Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Major/Program
English
First Advisor's Name
Ana Luszczynska
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Chair
Second Advisor's Name
Anne-Margaret Castro
Second Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Third Advisor's Name
Ana Menéndez
Third Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Keywords
literature, Caribbean literature, Cuban-American literature, cultural identity
Date of Defense
3-27-2023
Abstract
Identity formation has been a compelling topic of discussion across disciplines, including postcolonial literary studies. Within this field of study there is Cuban-American literature, which explores the different social, linguistic, and geographical disruptions in one’s identity/identities stemming from a common history of Spanish colonialism with the larger Caribbean and the transatlantic slave trade, as well as the migration from Cuba to the United States. Two texts that explore the different ways in which identity is negotiated for Cuban-Americans is Ana Menéndez’s novel Adios Happy Homeland and the television series ¿Que Pasa USA?. This thesis analyzes scenes that touch on the themes of language, nationality, migration, culture, and adaptation in both texts using postcolonial theory, cultural studies, and conversations about deconstructionist identity formation. In doing so, I aim to understand how Cuban-Americans navigate a fluid ontological, cultural, and linguistic space in an attempt to formulate their own unique identity/identities.
Identifier
FIDC011026
Recommended Citation
Quintana, Naya C., "Exploring the Fluidity of Cuban-American Identities in Ana Menéndez's Adios Happy Homeland and the Television Series ¿Que Pasa USA?" (2023). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5297.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/5297
Included in
Literature in English, North America, Ethnic and Cultural Minority Commons, Other English Language and Literature Commons
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