Can we easily distinguish primary and secondary sources?

Excerpt from Cecilia Valdés, by Cirilo Villaverde; excerpt from Sab, by Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda; and “An Afro-Cuban Poet,” by Plácido. Reading note: Two of these segments are excerpts from two of Cuba’s most famous 19th-century novels, while the other introduces one of the island’s most famous poets. These texts reflect on facets of island society. How?

Consider the reading note in our syllabus for our last class about recirculating imagery, because these are famous selections. Select one of today’s entries and give it a closer examination, including quotations as well as summaries and observationsPreview the document. It is always helpful to seek the sources of tension when you analyze fiction, and even individual poems can have subtle tension threaded through them that make their structures work. Consider what is at stake in your chosen piece, and comment on connections you see to other things you’ve read already for this class.

Reading note: These selections teach us a lot about the evolution of Cuban society though the eyes of writers from the past and the present. They also provide imagery that recirculates through island culture, which includes reference to local histories, geography, ecologies, and economies. Try to visualize the scenes the authors describe, and consider whose point of view you’re hearing in each distinct selection: Is this a historic text, one contemporary to the moment being described? Is it a more recent scholarly piece? Can we easily distinguish primary and secondary sources?