A Place Where the Sea Remembers
- Genre: Literary Fiction
- Originally Published: 1993
- Reading Level/Interest: 790L; adult
- Structure/Length: 176 pages
- Protagonist/Central Conflict: This novel follows several characters in the Mexican village of Santiago, weaving together various storylines. At the core of each story is a conflict that reveals different aspects of love, loss, redemption, and cultural identity.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Some scenes of violence, including domestic violence; sexual abuse and rape; discussions of miscarriage; class and racial tensions
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:
- Tradition Versus Modernity
- Life and Death
- Preserving the Memories of Others
STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:
- Develop an understanding of the literary and socioeconomic contexts regarding the use of magical realism by Latin American authors that impact the characterization of Benitez’s story.
- Analyze paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Tradition Versus Modernity, Life and Death, and Preserving the Memories of Others.