Jennet Rodriguez Betancourt

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