A Window into Pain: Representation of Violence in Central American Culture and Literature from 1980 to the Present

Authors

Lidya I. Cerritos, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Spanish

First Advisor's Name

Andrea Fanta

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Santiago Juan Navarro

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Nicola Gavioli

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Astrid Arrarás

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

Violence, Centro America, identity, literature, culture, collective memory, history

Date of Defense

3-29-2023

Abstract

Since the Sandinista Revolution in 1979, Central America has faced numerous crises, with violence becoming a major issue in recent decades, impacting various aspects of society, and hindering its functioning. The armed conflicts in Nicaragua (1979–1990), El Salvador (1980–1992), and Guatemala (1960–1996) had long-lasting and devastating effects, altering regional politics, and causing political and social instability in these nations. The escalation of human rights violations and the loss of thousands of lives have significantly contributed to the ongoing humanitarian crises in the region.

My dissertation, “A Window into Pain: Representations of Violence in Central American Culture and Literature from 1980 to the Present,” examines the cultural and social effects of violence over the past four decades, including the rise of a new Central American subject known as the “pandillero.” This study of contemporary Central American culture looks closely at literary and cinematic works to understand how personal experience influences the community's understanding of its collective memory and history. Specifically, I examine a range of texts, including testimonies, memoirs, and fiction bestsellers, to investigate their contributions to the region's historical memory.

In “A Window into Pain,” I aim to uncover alternative narratives that often contradict official discourse. Through my analysis of war narratives, I explore how the Central American subject condemns state violence, while post-war narratives often replicate models of criminal violence. Moreover, in recent criminal fiction, the violence of global economic systems is mirrored by the violence of the Central American subject. By providing a nuanced understanding of the cultural and social effects of violence in Central America, my dissertation contributes to ongoing efforts to construct a more comprehensive narrative of the region's historical memory. Through the integration of multiple points of view and discourses on Central American identity, I demonstrate how cultural production affects and shapes the narrative of violence in present-day Central America.

Identifier

FIDC011078

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Cerritos, Lidya I., "A Window into Pain: Representation of Violence in Central American Culture and Literature from 1980 to the Present" (2023). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5254.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/5254