Latin American Boom Literature

• Boom based in 1950s-60s
• Was a worldwide growth in recognition of Latin American literature and culture
• Political attention was on Latin America
  • Cuban Revolution 1953-1959 
    • Fidel Castro and 26th of July Movement
    • Fulgencio Batista (gvt.)
  • Series of golpes in LA. eg Chile 

• Experimental style
• High culture
• Non-linear plot/circular narrative
• Use of magical realism
• Critique of political reality
  • Liberal/left wing authors- cultural manifestation of political ideologies throuhg metaphorical writing
• Narrativa/Novela de Dictadores 

Effects of Boom Lit. 

• International readerships and reputations
• Influential genre - magical realism
• Rise of publishing houses in LA

• Use of fictional and historical figures
• Written in a period of multiple LA dictatorships
• Common themes: injustice, death, corruption, authority
• Authoritarian/military/caudillo figures
• Minor themes: economic oppresion, gender, sexuality. 
• Examples:
  • El doño del patriarca (García Marquez, 1975)
  • El señor presidente (Asturias, 1946)
  • La fiesta del chivo (Vargas Llosa, 2000)
  • 
    

• Narrative technique associated with Latin America
• Uses fantastic or mythical elements in otherwise realistic fiction
• hyperbole/ excess/ supernatural in an everyday setting
• Magical elements treated as commonplace, everyday occurances - confusing for those unfamiliar with M.R. 
• Allows for deeper exploration of metaphor and emotion in the text. 

Effects of Magical Realism 

• Literary reaction against realism 
• Blurs boundaries of life and death in fiction
• Way of expressing the LA reality for new interpretations 

• Gabriel García Marquez
  • From Colombia
  • 1982 Lit. Nobel Prize
  • Associated with M. R. 
  • Active in Boom and Post Boom 
  • 'Cien años de soledad' 
• Carlos Fuentes 
  • From Mexico 
  • 1928-2012
  • Active in Boom and Post Boom 
  • 'La muerte de Artemio Cruz' 1962
    • Experiments with perspective and tense 

• Mario Vargas Llosa
  • From Peru 
  • 2010 Lit. Nobel Prize
  • Boom and Post Boom 
• Julio Cortázar 
  • From Argentina 
  • Stream of consciousness style, very experimental
  • 'Rayuela' 1963 - key Boom text