Specters of Conquest: Indigenous Absence in Transatlantic Literatures (American Literatures Initiative)

This book intervenes in transatlantic and hemispheric studies by positing "America" as not a particular country or continent but a foundational narrative, in which conquerors arrive at a shore intent on overwriting local versions of humanity, culture, and landscape with inscriptions of their own design. This imposition of foreign textualities, however dominant, is never complete because the absences of the disappeared still linger manifestly, still are present. That apparent paradox results in a haunted America, whose conquest is always partial and whose conquered are always contestatory. Readers of scholarship by transatlanticists such as Paul Gilroy and hemispherists such as Diana Taylor will find new conceptualizations here of an America that knows no geographic boundaries, whose absences are collective but not necessarily interrelated by genealogy. The five principal texts at hand - Columbus's diary of his first voyage, the Popol Vuh of the Maya-K'iche', Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, Evita's Cuando los Combes luchaban (the first African novel in Spanish), and Pynchon's Mason & Dixon - are examined as foundational stories of America in their imaginings of its transatlantic commencement. Interspersed too are shorter studies of narratives by William Carlos Williams, Rigoberta Menchú, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, José Martí, Mark Knopfler (former lead singer of Dire Straits) and Gabriel García Márquez. These texts are rarely if ever read together because of their discrete provenances in time and place, yet their juxtaposition reveals how the disjunctions and ruptures that took place on the eastern and western shores of the Atlantic upon the arrival of Europeans became insinuated as recurring and resistant absences in narratives ostensibly contextualized by the Conquest. The book concludes by proposing that Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is the great American novel. After Specters of Conquest: Indigenous Absence in Transatlantic Literatures, America will never seem the same. This Book Intervenes In Transatlantic And Hemispheric Studies By Positing America As Not A Particular Country Or Continent But A Foundational Narrative, In Which Conquerors Arrive At A Shore Intent On Overwriting Local Versions Of Humanity, Culture, And Landscape With Inscriptions Of Their Own Design. This Imposition Of Foreign Textualities, However Dominant, Is Never Complete Because The Absences Of The Disappeared Still Linger Manifestly, Still Are Present. That Apparent Paradox Results In A Haunted America, Whose Conquest Is Always Partial And Whose Conquered Are Always Contestatory. Readers Of Scholarship By Transatlanticists Such As Paul Gilroy And Hemispherists Such As Diana Taylor Will Find New Conceptualizations Here Of An America That Knows No Geographic Boundaries, Whose Absences Are Collective But Not Necessarily Interrelated By Genealogy. The Five Principal Texts At Hand - Columbus's Diary Of His First Voyage, The Popol Vuh Of The Maya-k'iche', Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, Evita's Cuando Los Combes Luchaban (the First African Novel In Spanish), And Pynchon's Mason & Dixon - Are Examined As Foundational Stories Of America In Their Imaginings Of Its Transatlantic Commencement. Interspersed Too Are Shorter Studies Of Narratives By William Carlos Williams, Rigoberta Menchú, Álvar Núñez Cabeza De Vaca, José Martí, Mark Knopfler (former Lead Singer Of Dire Straits) And Gabriel García Márquez. These Texts Are Rarely If Ever Read Together Because Of Their Discrete Provenances In Time And Place, Yet Their Juxtaposition Reveals How The Disjunctions And Ruptures That Took Place On The Eastern And Western Shores Of The Atlantic Upon The Arrival Of Europeans Became Insinuated As Recurring And Resistant Absences In Narratives Ostensibly Contextualized By The Conquest.--pub. Desc. Columbus The Haunted : The Diary Of The First Voyage And William Carlos Williams's The Discovery Of The Indies -- Indigenous Atextualizations : The Popol Vuh And I, Rigoberta Menchú: An Indian Woman In Guatemala -- Castaway Colonialism : Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe And Álvar Núñez Cabeza De Vaca's Account -- Apparitions Of Africa : Leoncio Evita's When The Combes Fought And José Martí's Our America -- Subjunctive America : Thomas Pynchon's Mason & Dixon And Gabriel García Márquez's Love In The Time Of Cholera. Adam Lifshey. American Literatures Initiative--t.p. Verso. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book posits America as not a particular country or continent but a foundational narrative, in which conquerors arrive at a shore intent on overwriting local versions of humanity, culture, and landscape with inscriptions of their own design. This imposition of foreign textualities, however dominant, is never complete because the absences of the disappeared still linger manifestly. That apparent paradox results in a haunted America, whose conquest is always partial and whose conquered are always contestatory. Readers of scholarship by transatlanticists such as Paul Gilroy and hemispherists such as Diana Taylor will find new conceptualizations here of an America that knows no geographic boundaries, whose absences are collective but not necessarily interrelated by genealogy. The five principal texts at hand — Columbus's diary of his first voyage, the Popol Vuh of the Maya-K'iche', Defoe's Robinson Crusoe , Evita's Cuando los Combes luchaban (the first African novel in Spanish), and Pynchon's Mason & Dixon — are examined as foundational stories of America in their imaginings of its transatlantic commencement. Interspersed too are shorter studies of narratives by William Carlos Williams, Rigoberta Menchú, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, José Martí, Mark Knopfler (former lead singer of Dire Straits) and Gabriel García Márquez. These texts are rarely if ever read together because of their discrete provenances in time and place, yet their juxtaposition reveals how the disjunctions and ruptures that took place on the eastern and western shores of the Atlantic upon the arrival of Europeans became insinuated as recurring and resistant absences in narratives ostensibly contextualized by the Conquest "Taking a phenomenological approach to allegory, Structures of Appearing seeks to revise the history of aesthetics, identifying it as an ideology that has long subjugated art to philosophical criteria of judgment. Rather than being a mere signifying device, allegory is the structure by which something appears that cannot otherwise appear. It thus supports the appearance and necessary experience of philosophical ideas that are otherwise impossible to present or represent. Allegory is as central to philosophy as it is to literature. Following suggestions by Walter Benjamin, Machosky argues that allegory itself must appear allegorically and thus cannot be forced into a logos-centric metaphysical system. She builds on the work of Maurice Blanchot and Emmanuel Levinas to argue that the allegorical image is not a likeness to anything, not a subjective reflection, but an absolute otherness that becomes accessible by virtue of its unique structure. Allegory thus makes possible not merely the textual work of literature but the work that literature is. Machosky develops this insight in readings of Prudentius, Dante, Spenser, Hegel, Goethe, and Kafka."--Project Muse Columbus the haunted. The diary of the first voyage and William Carlos Williams's "The discovery of the Indies" 2. Indigenous atextualizations. The Popol Vuh and I, Rigoberta Menchú: An Indian woman in Guatemala 3. Castaway Colonialism. Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" and Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca's account 4. Apparitions of Africa. Leoncio Evita's "When the combes fought" and José Martí's "Our America" 5. Subjunctive America. Thomas Pynchon's "Mason & Dixon" and Gabriel García Márquez's "Love in the time of cholera." This book intervenes in transatlantic and hemispheric studies by positing 'America' not as a particular country or continent but a foundational narrative, in which conquerors arrive at a shore intent on overwriting local versions of humanity, culture, and landscape with inscriptions of their own design