The Voice of the Masters

Writing and Authority in Modern Latin American Literature

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, Central & South American
Cover of the book The Voice of the Masters by Roberto González Echevarría, University of Texas Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Roberto González Echevarría ISBN: 9780292788893
Publisher: University of Texas Press Publication: July 5, 2010
Imprint: University of Texas Press Language: English
Author: Roberto González Echevarría
ISBN: 9780292788893
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Publication: July 5, 2010
Imprint: University of Texas Press
Language: English
By one of the most original and learned critical voices in Hispanic studies— a timely and ambitious study of authority as theme and authority as authorial strategy in modern Latin American literature.An ideology is implicit in modern Latin American literature, argues Roberto González Echevarría, through which both the literature itself and criticism of it define what Latin American literature is and how it ought to be read. In the works themselves this ideology is constantly subjected to a radical critique, and that critique renders the ideology productive and in a sense is what constitutes the work. In literary criticism, however, too frequently the ideology merely serves as support for an authoritative discourse that seriously misrepresents Latin American literature.In The Voice of the Masters, González Echevarría attempts to uncover the workings of modern Latin American literature by creating a dialogue of texts, a dynamic whole whose parts are seven illuminating essays on seminal texts in the tradition. As he says, "To have written a sustained, expository book ... would have led me to make the same kind of critical error that I attribute to most criticism of Latin American literature.... I would have naively assumed an authoritative voice while attempting a critique of precisely that critical gesture."Instead, major works by Barnet, Cabrera Infante, Carpentier, Cortázar, Fuentes, Gallegos, García Márquez, Roa Bastos, and Rodó are the object of a set of independent deconstructive (and reconstructive) readings. Writing in the tradition of Derrida and de Man, González Echevarría brings to these readings both the penetrative brilliance of the French master and a profound understanding of historical and cultural context. His insightful annotation of Cabrera Infante's "Meta-End," the full text of which is presented at the close of the study, clearly demonstrates these qualities and exemplifies his particular approach to the text.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
By one of the most original and learned critical voices in Hispanic studies— a timely and ambitious study of authority as theme and authority as authorial strategy in modern Latin American literature.An ideology is implicit in modern Latin American literature, argues Roberto González Echevarría, through which both the literature itself and criticism of it define what Latin American literature is and how it ought to be read. In the works themselves this ideology is constantly subjected to a radical critique, and that critique renders the ideology productive and in a sense is what constitutes the work. In literary criticism, however, too frequently the ideology merely serves as support for an authoritative discourse that seriously misrepresents Latin American literature.In The Voice of the Masters, González Echevarría attempts to uncover the workings of modern Latin American literature by creating a dialogue of texts, a dynamic whole whose parts are seven illuminating essays on seminal texts in the tradition. As he says, "To have written a sustained, expository book ... would have led me to make the same kind of critical error that I attribute to most criticism of Latin American literature.... I would have naively assumed an authoritative voice while attempting a critique of precisely that critical gesture."Instead, major works by Barnet, Cabrera Infante, Carpentier, Cortázar, Fuentes, Gallegos, García Márquez, Roa Bastos, and Rodó are the object of a set of independent deconstructive (and reconstructive) readings. Writing in the tradition of Derrida and de Man, González Echevarría brings to these readings both the penetrative brilliance of the French master and a profound understanding of historical and cultural context. His insightful annotation of Cabrera Infante's "Meta-End," the full text of which is presented at the close of the study, clearly demonstrates these qualities and exemplifies his particular approach to the text.

More books from University of Texas Press

Cover of the book [Un]framing the "Bad Woman" by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book Impunity, Human Rights, and Democracy by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book Farming, Hunting, and Fishing in the Olmec World by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book El derecho en español by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book Oaxaca al Gusto by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book Desert Passions by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book Saga of the Jomsvikings by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book Literature, Analytically Speaking by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book Savage Cinema by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book Coevolution of Animals and Plants by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book Tejano Religion and Ethnicity by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book Hebrew and Hellene in Victorian England by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book The Cultural Life of the Automobile by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book The Color of Love by Roberto González Echevarría
Cover of the book The Texas Rangers by Roberto González Echevarría
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy