The Implied Reader in the Hispanic Children's Literature of the "Encuento" Series
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University of Kentucky UKnowledge University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2005 THE IMPLIED READER IN THE HISPANIC CHILDREN'S LITERATURE OF THE "ENCUENTO" SERIES Genny D. Ballard University of Kentucky Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Ballard, Genny D., "THE IMPLIED READER IN THE HISPANIC CHILDREN'S LITERATURE OF THE "ENCUENTO" SERIES" (2005). University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations. 376. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_diss/376 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION Genny D. Ballard University of Kentucky The Graduate School 2005 THE IMPLIED READER IN THE HISPANIC CHILDREN'S LITERATURE OF THE "ENCUENTO" SERIES ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Hispanic Studies at the University of Kentucky by Genny D. Ballard Lexington, KY Director: Enrico Mario Santí, William T. Bryan Endowed Professor of Hispanic Studies Copyright © Genny D. Ballard 2005 ABSTRACT THE IMPLIED READER IN THE HISPANIC CHILDREN'S LITERATURE OF THE "ENCUENTO" SERIES This dissertation discusses the implied reader in the “EnCuento” series illustrated children’s stories. All the stories are written by well-known Hispanic authors. This work elucidates historical, cultural, and semiotic gaps in the reading process. It explores the ways in which textual elements- such as style, focalization, and manipulation of reader’s expectations - affect the implied reader’s ability to produce or extract meaning. Our study will add to knowledge of the function of the implied reader in children’s texts. This study is divided into four chapters, each focusing on the implied reader. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the series discussing three books that are easy to understand, with simple vocabulary, chronological plots, and strong protagonists. Chapter 2 explores irony in two horror stories; Chapter 3 discusses books that promote a particular ideology. Finally, Chapter 4 explores books with protagonists who are outsiders. The books within each chapter have enough in common in terms of decodability that they seem to pursue the same kind of implied reader. Each chapter illustrates the way that style, point of view, manipulation of reader’s expectations, and telltale gaps affect the implied reader’s ability to make meaning. Within the series, each contributing author creates a system through which the reader can participate in the story. The authors’ intent is to communicate meaning to the implied reader. In sum, interpreting texts is communication between author and reader. In all of the “EnCuento” texts, authors employ response-inviting structures, making them interpretable on many levels. This study further analyzes “EnCuento” stories the better to decide if their primary purpose is didactic. Because of the political content of texts written for adults- as in the case of the stories written by Benedetti, Paz, and Valenzuela - I expected them to communicate a clear political message to their child readers. The thesis also inquires into whether books are, in fact written for children and children exclusively. Because the “EnCuento” authors are accomplished writers of adult literature, this study analyzes the degree to which the authors communicate specifically with a child audience. Finally, the dissertation analyzes the illustrations in several of the texts and finds that book illustrations are essential to making connections with the reader. It also explores cultural references to decide if they are specific to Latin America. KEYWORDS: Severo Sarduy, Senel Paz, Luisa Valenzuela, Camilo José Cela, Hispanic Children’s Literature. Genny D. Ballard 05/31/05 THE IMPLIED READER IN THE HISPANIC CHILDREN'S LITERATURE OF THE "ENCUENTO" SERIES by Genny D. Ballard Enrico Mario Santí Director of Dissertation Dianna Niebylski Director of Graduate Studies RULES FOR THE USE OF DISSERTATIONS Unpublished dissertations submitted for the Doctor's degree and deposited in the University of Kentucky Library are as a rule open for inspection, but are to be used only with due regard to the rights of the authors. Bibliographical references may be noted, but quotations or summaries of parts may be published only with the permission of the author, and with the usual scholarly acknowledgments. Extensive copying or publication of the dissertation in whole or in part also requires the consent of the Dean of the Graduate School of the University of Kentucky. A library that borrows this dissertation for use by its patrons is expected to secure the signature of each user. Name Date __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ DISSERTATION Genny D. Ballard University of Kentucky 2005 i THE IMPLIED READER IN THE HISPANIC CHILDREN'S LITERATURE OF THE "ENCUENTO" SERIES __________________________________________________________________ DISSERTATION __________________________________________________________________ A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Hispanic Studies at the University of Kentucky by Genny D. Ballard Lexington, KY Director: Enrico Mario Santí, William T. Bryan Endowed Professor of Hispanic Studies Lexington, KY Copyright © Genny D. Ballard 2005 ii Table of Contents Introduction… ........................................................................... ............................…1 Chapter 1: Culture, Style, and Text-Gaps : Severo Sarduy, Senel Paz and Davi ……………………………………………......................................................................17 Chapter 2: Irony: Alvaro Mutis and Francisco Serrano ..................................................................................................................…61 Chapter 3 : Learning Child Protagonists : Claribel Alegria, Enrique Serna and Vicente Leñero………………………….…...........................…………………..…………........…94 Chapter 4: Outsiders: Mada Carreño, Camilo José Cela, Silvia Molina, Luisa Valenzuela, Mario Benedetti....................................................................................131 Conclusion..........................................................................................................….185 Appendix: “EnCuento” series books......................................................................…191 Bibliography.................................................................. ............................…..........196 Vita.............................................................................................................................209 iii List of Figures Fig. 1. Claudia de Teresa in Paz, 14...................................................................................27 Fig. 2. Claudia de Teresa in Paz, 25...................................................................................32 Fig. 3. Claudia de Teresa in Paz, 10...................................................................................36 Fig. 4. Patricio Gómez in Sarduy, 14.................................................................................45 Fig. 5. Patricio Gómez in Sarduy, 10.................................................................................50 Fig. 6. Patricio Gómez in Sarduy, 6...................................................................................52 Fig. 7. Patricio Gómez in Sarduy, 22.................................................................................54 Fig. 8. Davi, 9…….................................................................…….....................…...........56 Fig. 9. Davi, 20...................................................................................................................58 Fig. 10. Alberto Celletti in Mutis, 10….............................................................................75 Fig. 11. Alberto Celletti in Mutis, 12….............................................................................78 Fig. 12. Claudia Legnazzi in Serrano, 15...........................................................................84 Fig. 13. Claudia Legnazzi in Serrano, 17...........................................................................85 Fig. 14. Claudia Legnazzi in Serrano, 12...........................................................................87 Fig. 15. Claudia Legnazzi in Serrano, 32...........................................................................93 Fig. 16. Goméz Morín in Serna, 27…..............................................................................102 Fig. 17. Goméz Morín in Serna, 13…..............................................................................104