Gloria Anzaldúa Criticism
Gloria Anzaldúa, an eminent American writer and cultural theorist, made significant contributions to Chicano literature as well as feminist and queer theory. Her work as a novelist, poet, essayist, and critic reflects her experiences as a mestiza—a woman navigating the cultural borderlands between Mexico and the United States. Her seminal work, Borderlands/La Frontera, published in 1987, is a profound exploration of the historical and personal narratives of border inhabitants, highlighting the cultural, sexual, and class challenges they face. As noted in Sonia Saldívar-Hull's analysis, Anzaldúa's theory of 'mestiza consciousness' articulates a politics of feminism that transcends traditional cultural boundaries.
Her collection, This Bridge Called My Back, co-edited with Cherríe Moraga, presents a pivotal exploration of feminism from the perspective of women of color, addressing the intersecting issues of race, class, and sexuality. Anzaldúa's essays, such as "La conciencia de la mestiza," emphasize the divisive nature of sexism and homophobia, while simultaneously proposing a new, inclusive identity. Her use of personal narrative combined with historical context is celebrated for its innovative approach, as Diane L. Fowlkes points out in her discussion of feminist identity politics.
Despite some criticism regarding her elliptical style, Anzaldúa's works are lauded for their insightful blending of cultural studies and personal experience, cementing their status as foundational texts in modern feminist and Chicano studies. The scholarly essays in Making Face, Making Soul: Haciendo Caras further reflect her commitment to elevating diverse voices in academic discourse. Her ability to articulate complex identities makes her a vital figure in literary and cultural studies, as Ann E. Reuman asserts in recognizing Anzaldúa's impactful voice against injustices. Overall, Anzaldúa's work continues to resonate as it challenges and expands the boundaries of identity and belonging.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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Gloria Anzaldúa's Borderlands/La Frontera: Cultural Studies, ‘Difference,’ and the Non-Unitary Subject
(summary)
In the following essay, originally published in a 1994 issue of Cultural Critique, Yarbro-Bejarano discusses Anzaldúa's theory of mestiza or border consciousness in relation to the theory of difference and the mixed critical reaction to Borderlands/La Frontera.
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‘Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed’: Gloria Anzaldúa's (R)evolution of Voice
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In the following essay, Reuman asserts that Anzaldúa utilizes her voice to protest injustices against women and people of color and ranks the author as a bold and valuable figure in the modern literary world.
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Cholo Angels in Guadalajara: The Politics and Poetics of Anzaldúa's Borderlands/La Frontera
(summary)
In the following essay, Embry explores issues of Chicana cultural and sexual identity in Borderlands/La Frontera.
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Moving from Feminist Identity Politics to Coalition Politics through a Feminist Materialist Standpoint of Intersubjectivity in Gloria Anzaldúa's Borderland/La Frontera
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In the following essay, Fowlkes maintains that Borderlands/La Frontera develops and presents a form of subjectivity and the needed standpoint that prepare the ground for using feminist identity politics to build feminist coalitions.
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Gloria Anzaldúa's Queer Mestizaje
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In the following essay, Barnard examines Anzaldúa's utilization of queer theory in Borderlands/La Frontera.
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Mestiza Consciousness and Politics: Gloria Anzaldúa's Borderlands/La Frontera
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In the following essay, Saldívar-Hull elucidates Anzaldúa's theory of mestiza consciousness in Borderlands/La Frontera, viewing it as an articulation of “the politics of feminism on the border.”
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‘Sangre Fértil’/Fertile Blood: Migratory Crossings, War and Healing in Gloria Anzaldúa's Borderlands/La Frontera
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In the following essay, Rotger uses the term “sangre fértil” to describe Anzaldúa's ability to speak from a borderland position between a variety of cultures, languages, and perspectives and discusses the author's creation of a new consciousness as a feminist and political activist.
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Anzaldúa's Frontera: Inscribing Gynetics
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In the following essay, Alarcón analyzes the role of Anzaldúa's theory of mestiza consciousness in her attempt to repossess the borderlands in Borderlands/La Frontera.
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Genre, Gender, and Mestiza Consciousness in the Work of Gloria Anzaldúa
(summary)
In the following essay, specially commissioned for Contemporary Literary Criticism, Torres situates Anzaldúa's work within the cultural context of postmodernism via the literary and philosophical concept of mestizaje.
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Gloria Anzaldúa's Borderlands/La Frontera: Cultural Studies, ‘Difference,’ and the Non-Unitary Subject
(summary)
- Further Reading