This course introduces literary expression in 19th- and 20th-century Latin America and is meant for students not necessarily familiar with the region or its languages. While incorporating film, essays, art and basic historical background, the course focuses on short stories, poems, plays and novels from various countries, including the United States, in order to familiarize students with a variety of genres and periods. Since the course is in English, we will also address issues of translation. The course may offer a particular focus of particular relevance to the region, depending on the professor. Topics covered may include national identity; gender and sexuality; experimental representations of reality; ethnicity and social class; religion; memory and history. This course satisfies the Core Exploration Cultural Literacy requirement.