Jennet Rodriguez Betancourt
Jennet Rodriguez Betancourt
Jennet Rodriguez Betancourt
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During the Spanish Colonial rule, writing in Puerto Rico was produced by a literate elite<br />
identified with or representatives of the colonizing power; therefore, the first texts<br />
produced in spite of their detailed descriptions of the land, the customs, and the people<br />
did not integrate the culture. For example, two historical texts that projected a<br />
stereotyped image of the inhabitants of the island in the second half of the 18 th century<br />
were Memoria de Alejandro O’Reilly (1765) and Historia geográfica, civil y natural de<br />
la isla de San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico de Fray Iñigo Abbad y Lasierra (1778).<br />
Even though these authors wrote about Puerto Rico, Lopez Adorno states that<br />
they did not narrate the traditions that defined the people and the differences between<br />
metropolis and settlement. Both writers presented publicity discourses depicting the<br />
colony “como una colonia rentable, como una aventura sin riesgo” (López Adorno 2).<br />
The docile image sculptured, stressed the similarities that would be desired rather than<br />
the differences that would present a threat for European commerce. In this manner, there<br />
already existed the “Other”-a collective personality in formation which was principally<br />
silenced and hidden from the metropolis for political and business purposes. During this<br />
period, writers under such watchful imperial circumstances were in reverence to the<br />
colonial centre.<br />
Yet, although Puerto Rico has never been independent politically and<br />
economically, writers have continuously been attempting to attain cultural autonomy<br />
through their literature. It is through the written text that writers especially during the<br />
19 th century began developing a discourse-a voice; a voice that evolved from story telling<br />
to its present day position. Spanish imperial conquest had already destroyed the land and<br />
had regarded its inhabitants as disposable; therefore, it was vital that in order for Puerto<br />
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