One of the defining characteristics of twentieth-century Latin American fiction has been the impulse to rewrite regional, national, and global histories. In this course students will explore the intersection of fiction and history through readings of works by authors such as Carlos Fuentes, Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargas Llosa, as well as numerous historical documents including art and film. Through our examination of these texts, by the end of the semester students will have a nuanced understanding of Latin American history as well as how twentieth-century Latin American authors have endeavored to reshape these histories in their works.        

    Over the course of the semester students will examine questions such as: To what extent is all history a work of fiction, and at what moments does fiction come closer to historical truth than history itself? What is at stake in the production of these histories? Why do scholars and critics identify this continual writing and rewriting of history as a distinctly Latin American literary phenomenon?

Discussions and readings will be in English.