Dr. Malcolm Alan Compitello: Professor Emeritus of Spanish, U of A; Executive Editor Emeritus, Arizona Journal of Hispanic Cultural Studies
Monday, May 18th, 2026: 3:00 – 4:00 pm, Koffler Great Room at ASA and Zoom
Dr. Malcolm Alan Compitello’s lecture explores how female authors have contributed to the Bildungsroman—also known as the novel of development—in the Hispanic world, despite often being overlooked. The novels discussed in this lecture include Ana María Matute’s Primera memoria (The Island, 1959), Adelaida García Morales’ El sur (The South, 1985) and Angeles Mastretta’s Arráncame la vida (Tear This Heart Out, 1985). Dr. Compitello examines the development of female protagonists whose lives are formed by two fundamental historical moments of political and social crisis: the Spanish Civil War of 1936 and the Mexican Revolution of 1910. The lecture also contextualizes the importance of these texts within the context of 20th Century Hispanic, European and American fiction writing.