Resisting Hegemonic Discourse The Tension Between Document and Fiction in Sergio González Rodríguez’s Huesos en el desierto

Abstract

Scholars point to the emancipatory potential of contemporary Latin American chronicles, noting that they offer a counterhegemonic discourse on gender violence. However, little attention has been paid to the ways in which this discourse is constructed and made effective. Through the textual analysis of Huesos en el desierto (2002), a chronicle by Sergio González Rodríguez, this article will show how the hybridity of this work reinforces its critical potential. Cognitive poetics will be used to analyse how different techniques used by González Rodríguez not only consolidate his ethos but also provoke a reflection in the reader on the distinctions between fiction and non-fiction. In addition to shedding light on how the genre of the chronicle works, this article aims to offer a new interpretation of Huesos en el desierto. Moreover, it will demonstrate the usefulness of a cognitive approach for a better understanding of contemporary Latin American chronicles.