Date: Thu, 30 May 1996 02:56:44 +0200
From: "ana l. vald=?iso-8859-1?Q?=E9s" <agora-AT-algonet.se>?=
Subject: Re: postcolonial-digest V2 #189


I was invited once to a Women Bookfair in Holland, when Chile, Argentina 
and my own country, Uruguay, suffered militar dictatorships. Allende and 
me shaked hands and she went to the scen to speak f=F6r the Chilena women 
and their sufferings. The problem was, she was wearing a minkcoat which 
was worth 100 years earnings for the Chilean woman she said represent.
Not only that, she was interviewed by some journalists, who asked her 
about her tour in Europe. She told them she was going to Germany, to be 
painted by one of the most famous german young painters "he is as known 
as Kokoshka. Only in that case I am going to allow someone paint me".
For me, she was the typical representant of a left upperclass, who lived 
upon the people, but loved speak "for the people".
She reflects that in her literature, which accents and deepen all 
prejuges about South America. For me, she is the latinamerican 
literatures Jackie Collins or Danielle Steel. Her language is full av 
stereotyps, "dark shining eyes", "virginal appearence". Her heroes are 
broadshouldered and musculous machos, the girls are petite, brave and 
courageus.
She is a pastisch, a kind of a satirical caricature to the 
real latinamerican literature, she is the latinamerican kitsch crowned 
queen.
(And she is also the product of a smart mediamarket who uses her far 
relationship to Allende (she is not the niece, but a far cousin to the 
president) to gain the sympathy of the readers).

Greetings from Ana L. Valdés,
Uruguayan writer, in exile in Sweden



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