"Islas sonantes": Music and Sound Technologies in Hispanic Caribbean Literature
SPAN 281
Spring 2022 not offered
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| Crosslisting:
LAST 281 |
| Course Cluster and Certificates: Caribbean Studies Minor |
Cuban author Alejo Carpentier once stated that the Antilles (the Caribbean islands) could easily be referred to as "islas sonantes" (sounding islands) because of their strong musical tradition. Music, according to him, is their common denominator. Inspired by this statement and extending it, in this course we will examine the role of music, as well as other sound and vocal productions in Hispanic Caribbean literature from the end of the 19th century to the present. Through close readings, we will reflect on how music and other sound media or communication devices (such as radio, audio recordings, sound magnification, and telephone) have helped reconceptualize social identities, notions of time and space, and human interaction. We will also look at their, at times, ideological, political, or purely aesthetic functions. No knowledge of music or sound technologies is required for this course. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA RLAN |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (CBST-MN)(HISP)(LAST)(RMST) |
Major Readings:
Alejo Carpentier, EL ACOSO (1956) Cuba
Mayra Santos Febres, SIRENA SELENA VESTIDA DE PENA (2000) Puerto Rico
Rita Indiana, PAPI (2005) Dominican Republic
A course reader with works by Nicolás Guillén, Luis Palés Matos, Manuel del Cabral, Virgilio Piñera, Severo Sarduy, Ana Lydia Vega, Rosario Ferré, Pedro Pietri, and Tato Laviera, among others.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Active participation in class, weekly Moodle forum participation, two essays, one oral presentation, and a final project. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course is intended for students who have completed SPAN 221 with a B- or better. Students who have not done so should consult with the professor before preregistering. Readings, written assignments, and class discussions will be in Spanish. Reading and writing are the best ways for adult learners to improve their spoken Spanish. You will therefore improve all of your language skills in this course.
CONDITIONS FOR CR/U STUDENT OPTION: The Department of Romance Languages & Literatures normally does not recognize CR/U except for COL students. The reason is that learning effectively in another language calls for regular completion of multiple activities over the course of the term, including faithful attendance and informed participation. In our experience students have counted on grades to determine where to focus their efforts. Because of the pandemic we have made the CR/U option available, but it should be chosen only as a measure of last resort. Since a full university credit is involved no matter what the grading option, bear in mind that CR/U assumes students will complete all graded activities including attendance and participation satisfactorily. Remember, too, that the Hispanic Literatures & Cultures major and study abroad continue to require that courses be completed with a minimum grade. If you take your course CR/U, your professor will record the letter grade and the Spanish section will decide accordingly whether the grade is sufficient for you to continue to the next level, to study abroad, to meet the requirement for acceptance into the major, or for the course to count for the major. If you are having difficulties of any kind, we urge you to contact your professor immediately to see what can be done to address them. |
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