Response to “Se Habla Español as ‘McOndo 2.0’: Post-Magical Realist Anthologies in Latin America” by Thomas Nulley-Valdés

Response to “Se Habla Español as ‘McOndo 2.0’: Post-Magical Realist Anthologies in Latin America” by Thomas Nulley-Valdés Ceyda Elgül, Respondent Thomas Nulley-Valdés’s article examines the links between two post-magical realist anthologies in Latin America: McOndo (1996) and Se habla español: Voces latinas en USA (2000). Presented as a direct continuation of McOndo, Se habla español complements the anti-magical realist stance of its predecessor, which Nulley-Valdés observes with a focus on their short-story selection, paratexts, and reception. These two volumes, co-edited by Alberto Fuguet, manifest a shared concern with Latin America’s literary production that should pass beyond the previous generation’s magical realist structures, and despite the initial criticisms posed against them, both mark the emergence of a new moment for Latin American writers. I believe one of the highlights of the article is its elaboration on anthology as a genre that fulfills a specific function in the formation and operation of literary repertoires. In the words of Alfonso Reyes, anthologies “marcan hitos de las grandes controversias críticas, sea que las provoquen o que aparezcan como su consecuencia” [End Page 224] (138).1 In the particular context of the volumes by Fuguet and his collaborators, these collections present new forms of cultural hybridization that can be used by Latin American writers in the United States who write in Spanish. The reviews that appeared two decades after the publication of Se habla español recognize the anthology as the start of a new wave of literature known as the New Latino Boom, which seems to suggest that the anthology succeeded in implementing its views amongst the authors of the new generation. Aside from such a formative role, anthologies stand out with their representative value, especially when read from a temporal and/or spatial distance. To once again quote from Reyes, they “permiten mayor unidad en menor volumen, y dejan sentir y abarcar mejor el carácter general de una tradición” (138).2 The representative value that comes along with this compact nature can apply to several cases; for instance, an anthology might present works from a specific culture, epoch, or writing ecole. Although the article focuses on how these two anthologies embrace a post-magical realist form of self-presentation that avoids false exoticisms, its discussion of the anthologies also made me think about potential futures for these volumes in translation. The Latin Americanization of magical realism has much to do with the translation of Gabriel García Márquez and other writers’ works into first European and then non-European languages, and I wonder if the translations of post-magical realist volumes could have similar functions in the implementation of this new stream of Latin American literature in other regions. Perhaps we can even extend the discussion a bit further and ask whether these translations could inspire similar writer groups in other regions that aim to deconstruct the misrepresentations of their own literary traditions within the domain of world literature. An additional issue to be raised might be the possible strategies for translating the bilingual-bicultural texts of the New Latino Boom into other languages. Interlingual translations of hybrid and multilingual works have long been a prolific discussion topic for translation scholars, and I believe the journey of post-magical realism in translation would complement both this particular research frame and the arguments implemented in Nulley-Valdés’s study that uncovers the survival of this Latin American literary context in our day. Notes 1. “become milestones of the great critical controversies, either by provoking them or appearing as a consequence of them.” (All translations are mine.) 2. “permit a greater unity for less volume, and allow one to feel and better take in the general character of a tradition.” Work cited Reyes, Alfonso. “Teoría de la antología.” Obras Completas de Alfonso Reyes, tomo XIV. Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1997, pp. 137–41. Google Scholar Copyright © 2022 Canadian Comparative Literature Association / Association Canadienne de Littérature Comparée

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