Write on Water. Transatlantic Chronicles (Stricto Sensu) of Latin American Correspondent in the Spanish Civil War

Abstract

This paper discusses a specific form of Latin American chronicle about the Spanish Civil War: the transatlantic chronicle written by its authors on the ship carrying the mouthier journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Many of the Latin American correspondents discussed in this paper were renowned novelists and poets, who traveled to Spain to witness the conflict first hand. These correspondents engaged in this lyrical and maritime writing to leave testimony detailing their journey, motivated by a desire to capture their expectations upon departure and document the return. The analysis of these texts leads to a deeper understanding of the war correspondent as a figure, the Latin American perspective on Spain and the characteristics of a flexible genre that ranges from periodical publications to books — a valuable vehicle of cultural mediation.