CLIT 321A / GLITS 314A / JSIS 480A
SLN 11947 / SLN 15465 / SLN 16272
Literature of the Americas: Dictatorship in Argentine and Chilean Fiction and Film
Professor Cynthia Steele
Winter 2023
MW 12:30-2:20
CANVAS SITE:
https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1611758
REGISTRATION LINK:
https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJctd-ivpjwoHNdHuVQxRa4PSB50JZp_7khs
PERSONAL MEETING ROOM (for office hours):
https://washington.zoom.us/j/2712049673
**THIS CLASS WILL BE TAUGHT BY ZOOM**
Description:
Introduction to the genre of the political thriller, through close readings of three short novels and thirteen films from Argentina and Chile, plus one from the U.S., which explore family relationships against the backdrop of the dramatic political changes of the past half century: first the military coups, dictatorships, tortures and disappearances of the 1970s and 1980s, and then the struggle for democratization and reconciliation in the 1990s and 2000s.
We will watch the films on instant streaming, outside of class. In addition to the three novels, we will read seven journal articles analyzing the novels and films. I will post questions to our Canvas site, to guide our discussions. Students will keep a viewing and reading journal and write a 4-6-page essay, comparing a theme or problem in two or three of our primary texts (novels and/or films). The films have English subtitles and the readings are in English translation, so knowledge of Spanish is required (but it is most welcome!).
NOVELS:
- Figueras, Marcelo. Kamchatka. Trans. Frank Wynne. NY: Grove Press / Black Cat, 2011, 312 pp; paperback $9.00 or kindle $1.99 ISBN-10: 0802170870
- Sacheri, Eduardo. The Secret in their Eyes. Trans. John Cullen. NY: Other Press, 2011, 398 pp; paperback $10.99 or kindle $10.99 ISBN-10: 1590514505
- Skármeta, Antonio. The Days of the Rainbow. Trans. Mery Botbol. NY: Other Press, 2013, 240 pp; paperback $11.61 or kindle $10.99 ISBN-10: 1590516273
FILMS:
F1. Blaustein, David. Spoils of War / Botín de guerra (1999). CANVAS
F2. Puenzo, Luis. The Official Story / La historia oficial (1985). KANOPY
https://www.kanopy.com/en/washington/video/5724028
F3. Avila, Benjamín. Clandestine Childhood / Infancia clandestina (2011); KANOPY
https://www.kanopy.com/en/washington/video/160140
F4. Mitre, Santiago. Argentina, 1985 (2022):
https://www.amazon.com/Argentina-1985-Ricardo-Dar%C3%ADn/dp/B0B8TMQCKB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZVVPKQIEHATV&keywords=argentina+1985&qid=1673465974&s=instant-video&sprefix=argentina+1985%2Cinstant-video%2C353&sr=1-1
F5. Piñyero, Marcelo, Kamchatka (2002). CANVAS
F6. Lerman, Diego. The Invisible Eye/ La mirada invisible (2010). KANOPY
https://washington.kanopy.com/video/invisible-eye-la-mirada-invisib
F7. Campanella, Juan José. The Secret in their Eyes / El secreto de sus ojos (2009). ALEXANDER STREET
F8. Ray, Billy. Secret in their Eyes (2015). TUBI
https://tubitv.com/movies/662955?utm_source=justwatch-feed&tracking=justwatch-feed
F9. Wood, Andrés. Machuca (2004). CANVAS
F10. Guzmán, Patricio. Nostalgia for the Light / Nostalgia de la luz (2011). CANVAS
https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1611758/assignments/7763185
F11. Guzmán, Patricio. The Cordillera of Dreams/ La cordillera de los sueños (2019). ALEXANDER STREET
F12. Larraín, Pablo. Tony Manero (2008). CANVAS
https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1611758/assignments/7763237
F13. Badham, John. Saturday Night Fever (Amazon Prime):
https://www.amazon.com/Saturday-Night-Fever-John-Badham/dp/B001D07UO0/ref=atv_pr_sw_sc
Tony’s Solo Dance from Saturday Night Fever:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT42ocqmI9s
F14. Larraín, Pablo. Post-mortem (2010). AMAZON, $3
F15. Larraín, Pablo. No (SONY, 2013). ALEXANDER STREET
Articles Posted to Canvas (under “Files”):
A1. Garibotto, Verónica Inés. “’Private Narratives and Infant Views’: Iconizing 1970s Militancy in Contemporary Argentine Cinema.” Hispanic Research Journal, Vol. 16, No. 3 (June 2015), pp. 257-272.
A2. Tierney, Dolores. “Juan José Campanella: Historical Memory and Accountability in El secreto en sus ojos (The Secret in their Eyes 2009).” In Transnationalisms in Contemporary Latin American Cinema, ed. XX (Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, 2015), pp. 201-226.
A3. Martín-Cabrera, Luis. “Class Conflict, State of Exception and Radical Justice in Machuca by Andrés Wood.” Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies: Travesía 16.1 (2007): 63-80.
A4. Uhlin, Graig. “The Natural and Unnatural Histories of Patricio Guzmán.” Resilience: A Journal of the Environmental Humanities, Vol. 7, Nos. 2-3 (Spring-Fall 2020), pp. 40-59.
A5. Thakkar, Amit. “The Perpetrating Victim: An Allegorical Reading of Pablo Larraín’s Tony Manero (2008).” Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies / Travesía, Vol. 26, No. 4 (2017), pp. 523-537.
A6. Harvey, James. “Democratic Ambivalence in post mortem.” Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies / Travesía, Vol. 26, No. 4 (2017), pp. 539-551.
A7. Vilches, Patricia. “When No Means ‘Yes’ and ‘No.” Film International Issue 2 (2020), pp. 124-135.
Determination of Grades:
Journal One 25%
Journal Two 25%
Introduction to Comparative Essay 10%
Comparative Essay, 4-6 pages 25%
Class Participation 15%
Reading and Viewing Journal:
Please write at least 200 words, typed, double-spaced, on each of the films and readings. Please see the numbered list of entries and instructions posted on Canvas under “Assignments.”
Comparative Analytical Essay:
Students will write one 4-6-page analytical essay, including a list of works consulted, and incorporating discussion of the films and readings studied in class. The essay should compare and contrast a theme or problem in two of the films we have studied in class. Please see the topics and detailed instructions posted under “Assignments.”
Please follow the guidelines of the MLA Handbook:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
Utilize the services of the writing tutors at the Odegaard Writing and Research Center. You can make appointments with them online:
https://depts.washington.edu/owrc/signup.php
Academic Honesty:
You are responsible for understanding and observing the UW guidelines regarding academic honesty. Your written work will be submitted through Canvas, which utilizes Turnitin to detect and provide a detailed report on any instances of plagiarism. Please let me know if you have any questions about this.
Students with Disabilities:
To request accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz, (206) 543-8924 ((V/TTY). If you have a letter from Disabled Student Services indicating that you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss such accommodations.
WINTER 2023
CALENDAR
WEEK ONE:
Wed. Jan. 4
Introduction
F1. Blaustein, David. Spoils of War (1999). CANVAS
WEEK TWO:
Mon, Jan 9
F2. Puenzo, Luis. The Official Story (1985). KANOPY
https://washington.kanopy.com/video/official-story-1
Figueras, Marcelo. Kamchatka, trans. Frank Wynn (NY: Black Cat, 2011), First Period: Biology, Ch 1-18, pp. 1-49
Wed, Jan 11
F3. Avila, Benjamín. Clandestine Childhood (2011). KANOPY
https://washington.kanopy.com/video/clandestine-childhood-infancia-clandestina
Figueras, Marcelo. Kamchatka, Second Period: Geography, Ch. 19-39, pp. 55-128.
A1. Garibotto article
WEEK THREE:
Mon, Jan 16
Martin Luther King Day, no class
Wed, Jan 18
Figueras, Marcelo. Kamchatka, Third Period: Language, Ch. 40-63, pp. 133-229.
F4. Mitre, Santiago. Argentina, 1985 (2022):
https://www.amazon.com/Argentina-1985-Ricardo-Dar%C3%ADn/dp/B0B8TMQCKB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZVVPKQIEHATV&keywords=argentina+1985&qid=1673465974&s=instant-video&sprefix=argentina+1985%2Cinstant-video%2C353&sr=1-1
WEEK FOUR:
Mon, Jan 23
Figueras, Marcelo. Kamchatka, Fourth Period: Astronomy, Ch. 64-81, pp. 235-309.
F5. Piñyero, Marcelo. Kamchatka (2002). CANVAS
Wed, Jan 25
Sacheri, Eduardo. The Secret in their Eyes, trans. John Cullen, Ch. 1-12, pp. 1-121
Friday, Jan. 27, 7 pm: JOURNAL ONE DUE TO CANVAS
WEEK FIVE:
Mon, Jan 30
Sacheri, Eduardo. Secret, Ch. 13-19, pp. 122-189.
F6. Lerman, Diego. The Invisible Eye (2010). KANOPY
https://washington.kanopy.com/video/invisible-eye-la-mirada-invisib
Wed, Feb 1
Sacheri, Eduardo. Secret, Ch. 20-32, pp. 190-284.
WEEK SIX:
Mon, Feb 6
Sacheri, Eduardo. Secret, Ch. 33-45 and Author’s Note, pp. 285-384.
A2. Tierney article
F7. Campanella, Juan José, The Secret in their Eyes (2009), ALEXANDER STREET
Wed, Feb 8
F8. Ray, Billy. Secret in their Eyes (2015). TUBI
https://tubitv.com/movies/662955?utm_source=justwatch-feed&tracking=justwatch-feed
WEEK SEVEN:
Mon, Feb 13
Skármeta, Antonio. The Days of the Rainbow, Ch. 1-13, pp. 1-55.
A3. Martín-Cabrera article.
F9. Wood, Andrés. Machuca (2004). CANVAS.
Wed, Feb 15
Skármeta, Antonio. The Days, Ch. 14-26, pp. 56-117.
F10. Guzmán, Patricio. Nostalgia for the Light (2011). CANVAS
https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1611758/assignments/7763185
A4. Uhlin article
WEEK EIGHT:
Mon, Feb 20
Presidents’ Day, no class
Wed, Feb 22
Skármeta, Antonio. The Days, Ch. 27-36, pp. 118-180.
F11. Guzmán, Patricio. The Cordillera of Dreams (2019). ALEXANDER STREET
WEEK NINE:
Mon, Feb 27
Skármeta, Antonio. The Days, Ch. 37-44, pp 181-231.
F12. Larraín, Pablo. Tony Manero (Canvas)
https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1611758/assignments/7763237
F13. Badham, John. Saturday Night Fever (Canvas)
https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1611758/assignments/7919184
A5. Thakkar article
Wed, March 1
F14. Larraín, Pablo. Post-mortem (2010). Amazon Video rent $3
A6. Harvey article
WEEK TEN:
Mon, March 6
F15. Larraín, Pablo. No (SONY, 2013). ALEXANDER STREET
A7. Vilches article
Bring your working title and introduction with thesis statement to class for peer critiques.
Wed, March 8
12: Submit Introduction to Comparative Essay to Canvas
Conclusions
Fri, March 10, 7 pm: JOURNAL TWO DUE TO CANVAS
Mon, March 13, 7 pm: ESSAY DUE TO CANVAS