Profound Books on Latin America’s History Essay (Book Review)

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Alejo Carpentier (1904-1980) was a leading American literary figure and considered one of the 20th century’s best novelists. He was also a musicologist, an essayist, and a playwright who influenced Latin American literature during the famous boom period (Carpentier& de Onís, 1949). His literature commitment also exerted a decisive influence on other young American writers such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Although born of a Russian mother and French father, Carpentier claimed that he was a Cuban-born. Richard J. Walter is a history professor at Washington University. For more than forty years, he taught Latin American History and published many books and articles (Walter & Walter, 1987). Much of his work focused on the history of Argentina and Chile as well as the diplomatic relationships between Peru and the United States.

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The Kingdom of this World by Alejo Carpentier was initially published in 1949 and translated soon after being issued. The book captures events that took place before, during, and after the revolution in Haiti in 1791, which led to Haiti’s declaration of independence in 1804.

It also offers new insights into the slave revolts in the late 1700s and 1800s. It mainly unfolds from the point of view of the plantation slave when he and his master bought a horse for stud. The slave was swept by thoughts of what might happen soon. He saw how a revolution marred by looting, slaughter, and installing a new ruler would occur (Carpentier& de Onís, 1949). These are imagined events blended with the reality that serves as a turning point in global history. Throughout the book, Carpentier explores different perceptions of nature, ethnicity, confusion, history, and destiny with a style that blends history with fiction. The use of repetition and the cyclical nature of events in the book serves an essential role in developing the Caribbean genre and Latin American Literature.

In Literature and History in Contemporary Latin America, Walter connects various historical events in Latin America in the 19thcentury, which are critical in determining the future of the world. The article explains how the movement’s leading figures influenced the political and social achievements in Latin America (Walter & Walter, 1987). The article also draws ideas from other scholars by critically analyzing their novels and contributing to Latin America’s revolution. These scholarly works include The Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa.

The information presented in both the Carpentier book and Walter’s article is essential in advancing relevant knowledge about varying perceptions of reality that led to the revolution of Latin America. These works may also be considered important in the development of Late American literature. The setting of both the book and the article is characterized by a revolution which, at some point, is essential in the development of current Latin America. In regard to the historical presentations, the two literary works introduce a clear connection between the historical, political, social issues and the current issues facing modern society. In this regard, the political stability witnessed during the 19th-century revolution could be viewed as having a ripple effect on the current political and economic growth in Latin America (Walter & Walter, 1987). All these issues are brought to reality regarding historical miraculous occurrences in Latin America.

Although the authors of both the book and the article wrote the short stories at different periods, they both address revolution. In them, the Latin revolution, though marred by challenges, is associated with many benefits in contemporary society. There is a sense of destiny present throughout the two literary works. There is also a socio-political issue where, regardless of who is in power, the problem of injustice is still evident.

The story in Walter’s article is most enjoyable. The story takes the reader back to the time of the Latin American revolution and how it contributes to the entire continent’s history. The story significantly incorporates the information presented by various individuals such as Carlos Fuentes, Gabriel Garcia, and Mario Vargas Llosa (Walter & Walter, 1987). These are individuals who are instrumental in advancing relevant knowledge about the history of Latin America. In order to clearly understand the 19th-century revolution and its characteristics, these authors outline how and when the revolution occurred (Walter & Walter, 1987). They also play an essential role in drafting the possible actions that could have been taken to accelerate the revolution process.

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Walter’s argument about the historical background of the three books mentioned in the article, which are, The Death of Artemio Cruz, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and The War of the End of the World, and their historical background makes sense. This is because the views presented in these three books uncover relevant information about the Latin American revolution and contribute to the debate.

Despite their structure and technique, they are exceedingly realistic and give profound knowledge of Latin America’s history, rather than believable stereotypes. With an introduction to Latin American history, it is essential to understand these three books’ contributions. It is also important to have knowledge of how a collective application of the ideas presented in these books champions the Latin American revolution.

References

Carpentier, A., & de Onís, H. (1949). The kingdom of this world: A novel. (Harriet de Onis. Trans.). New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Walter, R. J., & Walter, R. L. (1987). Literature and history in contemporary Latin America. Latin American Literary Review, Vol. 15, no. 29, pp. 173-182. Web.

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IvyPanda. 2022. "Profound Books on Latin America’s History." June 20, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/profound-books-on-latin-americas-history/.

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