Latin America Flashcards
Describe “the day of the dead”
holiday celebrated in central and southern Mexico during the chilly days of November 1 & 2. Even though this coincides with the Catholic holiday called All Soul’s & All Saint’s Day, the indigenous people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones.
They believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them.
Describe the general perceptions of culture for these latin american countries: Brazil, Argentina, Chili & Columbia
When asking Brazilians about how they are perceived there was a big emphasis on internal diversity.
Argentines talked about perceptions by focusing largely on issues of identity, both internally and externally.
Chileans approached the question of perceptions with a strong emphasis on character.
In Colombia, respondents viewed the culture as segregated.
Describe what these latin american countries believe outsiders don’t understand: Brazil, Argentina, Chilli, & Columbia
When asked what outsiders don’t know about Brazil, much of the focus shifted to business.
Argentine respondents continued with the theme of identity influences when asked this question.
One common theme in Chileans’ answers to this question was around society.
Colombians felt that mostly what outsiders don’t know is everything that is not related to drugs and violence.
Describe rules of punctuality in most Latin American countries.
When it comes to social functions, it would almost be considered rude to arrive on time as your host or hostess will likely not be ready. Distinctions must be made between functions that revolve around a meal (30 minutes late as a general rule) and those which are simply social gatherings (1-2 hours late as a general rule).
However, for work you are expected to arrive no more than 10 minutes late.
Summarize “The Book of Sand” by Borges
An unnamed narrator is visited by a tall Scots Bible-seller, who presents him with a very old cloth-bound book that he bought in India from an Untouchable. The book is emblazoned with the title “Holy Writ,” below which title is emblazoned “Bombay,”[1] but is said to be called “The Book of Sand”…“because neither the book nor the sand has any beginning or end.” Upon opening it, he is startled to discover that the book, which is written in an unknown language and occasionally punctuated by illustrations, is in fact infinite. Over the summer, the narrator obsesses over the book. In the end, realizing that the book is monstrous, he briefly considers burning it before fearing the possibility of the smoke of an infinite book suffocating the world. Instead, he goes to the National Library where he once worked (like Borges) to lose the book among the basement bookshelves, reasoning that “the best place to hide a leaf is in a forest.”
Summarize Fuentes’ “The Cost of Living”
Describes the life of a man, His wife is sick, he refused to live with his in laws, hes out of money, gets a job as a taxi cab driver, sleeps with another woman, teaches at a school and gets stabbed.
Summarize Valenzuela’s “Papito’s Story”
The main character, Julio, is determined to make small talk with his neighbor. Later Julio overhears the police try to arrest his neighbor, Papito, and then Papito kills himself. This is all done while Julio is listening and wondering what Papito is thinking.
Define “Magical Realism”
Chiefly Latin-American narrative strategy that is characterized by the matter-of-fact inclusion of fantastic or mythical elements into seemingly realistic fiction.
List the two forms of “Magical Realism”
- epistemological one, where “the nuances stem from an observer’s visions”
- ontological one, “in which [the setting] is considered to be itself marvelous”
Explain how magical realism is applied to literature
In other words, magical realism can achieve its effects by either making marvelous a certain character’s perceptions and/or by making the setting itself marvelous.
List the 5 primary traits of “Magical Realism”
- An “irreducible” magic which cannot be explained by typical notions of natural law.
- A realist description that stresses normal, common, every-day phenomena, which is then revised or “refelt” by the marvelous. Extreme or amplified states of mind or setting are often used to accomplish this. (This distinguishes the genre from pure myth or fantasy.)
- The reader toggles between the two views of reality.
- These two visions or realms nearly merge or intersect.
- Time is both history and the timeless; space is often challenged; identity is broken down at times.
List the 6 secondary traits of “Magical Realism”
- The work is often metafictional or self-referential.
- The text may employ a “verbal magic” where metaphors are treated as reality.
- Metamorphoses take place.
- Magic often is used against the established order.
- Ancient systems of belief and local lore often underscore the text. This results in a respect (however complicated) for local faith.
- Collective symbols and myths rather than individual ones haunt the work
Define “Science Fiction”
Describes altered worlds, but in this case the elements that differ from our current reality are explained by developments in science.
Define “Fantasy”
The main factor that divides fantasy from magical realism and sci-fi is that fantasy takes place in a world entirely different from our own. Rather than a world that resembles ours, but contains magical elements or new scientific developments, the landscape of a fantasy story is completely made up.
