24 pages • 48 minutes read
Hernando TéllezLather and Nothing Else
Fiction | Short Story | YA | Published in 1950A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Authorial Context: Hernando Téllez
Téllez was a Colombian writer, journalist, and political activist born in 1908 in Bogotá. He is best known for his short stories, which often dealt with social and political issues, and for his involvement in left-wing politics in Colombia.
Téllez began his writing career as a journalist in the 1930s, contributing to prestigious newspapers in Colombia. In 1936, he published his first collection of short stories, “Ceniza y otros cuentos” (“Ashes and Other Stories”), which dealt with themes such as poverty, injustice, and oppression. His stories were noted for their powerful descriptions of the lives of ordinary people and their social and political commentary.
Téllez was a member of the Communist Party of Colombia, and his political activism often landed him in trouble with the authorities. In 1948, he was arrested and imprisoned for his political activities, leading to his work being banned by the government. He was later released, but he continued to be harassed and persecuted by the authorities.
Despite the obstacles he faced, Téllez continued to write, and he went on to publish several more collections of short stories, as well as novels, plays, and essays. His later works continued to address social and political issues, but they also explored themes such as love, death, and the human condition.
Téllez’s writing has been widely celebrated for its powerful portrayal of the struggles and injustices faced by ordinary people in Colombia. His stories have been translated into many languages, and he is considered to be one of Colombia’s most important writers of the 20th century.
Literary Context: Colombian Literature
Colombian literature is rich, diverse, and vibrant—a direct reflection of the country’s complex history and culture. The roots of Colombian literature can be traced back to the pre-Columbian era when the Indigenous peoples of the region preserved stories through oral tradition. With the arrival of the Spanish colonizers in the 16th century, Colombian literature began to take on a more formal structure, and written works began to appear.
One of the most famous Colombian writers is Gabriel García Márquez, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982. His works, including One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera, are considered classics of Latin American literature. Márquez’s magical realist style, which combines elements of fantasy with reality, has influenced many writers around the world.
Other notable Colombian writers include Téllez, author of “Lather and Nothing Else,” Jorge Isaacs, whose novel Maria is a classic of Latin American literature, and Álvaro Mutis, who is known for his poetry and the Maqroll the Gaviero series of novels. Colombian literature also includes the works of women writers such as Laura Restrepo, who explores themes of politics and social justice in her novels, and Pilar Quintana, whose works focus on the lives of women in rural Colombia.
Colombian literature has been shaped by the country’s turbulent history, including armed conflict that has plagued the country for decades. Many writers have used their works to explore the social and political issues facing Colombia, including violence, poverty, and inequality. In recent years, Colombian literature has gained wider recognition, with more works being translated into English and other languages. This has helped to bring the country’s rich literary tradition to a wider audience and to showcase the diverse voices and perspectives of Colombian writers.
