Module Identifier SP20510  
Module Title SPANISH AMERICA 1  
Academic Year 2006/2007  
Co-ordinator Mr Matthew Richards  
Semester Semester 2  
Pre-Requisite (Normally) Eligibility for entry to Level 2 Spanish.  
Course delivery Lecture   1 per week  
  Seminars / Tutorials   4 per semester  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam2 Hours Written Exam.  70%
Semester Assessment Continuous Assessment: One essay (2000-2500 words).  30%
Supplementary Exam2/3 Hours 1 x 2 hour examination if continuous assessment submitted. 1 x 3 hour examination if no continuous assessment submitted.100%

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module students will:

1) be able to describe the major trends of Mexican history from independence to the period after the Mexican Revolution;
2) be able to relate key literary texts to thier historical background;
3) be able to read and analyse literary texts with greater critical awareness
4) have had further training in

   a) oral presentations
   b) writing essays

Brief description

An introduction to Mexican society through a brief study of the Mexican Revolution, its origins and aftermath, followed by the detailed study of literary texts inspired by the revolution.

The year 1910 saw the outbreak of a major revolution in Mexico which was to plunge the country into nearly a decade of civil wars and to exercise an influence until the present day. The module offers a brief introduction to Mexican society through a study of the Mexican Revolution, its origins and aftermath. The remainder of the module is devoted to the so-called 'novel of the Mexican Revolution' and the study of individual texts inspired, in part at least, by the Revolution and its consequences.

Content

Weeks 1-3 - Study of the Mexican Revolution
Weeks 4-6 - Azuela, Los de abajo
Weeks 7-11 - Rulfo, Pedro Paramo

Reading Lists

Books
** Essential Reading
Azuela, Mariano Los de abajo Catedra
Rulfo, Juan Pedro Páramo Coleccion popular
** Supplementary Text
Aguilar Camin, Hector, and Lorenzo Meyer (1993 (2001 prin) In the shadow of the Mexican revolution :contemporary Mexican history, 1910-1989 http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/texas041/93005168.html 0292704461
Brotherston, Gordon. (1977.) The emergence of the Latin American novel /[by] Gordon Brotherston. 0521295653
Fuentes, Carlos. (1968 (various p) La muerte de Artemio Cruz
Giacoman, Helmy F. (1974.) Homenaje a Juan Rulfo 0871390345
Gonzalez Boixo, Jose C. (1980.) Claves narrativas de Juan Rulfo
Knight, Alan. (1986.) The Mexican revolution
Kristal, Efrain (2005.) The Cambridge companion to the Latin American novel 0521532191
Leal, Luis ([1971]) Mariano Azuela
Meyer, Michael C., and William L. Sherman (1983.) The course of Mexican history 0195031512
Peralta, Violeta and Liliana Befumo Boschi (1975.) Rulfo :la soledad creadora
Swanson, Philip (ed.) (1990.) Landmarks in modern Latin American fiction 0415019974
Tannenbaum, Frank (1965.) Mexico: the struggle for peace and bread

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5