Access Type

Open Access Dissertation

Date of Award

January 2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

First Advisor

Jorgelina Corbatta

Abstract

Through film and literature, my dissertation explores the representation of race, social class, and gender in the works of three Argentine directors. These social constructs have become so ingrained in interpersonal relations that there is rigidity in how they are considered. Therefore, those individuals who do not think and interact appropriately with the constructs occupy the outside. The possibility of marginalization adds another layer to the constructs by sensitizing them to the point that they affect the individual and their relationships (i.e. psychologically and socially). However, several representations, such as those that make up our corpus, challenge the definitions of said constructs. In essence, as each representation (case) moves further away from the ideal, it is recognizable that an ideal can no longer be clearly defined.

My decision to use Argentina as the target country was done intentionally to serve as a microcosm of a culture other than my own. Upon analysis of the corpus, the majority of which is situated in Argentina, comparisons and contrasts can be made between that country and the United States. We conclude that the sensitive nature of race, social class, and gender is caused by the existence of the outside; however, representation is challenging and redefining that outside.

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