SEATTLE CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Humanities & Social Sciences Division
LATIN AMERICA COLONIAL LITERATURE
"Like the great metaphor of Maya life - the life cycle of maize - the continued wellbeing of the universe required the active participation of the human community through ritual.” (The Forest of Kings ).
Faculty: David Quintero Ph.D.
Course: Lit 236 IS/S
Credits: 5
Office:
Phone: 587-2920
Hours: 8:40- 9:30 am T- Th by appointment only
Time/Classroom: MTWTh 12:00 pm -1:05 pm
Course Description
This course is designed to offer a panoramic view of Latin America literature during and after the Spanish arrival. Students will be presented with the socio-historical background in which the literary phenomenon unfolds, and with thematic modules to allow for discussion of texts in relationship to the period.
Course Objectives/Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Outcome 1: Discuss and document current issues facing Latin America today in the light of the textual language of colonial literature.
Outcome 2: To see, to listen and to read critically in order to be more conscious of the point of view of the individual writer and story teller.
Outcome 3: To develop a more dialectical view of the past and to understand how diverse cultures (oral/written) have played roles in developing the world as it is today.
Outcome 4: To cooperate actively with others in the learning process. To discuss, debate, and otherwise communicate effectively intercultural concepts and issues.
Outcome 5: To address controversial issues by gaining skills in focusing on the ideologies that shape, and create past/present/future experiences, personal opinions (assumptions, perceptions), ideas, and beliefs.
Outcome 6: To use new academic vocabulary from different disciplines.
Required Texts:
Bonfil Batalla, México profundo: Reclaiming a Civilization
Bartolome, de Las Casas. The Devastation of the Indies: A Brief Account
Eduardo Galeano, Open Veins of Latin America
Tztevan Todorov, The Conquest of America.
Reading pocket from SCCC Copy Center.
Topical Outline/Major Divisions:
UNIT 1: Introduction Latin American Colonial Literature and Caste Structure:
The Issue of México Profundo.
UNIT 2: The Conquest of America: Understanding Different Versions.
UNIT 3: Africa/Asia/Europe & the Mayas: The People of the Books & Journals encounter the People of the Popol Vuh.
UNIT 4: Voices of Dissent: A Brief Account of the Desvastation of the Indies.
UNIT 5: Colonial Institutions: La Encomienda, La Mita, the Church.
UNIT 6: Types of Knowledge: Transculturation.
UNIT 7: The Process of Decolonization in Literature.
Responsibilities:
Primary responsibilities of all participants include flexibility, tolerance, and physical/emotional presence.
Written Work/Responses:
One written response per book for a total of four responses. Each response must be a minimum of two pages. The writing must meet minimum requirements in the areas of clarity of thought and expression. Although your writing will be informal or just a response to reading, the following expectations are considered during grading:
1. Expect to write a response paper every other week on the assigned reading.
2. Response papers are similar to “short essays."
3. They are meant to help you prepare for seminar and are written in response to the reading done for the week.
4. All response papers should have an introduction and a conclusion; a minimum of one rephrased or narrative example from your textbook, and your developed response to it.
I require response papers due to the fact that writing down your ideas, comments, criticisms, and queries about what you have read, helps you to clarify to yourself and then to others what you think about the text. (I would like to encourage you to keep a journal of your affective (emotional), and critical responses to the readings. It may help you with your learning process and perhaps your midterm grade.
Readings
I expect that you will have done the assigned reading before coming to class. The class activities will assume that you have the background from the reading. All reading is to be done by date specified in the schedule below. Many assignments will be given out in class only and as needed. The schedule presented below is given in detail for the first weeks and in a general outline for the remainder of the quarter.
Attendance
Engagement and active participation is required. Participation includes taking part in class discussions and exercises, asking questions, commenting, enabling others to participate, and actively listening.
Addressing Controversial Issues
This is a laborious and very valuable skill which you may have may opportunities to practice. Our major goal will be to create a classroom climate that encourages healthy intellectual conflict (the kind that leads to emotional growth) and discourages personal attack. This course focuses on the ideologies that shape and create past and present experiences and not on personal opinions, ideas or beliefs. This means that we will exploring our perceptions of the dominant society's attitudes and portrayals.
Seminar Requirement
You will be working in groups in and out of class. This is the heart of a cultural class such as this and preparation for these meetings is crucial. You must complete the assignments and the readings before each seminar and bring your response papers to the group for discussion, and for grading. Learning to understand alternative points of view is essential to becoming a sophisticated thinker and experience learner. Before one can appreciate other points of view one must hear them. That is one reason I ask that you work in groups, so that you can hear yourselves.
Project Requirement
The first Monday of the second week of the quarter, we will discuss the Project requirement fully. Here I would like to mention several significant points: During the ninth week of the quarter, students will start presenting the work they done as a term project to the entire class. The nature of each project should relate to ideas and concepts generated in class. This is your opportunity to put your creative talents into communicating with others within an creative framework. You may present your creation in an interactive manner, in groups, or as an individual statement. The choice of medium and topic is up to you but must be cleared through me. A sign-up sheet will be set up during the fifth week. No late projects/presentations accepted.
Service Learning Option:
We have incorporated service-learning as an option for credit to for any student in this class. If you choose service-learning, it would be graded as your class Project. There would be a 20 minutes presentation during the second week to fully explain this option. You may work in one of the two Latino/Chicano student’s leadership organization and it will count as Service Learning.
Methods of Instruction:
Natural Approach, Direct Method, Situational Approach, Total Physical Response, and Lectures, are few of the methods used in class. It has been my experience that a multiple combination of approaches allows learners to experience the Latino cultural diversity as participants in a compelling panorama of situational surprises and emotions achieving cultural diversity via literature language proficiency skills in a much more realistic learning environment.
Seminar methodology is also a key component of this course. Students work in groups in and out of class. This is the heart of a cultural class such as this and preparation for these meetings is crucial. Student must complete the assignments and the readings before each weekly seminar and bring your response papers to the group for discussion, and for grading
METHODS OF TESTING/EVALUATION:
Credit will be awarded for participating in and completing the work of the program according to the following criteria:
* Attending and actively participating in all program activities.
* Coming to seminar, lectures, and presentations on time and prepared.
* Submitting completed assignments on time.
* Submitting four response papers (1 ½ or 2 typed pages).
* Submitting the mid-quarter essay (5 minimum typed pages).
* Presenting your project to the group (15 minutes oral presentation).
* Oral exam at the end of the quarter.
Response Work & Seminar 15%
Term Project: (Proposal, Outline of Presentation,
Oral Presentation, Annotated Bibliography) 30%
Attitude & Participation 15%
Term Essay/Exam - Written 40%
Tentative Schedule of Study (Instructor will modify or readjust it as necessary):
Week 1 & 2 Introduction Latin American Colonial Literature and Class Structure:
The Issue of México Profundo: Types of Knowledge & Transculturation.
Readings: Monday, pp. XV-XXI
Tuesday, pp. 3-19
Wednesday, pp. 19-40
Thursday, pp. 41-58
Video: The Popol Vuh
Weekend Reading: México Profundo, Part II
Week 2 & 3 The Conquest of America: A Contemporary Version I
The Conquest of America, Todorov, "Discovery" pp. 1-50
"The Letter of Columbus on the Discovery of America."
Seminar Discussion:
Video: "The Crossing: Age of Discovery."
Week 3 & 4 The Conquest of America: A Contemporary Version II:
Hernan Cortes Letter to the Emperor Charles V”
The Conquest, Todorov pp 51-124
Video: Song of Safardi
Week 4 & 5 Africa & Europe: The People of the Books vs. Popol Vuh
Open Veins, Galeano's Introductions and Part 1.pp. 1-187
Video: “Africa, Caravans of Gold”
Week 5 & 6 Voices of Dissent: A Brief Account of the Desvastation of the Devastation of the Indies, Bartomé De Las Casas, pp 27-132.
Conferences and Midterm Exam
Assigments due for your conference:
Toward your class project
1. One page discussion of topic, your interest,
the purpose of your project, your work so far.
2. Tentative Hypothesis
3. Working Bibliography
Week 6 & 7 The Colonized Imagination:
Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico
La Encomienda & La Mita
Inca Garcilazo de la Vega
Video: TBA
Week 7 & 8 The Church The Traps of Faith.
Readings: Sor Juana.
Film: I the Worst of All
Week 8 & 9 Towards a Decolonized Literature and Imagination
The Enlightenment & The Barroque Eugenio de Santa Cruz y Espejo
Conclusions
Week 9 & 10 Projects Presented
Individual presentations of projects throughout the week.
Week 10 & 11 Projects Presented
Individual presentations of projects throughout the week.
ADA Accomodation Statement:
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.
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