Tales of Latino literature
Chicano author's life as a writer
Bailey McBride
Issue date: 10/6/08 Section: Lifestyles
Chicano author Sergio Troncoso gave a lecture and short story reading entitled "New Perspectives on Latino Literature and the Role of the Writer," last Thursday in Giffels Auditorium in Old Main.
Troncoso began his presentation by talking about his history and heritage and how it affects his day-to-day life. The author described himself as a very hard worker and credits that quality to his mother.
"I feel like my day is only complete when I work all day," Troncoso said. He also described his love and admiration for his abuelita, his grandmother, who he said was his role model.
Troncoso discussed his life as he moved from a small colony on the outskirts of El Paso, Texas, to study at Yale and Harvard and his decision to become a writer.
"Imagine reading book after book of 'American literature' and finding out you hardly exist at all. You, a Chicano from the Mexican-American border," Troncoso said.
Troncoso's stories explore, as a whole, issues that deal with identity, love and the search for self as an immigrant in the U.S. Most of Troncoso's stories deal with the every day lives of Mexican-Americans, Chicanos and immigrants.
Of his own characters, Troncoso said, "Sometimes these characters win their battles and sometimes they don't."
Troncoso discussed many issues that are important to American society as a whole, most notably immigration. Although he espoused no definitive stance one way or another, Troncoso made it clear why he sympathizes with many immigrants.
"They're my people. In them, I see the face of my parents, or the kids down the street," he said.
Katie Rowan, a freshman majoring in biology, said she found the presentation enjoyable and thought it was really different and interesting.
"It was an interesting new perspective on immigration from the other side," Rowan said.
Troncoso followed his discussion with a reading of his short story, "Day of the Dead." The main character, Lupe Perez, lives in a small town in Mexico on the border and travels across the Rio Grande daily to work as a maid in a town in Texas. One day, as she crosses and walks along the Border Highway, she is hit and killed by a passing car. No one really notices her, and those that do drive on.
"We dehumanize ourselves when we don't take a good hard look around us, when we forget people like Lupe Pérez," Troncoso said.
The event was followed by a book signing and reception, and the author answered questions and talked to students and faculty.
Troncoso received a Fulbright scholarship to Mexico City and was inducted into the Hispanic Scholarship Fund's Alumni Hall of Fame. In 1999, his collection of short stories, "The Last Tortilla and Other Stories," won the Premio Aztlán for the best book by a new Chicano writer and the Southwest Book Award from the Border Regional Library Association, according to his Web site.
This event was sponsored by Latin American Studies, the English Department, the Foreign Language Department, the Multicultural Center and the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee as a part of Hispanic Heritage Month on campus.
Troncoso began his presentation by talking about his history and heritage and how it affects his day-to-day life. The author described himself as a very hard worker and credits that quality to his mother.
"I feel like my day is only complete when I work all day," Troncoso said. He also described his love and admiration for his abuelita, his grandmother, who he said was his role model.
Troncoso discussed his life as he moved from a small colony on the outskirts of El Paso, Texas, to study at Yale and Harvard and his decision to become a writer.
"Imagine reading book after book of 'American literature' and finding out you hardly exist at all. You, a Chicano from the Mexican-American border," Troncoso said.
Troncoso's stories explore, as a whole, issues that deal with identity, love and the search for self as an immigrant in the U.S. Most of Troncoso's stories deal with the every day lives of Mexican-Americans, Chicanos and immigrants.
Of his own characters, Troncoso said, "Sometimes these characters win their battles and sometimes they don't."
Troncoso discussed many issues that are important to American society as a whole, most notably immigration. Although he espoused no definitive stance one way or another, Troncoso made it clear why he sympathizes with many immigrants.
"They're my people. In them, I see the face of my parents, or the kids down the street," he said.
Katie Rowan, a freshman majoring in biology, said she found the presentation enjoyable and thought it was really different and interesting.
"It was an interesting new perspective on immigration from the other side," Rowan said.
Troncoso followed his discussion with a reading of his short story, "Day of the Dead." The main character, Lupe Perez, lives in a small town in Mexico on the border and travels across the Rio Grande daily to work as a maid in a town in Texas. One day, as she crosses and walks along the Border Highway, she is hit and killed by a passing car. No one really notices her, and those that do drive on.
"We dehumanize ourselves when we don't take a good hard look around us, when we forget people like Lupe Pérez," Troncoso said.
The event was followed by a book signing and reception, and the author answered questions and talked to students and faculty.
Troncoso received a Fulbright scholarship to Mexico City and was inducted into the Hispanic Scholarship Fund's Alumni Hall of Fame. In 1999, his collection of short stories, "The Last Tortilla and Other Stories," won the Premio Aztlán for the best book by a new Chicano writer and the Southwest Book Award from the Border Regional Library Association, according to his Web site.
This event was sponsored by Latin American Studies, the English Department, the Foreign Language Department, the Multicultural Center and the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee as a part of Hispanic Heritage Month on campus.
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