Transgressive Appropriations in Lucha Corpi’s Detective Fiction
Keywords:
detective fiction, ethnic literature, Lucha Corpi, cultural subversion, Chicana identity, hard-boiled genreAbstract
This article analyzes the subversive strategies employed by Lucha Corpi in her detective fiction, focusing on how she appropriates and transgresses the conventions of the American hard-boiled genre. The paper explores the tension between popular fiction's formulaic nature and its potential to challenge dominant cultural values. By examining Gloria Damasco, Corpi’s Chicana detective, the article demonstrates how ethnic writers use popular genres to reach a broad audience while subverting the ideological presuppositions of mainstream culture. The study investigates Corpi’s alterations of traditional detective tropes, such as gender roles, political activism, and cultural identity, to portray alternative worldviews. This work highlights the significance of ethnic detective fiction in fostering critical awareness about multiculturalism and social justice.
(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)
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