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Miguel Méndez

January 01, 1970

For other people named Miguel Méndez, see Miguel Méndez (disambiguation).

Miguel Méndez (June 15, 1930 – May 31, 2013) was the pen name for Miguel Méndez Morales, a Mexican American author best known for his novel Peregrinos de Aztlán (Pilgrims in Aztlán). He was a leading figure in the field of Chicano literature.[1]

Miguel Méndez
BornMiguel Méndez Morales
(1930-06-15)June 15, 1930
Bisbee, Arizona
DiedMay 31, 2013(2013-05-31) (aged 82)
Tucson, Arizona
Pen nameMiguel Méndez
OccupationNovelist, professor (retired)
NationalityAmerican
Period1969–2013
Genreshort story, novel, poetry, autobiography
Literary movementAztlán, Chicano
Notable worksPeregrinos de Aztlán (Pilgrims in Aztlán)
Notable awardsPremio Nacional de Literatura Mexicana Jose Fuentes Mares
 Literature portal

Biography edit

Early life edit

Méndez was born in the border town of Bisbee, Arizona, on 15 June 1930.[2] His father, Francisco Méndez Cárdenas, was from a town called Bacoachi, in the state of Sonora, Mexico; his mother, María Morales Siqueiros, was from Arizpe, Sonora. During the nineteen thirties, the United States government urged Mexicans and Mexican-Americans to leave the United States and go to Mexico, even if they were American citizens, largely due to the Great Depression. As a result of this policy, Méndez' parents moved to El Claro, Sonora, where he grew up. Méndez attended elementary school in el Claro and Arizpe, but left school after the fifth grade in order to work in his father's small corn and cotton plot. Even though El Claro was a small, isolated town, his parents had boxes full of books and newspapers, and it was during those early years that he developed his love of literature.

Return to the U.S. edit

In 1944, Méndez moved to Tucson, Arizona. He has asserted that one of the reasons that pushed him to move to the U.S. was the desperation he felt when, in 1939, two of his younger sisters died of pneumonia. This was due in part to the isolation of El Claro, which had no hospital or clinic. Once in Tucson, despite his young age, Méndez found a job in construction. During those years, he continued to read, mostly at night. He used to buy books in a bookstore called "Librería Hermanos Pulido" that carried books and magazines in Spanish.

Life as a writer and professor edit

In the 1960s, Méndez was still working in construction, but had not stopped reading. By this time he had started to write more seriously. "Tata Casehua", his first short story, appeared in 1968. Throughout the years, Méndez had developed a relationship with teachers and professors at the University of Arizona and Pima Community College. In 1970, he was subjected to an examination by a group of university professors, and was awarded a teaching position in Pima Community College. In 1974, he started teaching at the University of Arizona, and was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 1984. His most famous novel, Peregrinos de Azltán, was published in 1974. In 2000 he retired as a Full Professor. He was an Emeritus Professor at the University of Arizona until his death in 2013. A Festschrift in his honor was published in 1995, Miguel Mendez in Aztlan: Two Decades of Literary Production.

Méndez has been described as “one of the principal voices of socially committed Chicano fiction” by the editors of Chicano Literature: A Reference Guide and as "one of [Chicano literature's] finest and most sensitive writers" in The Dictionary of Literary Biography’s Chicano Writers First Series. His papers are now archived at the California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives at UC Santa Barbara.

Mendez died on May 31, 2013, at his Tucson home.[3]

Pilgrims in Aztlán edit

This novel is set in 1960s-era Tijuana and reflects both the time of the Vietnam War and the space of the Mexico–United States border. The central character of Loreto Maldonado, an old man reduced to washing cars in his final days, also allows Méndez to flashback to the Mexican Revolution. Méndez introduces characters from a variety of backgrounds in order to illustrate the multiple cultures that exist on the border—not just Chicano, but Mexican, Yaqui and US as well. Méndez does not provide a straightforward plot for the novel, but uses the encounters between characters to reveal their histories and thus to trace out the history and culture of the border region.

Published works edit

  • "Tata Casehua" and "Taller de Imagenes" (short stories), published in El Espejo/The Mirror (1969)
  • Los criaderos humanos: épica de los desamparados y Sahuaros (poems; 1975)
  • Cuento para niños precoces (1980)
  • The Dream of Santa Maria de las Piedras (1989)
  • Pilgrims in Aztlán (1992)
  • Entre Letras y Ladrillos (1996), trans. as From Labor to Letters : A Novel Autobiography (1997)

Awards edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Güereña, Sal (2011-08-19). "Guide to the Miguel Méndez Papers". UCSB Library. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  2. ^ Bollig, Ben (ed.). "Miguel Méndez". The Literary Encyclopedia. University of Oxford. ISSN 1747-678X. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  3. ^ Joseph Treviño. "Tucson author, a literary prodigy, dies". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved 31 May 2018.

Further reading edit

  • Alarcón, Justo S. "Lo esperpéntico en Peregrinos de Aztlán y Criaderos humanos, de Miguel Méndez," Relaciones Literarias entre España e Iberoamérica (1988), pp. 785–795. available online at Biblioteca Virtual Miguel D. Cervantes (accessed March 2008)
  • –––. "Estructuras narrativas en Tata Casehua de Miguel Méndez," Confluencia Vol. 1, n.º 2 (1986) 48–54, available online at Biblioteca Virtual Miguel D. Cervantes (accessed March 2008)
  • –––."La aventura del héroe como estructura mítica en Tata Casehua de Miguel Méndez," Explicación de textos literarios Vol. XV, n.º 2 (1987) 77–91. available online at Biblioteca Virtual Miguel D. Cervantes (accessed March 2008)
  • Alurista. "Myth, Identity and Struggle in Three Chicano Novels: Aztlán ... Anaya, Méndez and Acosta." Aztlán: Essays on the Chicano Homeland. Ed. Rudolfo A. Anaya, and Francisco A. Lomeli. Albuquerque: Academia/El Norte; 1989. pp. 219–229
  • Bruce-Novoa, Juan D. "Righting the Oral Tradition." Denver Quarterly 16.3 (1981): 78–86.
  • Cárdenas, Guadalupe. "El arquetipo de la madre terrible en Peregrinos de Aztlán de Miguel Méndez M." México, Alta Pimeria Pro Arte y Cultura, 1990. available online at Biblioteca Virtual Miguel D. Cervantes (accessed March 2008)
  • Ekstrom, Margaret V. "Wanderers from an Aztec Land: Chicano Naming Devices Used by Miguel Méndez." Literary Onomastics Studies 12 (1985): 85–92.
  • Somoza, Oscar U. "The Mexican Element in the Fiction of Miguel Méndez." Denver Quarterly 17.1 (1982): 68–77.
  • Villalobos, José Pablo. "Border Real, Border Metaphor: Altering Boundaries in Miguel Méndez and Alejandro Morales." Arizona Journal of Hispanic Cultural Studies 4 (2000): 131–140.

External links edit

January 01, 1970
miguel, méndez, other, people, named, disambiguation, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, 2018, learn, when, remov. For other people named Miguel Mendez see Miguel Mendez disambiguation This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations May 2018 Learn how and when to remove this message Miguel Mendez June 15 1930 May 31 2013 was the pen name for Miguel Mendez Morales a Mexican American author best known for his novel Peregrinos de Aztlan Pilgrims in Aztlan He was a leading figure in the field of Chicano literature 1 Miguel MendezBornMiguel Mendez Morales 1930 06 15 June 15 1930Bisbee ArizonaDiedMay 31 2013 2013 05 31 aged 82 Tucson ArizonaPen nameMiguel MendezOccupationNovelist professor retired NationalityAmericanPeriod1969 2013Genreshort story novel poetry autobiographyLiterary movementAztlan ChicanoNotable worksPeregrinos de Aztlan Pilgrims in Aztlan Notable awardsPremio Nacional de Literatura Mexicana Jose Fuentes Mares Literature portal Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Return to the U S 1 3 Life as a writer and professor 2 Pilgrims in Aztlan 3 Published works 4 Awards 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksBiography editEarly life edit Mendez was born in the border town of Bisbee Arizona on 15 June 1930 2 His father Francisco Mendez Cardenas was from a town called Bacoachi in the state of Sonora Mexico his mother Maria Morales Siqueiros was from Arizpe Sonora During the nineteen thirties the United States government urged Mexicans and Mexican Americans to leave the United States and go to Mexico even if they were American citizens largely due to the Great Depression As a result of this policy Mendez parents moved to El Claro Sonora where he grew up Mendez attended elementary school in el Claro and Arizpe but left school after the fifth grade in order to work in his father s small corn and cotton plot Even though El Claro was a small isolated town his parents had boxes full of books and newspapers and it was during those early years that he developed his love of literature Return to the U S edit In 1944 Mendez moved to Tucson Arizona He has asserted that one of the reasons that pushed him to move to the U S was the desperation he felt when in 1939 two of his younger sisters died of pneumonia This was due in part to the isolation of El Claro which had no hospital or clinic Once in Tucson despite his young age Mendez found a job in construction During those years he continued to read mostly at night He used to buy books in a bookstore called Libreria Hermanos Pulido that carried books and magazines in Spanish Life as a writer and professor edit In the 1960s Mendez was still working in construction but had not stopped reading By this time he had started to write more seriously Tata Casehua his first short story appeared in 1968 Throughout the years Mendez had developed a relationship with teachers and professors at the University of Arizona and Pima Community College In 1970 he was subjected to an examination by a group of university professors and was awarded a teaching position in Pima Community College In 1974 he started teaching at the University of Arizona and was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 1984 His most famous novel Peregrinos de Azltan was published in 1974 In 2000 he retired as a Full Professor He was an Emeritus Professor at the University of Arizona until his death in 2013 A Festschrift in his honor was published in 1995 Miguel Mendez in Aztlan Two Decades of Literary Production Mendez has been described as one of the principal voices of socially committed Chicano fiction by the editors of Chicano Literature A Reference Guide and as one of Chicano literature s finest and most sensitive writers in The Dictionary of Literary Biography s Chicano Writers First Series His papers are now archived at the California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives at UC Santa Barbara Mendez died on May 31 2013 at his Tucson home 3 Pilgrims in Aztlan editThis novel is set in 1960s era Tijuana and reflects both the time of the Vietnam War and the space of the Mexico United States border The central character of Loreto Maldonado an old man reduced to washing cars in his final days also allows Mendez to flashback to the Mexican Revolution Mendez introduces characters from a variety of backgrounds in order to illustrate the multiple cultures that exist on the border not just Chicano but Mexican Yaqui and US as well Mendez does not provide a straightforward plot for the novel but uses the encounters between characters to reveal their histories and thus to trace out the history and culture of the border region Published works edit Tata Casehua and Taller de Imagenes short stories published in El Espejo The Mirror 1969 Los criaderos humanos epica de los desamparados y Sahuaros poems 1975 Cuento para ninos precoces 1980 The Dream of Santa Maria de las Piedras 1989 Pilgrims in Aztlan 1992 Entre Letras y Ladrillos 1996 trans as From Labor to Letters A Novel Autobiography 1997 Awards editJose Fuentes Mares National Prize for Literature 1991 See also edit nbsp Literature portal List of Mexican American writersReferences edit Guerena Sal 2011 08 19 Guide to the Miguel Mendez Papers UCSB Library Retrieved 2023 06 27 Bollig Ben ed Miguel Mendez The Literary Encyclopedia University of Oxford ISSN 1747 678X Retrieved 2023 06 27 Joseph Trevino Tucson author a literary prodigy dies Arizona Daily Star Retrieved 31 May 2018 Further reading editAlarcon Justo S Lo esperpentico en Peregrinos de Aztlan y Criaderos humanos de Miguel Mendez Relaciones Literarias entre Espana e Iberoamerica 1988 pp 785 795 available online at Biblioteca Virtual Miguel D Cervantes accessed March 2008 Estructuras narrativas en Tata Casehua de Miguel Mendez Confluencia Vol 1 n º 2 1986 48 54 available online at Biblioteca Virtual Miguel D Cervantes accessed March 2008 La aventura del heroe como estructura mitica en Tata Casehua de Miguel Mendez Explicacion de textos literarios Vol XV n º 2 1987 77 91 available online at Biblioteca Virtual Miguel D Cervantes accessed March 2008 Alurista Myth Identity and Struggle in Three Chicano Novels Aztlan Anaya Mendez and Acosta Aztlan Essays on the Chicano Homeland Ed Rudolfo A Anaya and Francisco A Lomeli Albuquerque Academia El Norte 1989 pp 219 229 Bruce Novoa Juan D Righting the Oral Tradition Denver Quarterly 16 3 1981 78 86 Cardenas Guadalupe El arquetipo de la madre terrible en Peregrinos de Aztlan de Miguel Mendez M Mexico Alta Pimeria Pro Arte y Cultura 1990 available online at Biblioteca Virtual Miguel D Cervantes accessed March 2008 Ekstrom Margaret V Wanderers from an Aztec Land Chicano Naming Devices Used by Miguel Mendez Literary Onomastics Studies 12 1985 85 92 Somoza Oscar U The Mexican Element in the Fiction of Miguel Mendez Denver Quarterly 17 1 1982 68 77 Villalobos Jose Pablo Border Real Border Metaphor Altering Boundaries in Miguel Mendez and Alejandro Morales Arizona Journal of Hispanic Cultural Studies 4 2000 131 140 External links editGuide to the Miguel Mendez Papers at the California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives accessed March 2008 Answers com Bio accessed March 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Miguel Mendez amp oldid 1162138734, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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