Opening Doors: Culture and Social Expectations in the Literary Interpretations of Three Hispanic Women

As an artistic expression of language and culture, literature has been widely used in the areas of second and foreign language teaching. Literature has been used as a tool for improving reading comprehension and writing skills (Kessler et al, 1996; McCloskey & Stack, 1996). Furthermore, given its connotative character, literature lends itself to richer, more meaningful class activities that entail deeper interpretation, discussion and response (Spack, 1996). Literary texts offer rich opportunities for exploration, enjoyment and learning. At the same time, the many faces of literature may pose serious problems to those who read it in a language which is not their own. This book is thus about how three women read in a language that is not theirs.