User:Sezekiel

Here is my portion of the annotated bibliography for Leyendas de Guatemala! --Sezekiel (talk) 19:27, 8 February 2010 (UTC)

Giacoman, Helmy F, Ed. Homenaje a Miguel Angel Asturias; variaciones interpretativas en torno a su obra. New York. 1972?

The pages in this book (41-45) that speak directly about Leyendes de Guatemala reflect the layering of indigenous and colonial cultures and histories within the legends. Asturias' background and studies as an anthropologist are discussed as a significant influence in his interest in writing Leyendas. Asturias is described as a "poet-author" and his unique and personal literary abilities are acknowledged. This section then provides historical information, such as that after the book's publication in 1930 it was translated into French and won the Sylla Monsegur award and the introduction and admiration of Valery. The section entitled "Guatemala" is said to refer to the indigenous and colonial cities of Guatemala, the countries geography and the magical ("maravilloso") role of Cuco de los Suenos. In "Ahora de que me recuerdo" Asturias is described as lending his narrative voice to Cuero de Oro, a fictional character. This portion talks about the layering of indigenous and colonial cities upon each other. In "Los brujos de la tormenta primaveral" Asturias is seen as having recognized the evolution of Guatemala in a way that traverses the boundaries of a poem, story, legend or work of prose. Overall Leyendas is considered a work of many heterogenous influences that reveals a unique cultural as well as literary identity.

Relevant Wiki categories: history, literary analysis, criticism, a bit of plot summary

Preble-Niemi, Oralia. Cien Anos de Magia: Ensayos criticos sobre la obra de Miguel Angel Asturias. 2006.

Pages 159-176 pertain to Leyendas de Guatemala in a section called "The Indigenous Subject and Modernity in Leyendas de Guatemala and El Espejo de Lida Sal". According to Jaeger, the author of this chapter, Asturias' Leyendas demonstrates the European and Maya worldviews that compose Guatemala in an attempt to outline identity. There is detailed discussion of the nation and the portrait Asturias paints about the relationship of cultures and races that compose it. This chapter proposes that Leyendas de Guatemala exemplifies how knowledge of myths of the past serve to invent the Guatemalan national identity. Critic Lois Parkinson Zamora considers Leyendas de Guatemala to be a work that shows the "anxiety of origins". By this Zamora means that the contemporary writer (ie Asturias) feels the need to fill the void that exists about indigenous culture by looking to the past. This anxiety is also dealt with by creating a complex narrative full of detailed language that includes the complexity and paradoxes represented by indigenous cultural origins. Zamora further believes that authors such as Asturias' work demonstrates cultural conflicts in Guatemala as a fact of history instead of trying to resolve them in his writing. Later in this chapter it's emphasized that Leyendas do not promote a hybrid view of Guatemalan culture and instead promotes a dialogue between indigenous and European cultures. Additionally the chapter analyzes the interaction of nature and modernity and refers specifically to the legends of "Guatemala" and "Leyenda de la Tatuana" throughout the discussion of Leyendas de Guatemala.

Relevant Wiki categories: literary analysis regarding ideas of the nation, national and cultural identity, and cultural interaction.

Sáenz, Jimena. Genio y Figura de Miguel Angel Asturias. Buenos Aires : Editorial Universitaria de Buenos Aires. 1974

Pages 57-90 mentions the European cultural and literary influence that Asturias experienced in Paris, the location where he wrote the Leyendas. This portion of Saenz's book then provides a detailed summary of each legend by Asturias and mentions literary, linguistic, cultural and/or historical characteristics of them. For example, in reference to Leyenda del Cadejo, this work summarizes the story and also expresses that this legend demonstrates the metamorphosis of the mentality of the Maya and presents Asturias as an "auditory and olfactory author" (71).

Relevant Wiki categories: historical background, plot summary of each legend, analysis of each legend.

Sierra Franco, Aurora. Miguel Angel Asturias en la Literatura. Guatemala Editorial Istmo. 1969

The relevant pages in this book (52-55) note the importance of Valery's introduction and repeats it in its entirety. Leyendas de Guatemala is praised as a beautiful work that is dedicated to Asturias' mother and her influence of story telling. Asturias' poetic writing style is mentioned as is his deep knowledge of the geography and personal feel of Guatemala. Leyendas was the first book of Asturias that won international recognition and it was published in a variety of languages soon after its publication. The legends that Asturias has recorded come from an oral tradition and contain many indigenous Maya elements.

Relevant Wiki categories: Valery's introduction and its importance, linguistic style, historical background.