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Voices, Discourse and Identity in Chicano Narrative

Year 2006, Issue: 23, 95 - 103, 01.04.2006

Abstract

In this essay I analyze the different narrative voices and ways of presenting characters’ speech and thought in Chicano fiction. The corpus of data used is from Sandra Cisneros’ novels: The House on Mango Street 1984, 19911 , Woman Hollering Creek 1991 and Caramelo 2002 and the theoretical framework applied is the ‘new stylistics’ approach proposed first by Fowler 1975 and developed later by Leech and Short 1981 , Fowler 1986 and Simpson 1993 . This approach basically consists of applying techniques and concepts of modern linguistics to the study of literature Leech & Short 1981: 1 . In particular, with this analysis I demonstrate how narrative techniques evolve in complexity as Cisneros’ novels emerge over time, specifically, how narrative voices and discourse presentations in her fiction run parallel to one of the key concepts in Chicano literature: identity conflict.

References

  • Anzaldúa, Gloria. Borderlands/La Frontera. The New Mestiza. San Francisco: Spinsters/Aunt Lute, 1987.
  • Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1991.
  • Cisneros, Sandra. Women Hollering Creek and other stories. New York: Vintage Books, 1991.
  • Cisneros, Sandra. Caramelo or Puro Cuento. New York: Alfred A. Knop, 2002.
  • Danticat, Edwidge. The Beacon Best of 2000 Great Writing by Women and Men of all Colors and Cultures. Boston: Beacon Press, 2000.
  • De Valdés, María Elena. The Shattered Mirror: Representations of women in Mexican literature, Austin: University of Texas Press, 1998
  • Fowler, Roger. Style and Structure in Literature: Essays in the New Stylistics. Oxford: Blackwell, 1975.
  • Fowler, Roger. Linguistic Criticism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986.
  • García Vizcaíno, María José. “The Pragmatics of Code-Switching in Chicano Literature.” Spanish in the US Conference. Hyatt Regency Hotel, Chicago. 24 March. 2005.
  • Gewecke, Frauke. “De identidades, territorios y fronteras que se cruzan: la(s) literatura(s) de los Hispanics o Latinos en Estados Unidos.” Iberoamericana 1(3) (2001): 205-227.
  • Leech, Geoffrey N., and Michael H. Short. Style in fiction: A linguistic introduction to English fictional prose. New York: Longman, 1981.
  • Madsen, Deborah. Understanding Contemporary Chicana Literature. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2000.
  • McCracken, Ellen. “Postmodern Ethnicity in Sandra Cisneros’ Caramelo: Hybridity, Spectacle, and Memory in the Nomadic Text.” Journal of American Studies of Turkey 12 (2000):1-8.
  • Moreno, Francisco. “En los orígenes de la novela chicana.” Arena Cultural (2002): 4. Olivares, Julián. “Sandra Cisneros’ ‘The House on Mango Street’ and the Poetics of Space.” Chicana Creativity and Criticism: New Frontiers in American Literature. Ed. María HerreraSobek and Helena María Viramontes. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1996. 160-170.
  • Prince, Gerald. Narratology: The Form and Functioning of Narrative. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1982.
  • Simpson, Paul. Language, ideology and point of view, London: Routledge, 1993.
Year 2006, Issue: 23, 95 - 103, 01.04.2006

Abstract

References

  • Anzaldúa, Gloria. Borderlands/La Frontera. The New Mestiza. San Francisco: Spinsters/Aunt Lute, 1987.
  • Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1991.
  • Cisneros, Sandra. Women Hollering Creek and other stories. New York: Vintage Books, 1991.
  • Cisneros, Sandra. Caramelo or Puro Cuento. New York: Alfred A. Knop, 2002.
  • Danticat, Edwidge. The Beacon Best of 2000 Great Writing by Women and Men of all Colors and Cultures. Boston: Beacon Press, 2000.
  • De Valdés, María Elena. The Shattered Mirror: Representations of women in Mexican literature, Austin: University of Texas Press, 1998
  • Fowler, Roger. Style and Structure in Literature: Essays in the New Stylistics. Oxford: Blackwell, 1975.
  • Fowler, Roger. Linguistic Criticism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986.
  • García Vizcaíno, María José. “The Pragmatics of Code-Switching in Chicano Literature.” Spanish in the US Conference. Hyatt Regency Hotel, Chicago. 24 March. 2005.
  • Gewecke, Frauke. “De identidades, territorios y fronteras que se cruzan: la(s) literatura(s) de los Hispanics o Latinos en Estados Unidos.” Iberoamericana 1(3) (2001): 205-227.
  • Leech, Geoffrey N., and Michael H. Short. Style in fiction: A linguistic introduction to English fictional prose. New York: Longman, 1981.
  • Madsen, Deborah. Understanding Contemporary Chicana Literature. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2000.
  • McCracken, Ellen. “Postmodern Ethnicity in Sandra Cisneros’ Caramelo: Hybridity, Spectacle, and Memory in the Nomadic Text.” Journal of American Studies of Turkey 12 (2000):1-8.
  • Moreno, Francisco. “En los orígenes de la novela chicana.” Arena Cultural (2002): 4. Olivares, Julián. “Sandra Cisneros’ ‘The House on Mango Street’ and the Poetics of Space.” Chicana Creativity and Criticism: New Frontiers in American Literature. Ed. María HerreraSobek and Helena María Viramontes. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1996. 160-170.
  • Prince, Gerald. Narratology: The Form and Functioning of Narrative. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1982.
  • Simpson, Paul. Language, ideology and point of view, London: Routledge, 1993.
There are 16 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

María José García Vizcaíno This is me

Publication Date April 1, 2006
Published in Issue Year 2006 Issue: 23

Cite

MLA Vizcaíno, María José García. “Voices, Discourse and Identity in Chicano Narrative”. Journal of American Studies of Turkey, no. 23, 2006, pp. 95-103.

JAST - Journal of American Studies of Turkey