ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4078-3420

Keywords

Postcolonialism – “Pasión de historia” – Intertextuality – Ana Lydia Vega – Domestic Violence

Abstract

The short story “Pasión de historia” by Ana Lydia Vega can be interpreted as a sharp reflection on Latin American postmodernity, immersed in a cultural reality shaped by colonialism. This context raises questions of identity in the face of a globalized economy, making the story a text with a complex framework and multiple levels of interpretation. Among these, postcolonialism stands out as the central axis of the analysis presented in this essay.

The frequent references to the Puerto Rican nation and its independence struggle, the depiction of gastronomy as a unifying national element, the use of popular language infused with vernacular expressions influenced by English, the allusions to a universal literature with a distinctly Eurocentric and bourgeois character, and the ideologies that juxtapose civilization and barbarism reveal a fragmented notion of the Puerto Rican nation. This vision is rooted in heteroglossia, transcending traditional notions of identity.

Through the construction of the plot, the narrative voice, the parodic rhythm, and the ironic and mocking language, a worldview emerges that is deeply marked by the subaltern condition of the colonized. Within this framework, the story desacralizes the idea of a homogeneous, developing nation while simultaneously challenging globalizing Eurocentric supremacism.

The relevance of this work, despite being written nearly 40 years ago, lies in the persistence of the issues it addresses, which remain unresolved in the 21st Century still bound by postcolonial structures. In this sense, the research question guiding this critical essay is: Can “Pasión de historia” be read from a postcolonial perspective? The short answer is “yes,” and the arguments developed in the following pages will expand and substantiate this assertion.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Lopez, Humberto

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Modern Languages and Literatures

Identifier

DP0029317

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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