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Efraín Suarez Arce INGL3232(OU1)
801-94-8906 Prof. Juan C. Canals
First research assignment: 5 page Sample Research Paper
(Arial (12) Double Space)
I. Subject: Puerto Rican Literature in English
II. Topic: Historical Perspectives and Autobiographical Issues in Pedro Pietri’s
“Puerto Rican Obituary”
III. Hypothesis: A Closer look at the social economic and cultural issues of the
Nuyorican community according to Pietri
a. Historical Perspectives
b. Autobiographical Issues
IV. Conclusion
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I. Subject: Puerto Rican Literature in English
II. Topic: Historical Perspectives and Autobiographical Issues in Pedro Pietri’s
“Puerto Rican Obituary”
III. Hypothesis: “Puerto Rican Obituary” presents a closer look at the social
economic and cultural issues of the Nuyorican community according to Pietri
a. Historical Perspectives
During the late 1940's, many Puerto Ricans began moving to the mainland seeking
better economic conditions. New York and other Northeast cities became the
destination for thousands of Puerto Ricans who were hired in farms and factories. They
experienced racial discrimination, linguistic barriers and other problems. These
episodes and difficulties are the main themes documented in their writings.
The term "Nuyorican" was originally coined by Puerto Ricans on the island (called
“Boricuas”) to refer to the members of what is called the Puerto Rican Diaspora located
in or around the New York City metropolitan area with another part of Puerto Ricans
living in Northern New Jersey, or of their descendants (especially those raised or still
living in the New York area). The term is also used by Boricuas as to show that
Nuyoricans are not the same as Boricuas. An estimated 800,000 Nuyoricans are said to
live in New York city, the largest Puerto Rican community outside Puerto Rico. It is
important to note that to this day (and this author can testify to this) Nuyoricans are not
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considered Puerto Ricans by the Puerto Ricans of Puerto Rico due to the lack of culture
similarity. At first, the term had negative connotations. (To this author it still does…)
Some people used the term to refer to many Puerto Ricans settled in different
neighborhoods of Manhattan such as El Barrio (East Harlem) or what was called
Loisaida (Lower East Side). In the 1960´s Puerto Rican authors, like Pedro Pietri began
to reclaim the term in order to link their own history and cultural affiliation to a common
ancestry while being culturally and physically separated from the island. Significantly,
the majority of Pietri’s poems were composed in “Spanglish”, reconfirming his identity as
a Nuyorican. Pietri once stated that he wrote in Spanish, but because his typewriter
spoke English, his words came out differently.
b. Autobiographical Issues
“If only they had turned off the television and tuned into their own imaginations.”
Pedro Pietri
The stylistic choice of Pietri, as one of the Nuyorican poets of the 1960’s, of a strong
language that lacks lyrical qualities seems to imply a resistance to Americanization, and
an expression of dignity and pride in a puertorrican heritage. This in spite of the racial
discrimination, linguistic, cultural, social and economic barriers faced by the Nuyorican
community. Pietri himself described the impact of the Nuyorican poets:
“At the time, it was the decline of the Beat Generation, and poetry went back to the
universities and became an academic thing, but here come these street poets, man,
and we pushed academia out of the way and took over the scene.”
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Pietris’s work is known for its sociopolitical exposition of the circumstances of the Puerto
Rican Diaspora, especially in New York. According to Dr. Alfredo Matilla: "(Pietris’s)
work summarizes the literary expression of that Diaspora, collecting and documenting
the language, idiosyncrasies, aspirations, mores and obstacles that it confronts within
the North American Society to validate its existence.”
Juan Flores, a professor at Hunter College, said that "He [Pedro Pietri] captured that
social death and the hope that there is recourse to humanity in the Puerto Rican culture
that people had cut themselves off from…It was not just about the poverty, but about
the crass materialist culture that leads us all into illusions about ourselves."
Frances Aparacio, who has edited Pietri's poetry and used it in classrooms said that
"Pietri's poetry falls within the surrealistic mode, fragmented images, search for the
absurd in everyday life, irrational, surprising metaphors and imagery, humor, and
sarcasm,"
Latin culture historian Aurora Flores, a friend since 1975 said "He embraced and
identified what it was to be a Nuyorican, a Puerto Rican growing up in New York,"
Other observable themes are the demystification of authority figures and social
institutions (government, schools, church, "the system") and alienation in contemporary
urban life. Also, the political status and the poverty levels for Puerto Ricans in New York
can be seen in Pietri's denunciation of "the system."
IV. Conclusion
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Pedro Pietri was a poet and playwright who chronicled the joys and struggles of
Nuyoricans. His poetry can be described as a poetry of denunciation, of creating cultural
awareness among the members of the Nuyorican community and shock them into
action as we see in "Puerto Rican Obituary," where he seeks to show that what we call
“The American Dream” does not and cannot exist for the Nuyorican community until
they themselves develop awareness of identity and potential. At times playfully absurd
and at others angry, heartbreaking and/or hopeful, "Puerto Rican Obituary" was
embraced by young Nuyoricans, who were imbued with a sense of pride and
nationalism. "Puerto Rican Obituary" should be understood in these terms without
losing sight of its original objective of addressing the masses as oral poetry. This is
important in order to understand his use of popular language, anger, and style.
"I see the foundation of a community that ensures our survival, which
perseveres. This history we made, these poets we created… We're here to stay…
They can't replace us."
Works Cited*
(According to the MLA Handbook – 1.5.3)
Aparicio, Frances R. “Pedro Pietri: Classroom Issues and Strategies”
Georgetown University, 3 Sept 2008
<http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/bassr/heath/syllabuild/iguide/pietri.html>
Gomez, Maria Cardalliaguet , “Voces Latinas: Cultural Identity through Poetry and
Lyrics
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2008 - the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, 3 Sept 2008
<http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2007/1/07.01.11.x.html >
Gonzalez, David “CITYWIDE; When Life Is Art, Bowing to Death Is Not an Option”,
2004 – the New York Times 3 Sept 2008
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E7DF1538F934A15752C0A9629
C8B63
Nadal, Lenina “Performing Profound: A History and Interactive Playground of
Puerto Rican Performance Poetry”
Performing Profound.org 3 Sept 2008
<http://www.performingprofound.com/thesisproposal.pdf>
Ramirez, Ana Maria “News & Analysis: The reverend Pedro Pietri”
2006 - Party for Socialism and Liberation 3 Sept 2008
<http://www.pslweb.org/site/News2?JServSessionIdr008=fhx33zlie1.app1b&page=New
sArticle&id=5309&news_iv_ctrl=1201>
Pietri, Pedro (1944-2004) “Puerto Rican Obituary; Poems”
Monthly Review Press, 1973
Yvonne - “Art News & Reviews: Pedro Pietri 1944-2004”,
WBAI RADIO 99.5FM, New York City, 2004 - PACIFICA FOUNDATION, 3 Sept 2008
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<http://wbai.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1426&Itemid=2>
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