Strand
History, Social Studies, Literature
Objectives
Students will have the opportunity to learn about several Hispanic female writers. They will gain a greater understanding of writers from different countries, historical periods, and genres.
Historical Perspective
The range and contributions of Hispanic women writers in the United States are extensive. Each writer has a distinct culture due to her separate history, background, and experiences. Because a crucial source of Latina creativity and artistic tradition is embedded in the desire to “define a Latin American identity,” writing can become a daunting task.
In addition, women writers bring the awareness of gender roles and other social constructions to the table. Latina/o voices have long been neglected. In her book, Hispanic, Female and Young, Phyllis Tashlik reported that her “students had gone through nine years of public school education in New York City without being exposed to a single novel written by a Latina/o author.” This was true even though one-third of the students in her classroom were Latino.
Pacing
Two class periods
Materials
Expository Writing
Students have the opportunity to write a persuasive essay (see Extension below).
Key Questions
Student will research two sides of the immigration debate. They will formulate their arguments IN SPANISH, based primarily on English documents in the database. Students are encouraged to use some suggested links to Spanish-content sites for further preparation. Encourage them to use the suggested graphic organizer to list the arguments for the two sides of the debate issue.
- What have been the literary contributions of these women to Latino literature?
- What are the major themes in their literature?
- How has their background influenced their work?
Point of View
Each student will write brief statements from the point of view several Latina writers. Students will research the biographies of two authors and prepare a brief summary for each. Have students research the writers using the provided links. Encourage them to use the suggested graphic organizer as they read the articles. Students will be asked to portray one of their chosen authors in dialogue with a classmate.
Document-based Questions
To start students thinking about the issues in Latina literature, have them read the following quote by Pat Mora, taken from Horn Book (July/August 1990):
“I write to try to correct these images of worth. I take pride in being a Hispanic writer. I will continue to write and to struggle to say what no other writer can say in quite the same way.”
Key questions students should answer are:
- What might Mora be referring to when she says “images of worth”?
- What does it mean to be a Hispanic writer?
- How might Mora’s background effect what she says like “no other writer” in her literature?
Directions
Distribute the Student Activity sheet or have students access it via The Latino American Experience. Have students work in pairs and assign each of them a writer from those listed on the Student Activity Sheet: Julia Alvarez, Ana Castillo, Isabel Allende, Christina Garcia, Esmeralda Santiago, Pat Mora. In conducting their research, students should explore the following topics:
- Cultural Identity
- English/Spanish Language
- Migration
- Family
- Class
- Gender
Assessment
Use the General Performance Rubrics.to assess students’ performance. Have students reflect on their performance and use the list of expectations to judge how well they met the criteria. Ask students: What issues would you write about if you were a writer?
Extension
Have students read a literary work by one of these female writers. Have students write an essay demonstrating how the author conveys the themes/topics previously mentioned.
(May be copied for classroom use.)