pioneer of non-realistic literature“The Switchman” is satire of less than perfect Mexican train

system and efforts to improve itCriticizes absurdities of authority and willingness of people to

comply with it

“Painting to Survive” Mario Vargas Llosa (B. 1936)Born in Peru, raised in BoliviaStarting writing novels in 1960sRan for president of Peru in 1990, but lost to Alberto

FujimoriThe Language of Passion- book of essays completed in

2001. “Painting to Survive” was printed in this bookA Biography of Frida Khalo (1983) inspired “Painting to

Survive”

Juana Ines De La Cruz (1648?-1695) A nun, scientist, musician and writerAt about 16, moved to Mexico CityMajor poems “Divine Narcissus” and “First Dream”Theatrical works: Allegorical Neptune and The Trials of a Noble

HouseTook nun’s vows at Convent of San Jeronimo, 16671690- The Athenagoric Letter published by Bishop of Puebla with a

letter by Sor Filotea1694- renewed her vows 1695- died during an epidemic“Sonnet 27” is written in the style of an Italian sonnetAddresses a friend, a false portrait“Sonnet 28” similar to “Sonnet 27” in style, but with different

subject matter and tone

“The Ruby” Ruben Dario (1865 – 1916)Famous writer of poetry and proseFather of modern Spanish literatureBorn in Nicaragua but moved to El Salvador then to

ChileNewspaperman 1888 published Azul“The Ruby” is a contrast of artificial rubies and a

natural rubyBased on a fairytale and characters are based on A

Midsummer Night’s Dream

“La Extranjera” Gabriela Mistral 1881-1957

Wanted children and her poetry sings to the children of othersBeautiful lullabies, moods, and scenerySonetos de la Muerte (Sonnets of Death) written after lover’s

suicideSuccessful teacher, Notable impact on education systems1922-1938 worked in Europe Proceeds of Tala went to relief of Basque Children left homelessSympathizes with homeless without families in war-torn nations“La Extranjera” about homeless refugee far from her homelandSympathetic observer, stranger has known passion and if more

was told, there would be an avalanche of emotions