Latin America Metaphors

The Vanguard of the Atlantic World by James Sanders seems to do little more than reiterate the concept that American republican modernity was debated by various countries located in Latin America in regards to their status as a united global political power. Not to say that these nations were united in terms of alliances, or treaties, but rather that some intellectuals adopted the concept of a “sisterhood” of republic democracies. The analysis of the political systems in Latin America after their independence from European nations is not where the disappointment lies, but rather the lack of context given to various components in his research that were supposed to show the transition of Latin America during its state of transformation from colonial territories to independent republican nations.

For decades, the history of Latin America has been shrouded in a cover of Spanish glory and myth that misleads and complicates the views of historians everywhere. Myths such as the relationship between natives and conquistadors, and the individuality of the conquistadors themselves stand as only a few examples of how this history may have become broken and distorted. However, in Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest Matthew Restall goes to great lengths to dispel these myths and provide a more accurate history of Latin American, in a readable and enjoyable book.

The author pleads to the political powers to give countries their fair chance and govern their own countries. “Lower yourselves to the unfortunate and raise them up in your arms…let the country’s natural blood surge and throb through its veins,” (Martí 287). The author asks the people in a higher social positon to be an even level of humanity and celebrate a triumph rather than subject Latin American countries under submission. Martí inquires once again freedom for nations that have been under a certain sovereign power. On a rhetorical level, he is also canvasing for equality through the learning of native languages and culture once again. Writer Carlos Urzaiz proclaims that Martí had centered his writings, “concerned with American indigenous populations, emphasizes their capacity to animate their respective cul-tures and associates the restoration of their respective soul— “identity” in modern terms.” Conserving primitive civilizations had become important to Martí and saw the seriousness of bringing back the abandoned cultures back to the surface as revolutions throughout Latin America were

Today, instead of weaker Latin American countries being colonized by an imperial power like they were in history, they have been given the appearance of authority while Western

We often villainize the countries of Latin America, making them out as lands filled with violent, less civilized, poor people. Those who are uneducated about Latin America and the culture may apply the things they know about one culture in Latin America or the Caribbean to other countries in the area. We don’t realize that some of the stereotypes are directly influenced by the legacies left by European colonialism. Scholars studying colonialism have determined five colonial legacies that are seen in many post-colonial countries. These colonial legacies are authoritarian government, power of the Roman Catholic Church, a social hierarchy, economic dependency, and the large landed estate. In the film Pelo Malo, Junior, a young boy from a

Camus’ Siddhartha and Herman Hesse’s The Stranger have recurring experiences of solitude. Whether it be physical or mental, solitude plays a major role in allowing each protagonist reach a point of enlightenment. Through solitude, each protagonist goes through rebirth, their lowest point, and awakening, revealing things about themselves in the process. Although the two protagonists reach enlightenment in the end, the two have very different outlooks, Meursault is a reserved person who goes with the flow while Siddhartha is the opposite. The two works show that no matter what the initial outlook on life is, points of solitude are key to reaching a point of enlightenment in the end.

Models for post-revolutionary Latin American government are born of the complex economic and social realities of 17th and 18th century Europe. From the momentum of the Enlightenment came major political rebellions of the elite class against entrenched national monarchies and systems of power. Within this time period of elitist revolt and intensive political restructuring, the fundamental basis for both liberal and conservative ideology was driven deep into Latin American soil. However, as neither ideology sought to fulfill or even recognize the needs or rights of mestizo people under government rule, the initial liberal doctrine pervading Latin American nations perpetuated

American attitudes towards Latin America can be summed up as an extension of larger global directives, and the exclusion of foreign powers in the region. This was highlighted especially during the Cold War as US involvement was essentially in competition with the USSR. Latin America was therefore a mere pawn in the larger context of US-Soviet competition for global dominance. The actions and methods used are also characterized by the lack of an international authority, or an atmosphere of inter-state anarchy, which shaped their calculations in the endeavor to increase their influence over Latin America. When one analyzes the situation, it seems only rational that the United States treated its southern neighbors so, due to the geographical

What comes across your mind when you think of Latin America? Latin America consists of many different cultures, people with ethnic backgrounds; Mexico, Central America, South America. Latin America has the diversity in its people, and succession has brought along what makes Latin America what it is in modern times. In the article “Latin America: Myth and Reality,” the author mentions that “stereotypes spring from ignorance and bias,” which I think is significantly appropriate to bring up in this conversation (“Latin America” 3). Latin America is united by their differences, and I think most of the stereotypes are disappearing, while people are becoming more educated. But to comprehend what lies behind the mask, we all must disregard labels, and instead appreciate Latin America for who they all are. To mention a few, let’s dive into the article to understand some common stereotypes that someone might have.

   One Hundred Year of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez projects itself among the most famous and ambitious works in the history of literature. Epic in scope, Marquez weaves autobiography, allegory and historical allusion to create a surprisingly coherent story line about his forebears, his descendants and ours.

Eduardo Galeano, Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1997

Although Latin America has faced many social, political, and economic issues within the last three centuries, inequality remains one of the most important, historical, and omnipresent aspects of the region’s culture. As Europeans took over Latin America during the time of colonization, they implemented many elitist social structures that have held strong and are evident today (Harris). Income inequality is the most visible and greatest disparity that the region faces; yet inequality between gender, ethnicities, and education remain strong and significant problems with a necessity for improvement. Inequality of wealth and disparity of power and influence are Latin American’s greatest curses and are at the root of many of the

Gabriel Garcia Marquez has dealt with historical themes in several of his fictions, but in One Hundred Years of Solitude, the author makes a statement about history and the importance of historical consciousness. In this paper, the view of history expressed by Gabriel Garcia Marquez in One Hundred Years of Solitude will be the focus.

Magic realism is a writing style in which mythical elements are put into a realistic story but it does not break the narrative flow; rather it helps a reader get a deeper understanding of the reality. Often time’s Latin-American writers utilize this writing technique. It has been speculated by many critics that magic realism appears most often in the literature of countries with long histories of both mythological stories and social turmoil, such as those in Central and South America. Like many Latin-American writers, Gabriel Garcia Marquez used this approach of magic realism, in his book “One Hundred Years of Solitude”, in which he reveals the history of Macondo through the seven generations of the

Imagine being trapped in a disdainful atmosphere, where no one is wanted and their culture is looked over. The fate of the people being controlled by greedy dictators who only wants what is best for them. Being put into solitude. The two types of solitude, negative and positive. One in which people are forced into and one which some people find necessary. Through solitude, many can discover all sorts of emotions such as loneliness, peace, and also spirituality. But, the effect that solitude has on a person all relies on the way they use it. In Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s speech, “The Solitude of Latin America”, he tackles the history and recent state of Latin America. Additionally, he preaches about the word “solitude”, the state of being alone or isolated. The word solitude is used as a metaphor throughout “The Solitude of Latin America” because Latin America wishes for everyone to be themselves and be accepted to be themselves, even when others don’t agree with it and also since the overall connotation of the word “solitude” in the speech is negative and therefore represents the struggles of Latin America.