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Ordering Texas: the Representation of Violence, Nationalism, and Masculine Archetypes in U.S.-Mexico Borderland Novels (1985-2012)

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Ordering Texas: the Representation of Violence, Nationalism, and Masculine Archetypes in U.S.-Mexico Borderland Novels (1985-2012) University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies Hispanic Studies 2017 (B)ordering Texas: The Representation of Violence, Nationalism, and Masculine Archetypes in U.S.-Mexico Borderland Novels (1985-2012) Joshua D. Martin University of Kentucky, [email protected] Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2017.190 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Martin, Joshua D., "(B)ordering Texas: The Representation of Violence, Nationalism, and Masculine Archetypes in U.S.-Mexico Borderland Novels (1985-2012)" (2017). Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies. 31. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/hisp_etds/31 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Hispanic Studies at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained needed written permission statement(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine) which will be submitted to UKnowledge as Additional File. I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless an embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of my work. I understand that I am free to register the copyright to my work. REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s thesis including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. Joshua D. Martin, Student Dr. Susan Carvalho, Major Professor Dr. Carmen Moreno-Nuño, Director of Graduate Studies (B)ORDERING TEXAS: THE REPRESENTATION OF VIOLENCE, NATIONALISM, AND MASCULINE ARCHETYPES IN U.S.-MEXICO BORDERLAND NOVELS (1985-2012) _______________ DISSERTATION ______________ A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky By Joshua D. Martin Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Susan Carvalho, Professor of Hispanic Studies Lexington, Kentucky 2017 Copyright © Joshua D. Martin 2017 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION (B)ORDERING TEXAS: THE REPRESENTATION OF VIOLENCE, NATIONALISM, AND MASCULINITIES IN U.S.-MEXICO BORDERLAND NOVELS (1985-2012) The present project explores the narrative construction of masculinities, violence, and nationalism in three U.S.-Mexico borderland novels written by U.S., Mexican, and Mexican-American writers: Caballero (1930s-40s, pub.1996) by Jovita González and Eve Raleigh; Blood Meridian (1985) by Cormac McCarthy; and Texas: La gran ladronería en el lejano norte (2012) by Carmen Boullosa. Through the scope of masculinity, gender, and (post)colonial studies, this project examines how these authors incorporate hegemonic masculine archetypes and their attendant forms of violence (physical, economic, and epistemic) so as to interrogate claims to identity and national belonging along the Texas-Mexico border, against the backdrop of war and U.S. imperialism. In their roles as builders and/or defenders of an expanding nation-state, the male characters studied here enact distinct forms of violence in order to normalize their positions of power and further encode their claims to political and cultural hegemony. Considered together, the texts studied here demonstrate how the intersection of nationalism, masculinity construction, and particular forms of violence converge within an Anglo hegemonic masculinity to the detriment of Mexicans, non-white borderland individuals, and women--all of whom stand at the periphery of this imagined national (male) community. Key words: U.S.-Mexico border, masculinities, violence, nationalism Joshua D. Martin Student’s Signature 2 May 2017 Date (B)ORDERING TEXAS: THE REPRESENTATION OF VIOLENCE, NATIONALISM, AND MASCULINITIES IN U.S.-MEXICO BORDERLAND NOVELS (1985-2012) By Joshua D. Martin Dr. Susan Carvalho Director of Dissertation Dr. Carmen Moreno-Nuño Director of Graduate Studies 2 May 2017 Date For Ellen, Noah, and Rosalynd. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my dissertation director, Dr. Susan Carvalho, for her support, guidance, and mentorship over the past four years. She has made me a better scholar and teacher, and with patience and compassion has helped bring this dissertation to completion. I am indebted to her for her investment in this project, and I am thankful both for her friendship and for the opportunity to have studied with her during my time at the University of Kentucky. I would like to also extend my thanks and appreciation to the other members of my committee, whose input and direction have been invaluable throughout this process. To Dr. Ed Morris: thank you for your nuanced insight as a sociologist. To Dr. Haralambos Symeonidis: thank you, both for your close-reading of this project, and for the linguistics seminars that forced me to grapple with how these writers use (and switch) languages. Lastly, a very special thanks to Dr. Mónica Díaz, with whom I have had the privilege to work both as a research assistant and as the graduate assistant to Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies (LACLS). Thank you, Mónica, for introducing me to Spanish American colonial literature and postcolonial criticism, for your mentorship, and for your friendship. I extend my gratitude as well to the Hispanic Studies faculty at the University of Kentucky for their support, encouragement, and belief in me. I would like to give special thanks to the professors under whom I had the opportunity to study: Drs. Susan Carvalho, Ana Rueda, Yanira Paz, Susan Larson, Haralambos Symeonidis, Mónica Díaz, Enrico Santí, Moisés Castillo, and Alan Brown. Thank you also to Dr. Alicia Ramírez Olivares, of Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), for sharing your knowledge of iii Mexican literature with my colleagues and myself. I would also like to thank Drs. Irene Chico-Wyatt and Ruth Brown for their respective direction and coordination of Elementary Language Instruction, as well as for their feedback and insight that have strengthened my capacities as a Spanish instructor. I extend my thanks, too, to those who served as Director of Graduate Studies during my time at UK: Drs. Susan Larson, Haralambos Symeonidis, Moisés Castillo, and Carmen Moreno-Nuño. Thank you to Mr. Brent Sebastian, our Department Manager, whose immense knowledge of the inner workings of the Department (and the copy machine) has saved the day on countless occasions. Thank you also to my colleagues here at the University of Kentucky: I am humbled by your support and thankful for your friendship. It has been a pleasure to study with, and learn from, each of you. Thank you to the University of Kentucky’s Committee on Social Theory, and especially Drs. Cristina Alcalde, Steven Alvarez, Francie Chassen-Lopez, and Ana Liberato, with whom I took the Transnational Lives seminar. The readings and theoretical concepts studied there were instrumental for the present project. I would like to also extend my thanks to the foreign language faculty at Tennessee Tech University: Drs. Mark Groundland, Deborah Barnard, Marketta Laurila, and Karen Burdette. Each was instrumental in cultivating my language abilities and knowledge of the cultures and literature of my field. Thank you also to the professors in the English department who made me a better writer, and who reminded me that I have at least one foot on this side of the border. Professors Shirley Laird and Michael O’Rourke, in particular, I must thank for their kind letters of recommendation. To Kristy Brown and iv Carroll Gotcher: thank you as well for your early and longstanding investment in me as your student. I would like to also thank my friends and family for their unending and unconditional support. To my parents, Ronnie and Vanessa, and my brother, Jacob: Thank you for a lifetime of love and support, and for believing in me (even when I didn’t). I am thankful also to my aunt Debbie Martin, who has helped push me to the finish line on countless occasions, and who is responsible for my love of travelling. To my in-laws, Gary and Nell, thank you also for your unconditional support. To all of my other friends and family who have offered me their support, and especially to Chris, Kelly, Nicole, Erica, Ryan, Megan, Alejandro, Nathan, and Amanda: thank you, gracias, for everything. I wish to thank my wife, Ellen, whose characteristic love and compassion are behind every word of this project. She has inspired me to be a better man,
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