Publication Date

1996

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Legacy Department

Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures

LCSH

Muñoz; Elías Miguel--Criticism and interpretation; American literature--Cuban American authors--History and criticism; Cuban Americans--Cultural assimilation; Cuban American literature (Spanish)--History and criticism

Abstract

As a result of the Cuban Revolution of 1959, many Cubans chose to leave the island and migrate to the United States. These political refugees faced many cultural differences in their struggle to adapt to their new social environment. A common theme in the writing of El?as Miguel Mu?oz and other Cuban-American writers relates to these adaptation issues. In this paper, I have cited from Mu?oz' novels, Crazy Love. The Greatest Performance. Desde Esta Tierra and En estas tierras/In This Land and his short story, "The Movie Maker," to demonstrate how the immigrant must choose which set of cultural values to uphold, those of the Cuban or American society. Through this process of adaptation, the immigrant will be forced to examine his value system and redefine himself. As a Cuban-American, El?as Miguel Mu?oz serves to give a voice to those who were born in Cuba but grew into adults in the United States. The main characters in his stories are caught between two cultures and are neither wholly Cuban nor wholly American; instead, they must define who they are and what it is to be a Cuban-American.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [53]-54)

Extent

54 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

Download

Share

COinS