| Description |
Literally thousands of books have been written on the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Yet no single interpretation of the revolution emerges from this abundant literature. writers of both historical monographs and novels still debate not only the nature of the revolution itself, but also its meaning for the post-revolutionary period. A single interpretation remains elusive. Nonetheless, certain patterns are evident in the various and complex portrayals of the Mexican Revolution found in both fictional and historical literature. Interpretations of the Mexican Revolution can be divided into four distinct groups: populist, anti-populist, neo-populist, and, most recently, those writers who place an emphasis on the role of popular culture in political process. These groups follow a rough chronology, the populists appearing in the midst of the revolution itself, others following in successive; waves of interpretations as new contexts reshaped the interpretations of an earlier period. This paper defines each of these interpretive schools and charts its evolution by drawing on both literary and historical examples to illustrate the crucial features of each group. Although attention is given here to the distinctive features of each interpretive school, none is monolithic; within each larger tradition dissident or transitional voices appear which emphasize different aspects, but in the end share a similar framework. |
