Spanish American Narrative and Film

Code

MLAC3044

School

Modern Languages and Cultures

Level

3

Credits

20

Semesters

Full Year UK

Summary

This module explores the work of certain key writers and film-makers in 20th and 21st-century Spanish America. It selects for close study writers of what has become known as the ‘boom’ (García Márquez); three precursors of that generation (Borges, Carpentier and Rulfo); one writer of the ‘post-boom’ (Puig).; and two Argentine films that deal with the period of dictatorship. The module examines the ways in which the writers use experimental narrative forms to engage with Latin American history, questions of gender and sexuality, traditional popular and mass cultural forms such as the Mexican Day of the Dead or Hollywood B movies, and the ways in which the film-makers turn to melodrama as a way of engaging with recent historical events.

Set texts include: Juan Rulfo, Pedro Páramo, Jorge Luis Borges, El Aleph, Alejo Carpentier, El siglo de las luces, Gabriel García Márquez, Cien años de soledad, Manuel Puig, El beso de la mujer araña, and two films, Luis Puenzo, La historia oficial and Benjamín Avila, Infancia clandestina.

Target Students

Available for Final Year students taking MLAC3076. Also available for Exchange Students with a good knowledge of Spanish.

Classes

The School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies operates an attendance policy. The details of this policy can be found in the student handbook on Workspace and in module handbooks.

Assessment

• 40% Coursework 1: 1 x 2000 word coursework essay
• 60% Exam 1 (2-hour): 2hr written examination

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge and understanding
Students will (A1) read and comprehend complex texts in Spanish, follow Spanish spoken at authentic speed;

(D7) time-management, prioritising and general organisational skills.

(D6) general research skills;

(D5) sufficient cross-cultural understanding to be able to negotiate effectively between cultures, particularly Hispanic cultures and their own culture of origin;

(D4) appropriate preparation skills in relation to written documents, oral presentation, illustrations and handouts and the delivery of oral presentations;

(D3) the ability to construct and defend a coherent and well-researched argument in English; 

4. Transferable/key skills
Students are provided with the training to be able to demonstrate (D2) effective comprehension of written Spanish;

3. Professional/practical skills
The training offered during the course of the Hispanic Studies elements of the degree allows students to (C3) undertake relevant research and construct a reasoned argument on a topic/issue in English either orally or in writing.

(B4) deploy effectively a range of critical stratagems and approaches in their analytical work.

(B2) demonstrate a critical awareness of the historical and socio-political contexts of Hispanic cultures;

2. Intellectual Skills
Students are given the tools with which to (B1) engage in informed discussion of literary texts and genres from Hispanic cultures;

(A3) develop an appreciation of the relationship between their own cultural, historical and social backgrounds and those of those aspects of the Hispanic worlds to which they are exposed; 

(A4) handle with assurance a range of critical and analytical stratagems and tools in their approach to these areas.

(A2) acquire an in-depth awareness of the cultural, historical and political contexts appropriate to the Hispanic culture(s) addressed;

Conveners

• Professor Adam Sharman