Sebastian Saavedra and Filip Predrevac, from the International School of Kigali in Rwanda, reflect on the enduring importance and contemporary impact of Hispanic literature in this week’s blog. In their texts, both explore how Hispanic writers build empathy and use the power of language to connect people in different places.
Why Hispanic Literature Still Matters
I used to view literature as something relegated to a specific place, stories that belonged to one culture, one language, one perspective. As I’ve read, I’ve realized that the best stories don’t stay in one place, but travel and connect people across the world. Sometimes these stories can cross borders in ways people can’t even do. Hispanic Heritage Month reminds me of that every year, especially when reviewing the impact of writers like Gabriel García Marquez and Mario Vargas Llosa.
What stands out to me about Hispanic literature is how it intertwines reality with imagination to craft a story. In many works, everyday life is incorporated with history, identity, and culture. It’s not simply about what happens throughout the story, but what those moments represent. Family, language, tradition, and even struggle can become part of the narrative in a genuine and powerful way.
Reading these kinds of stories has changed how I think about language. I’ve noticed how much meaning can exist between words, especially when more than one language or culture is at play. Even small, seemingly insignificant details like switching between languages can carry great importance. It shows how literature can reflect real experiences that may not always cleanly fit into one simple category.
Hispanic Heritage Month is about more than recognizing history. It’s about recognizing voices that continue to impact modern literature. These voices are so important because they bring perspectives that could otherwise be overlooked while challenging readers to place themselves in other people’s shoes, beyond their own experiences. This is something that I think is essential in a world where it can be so easy to be trapped within your own perspective.
Reading Hispanic literature has been a good reminder that stories are one of the most powerful ways to understand each other. They permit us to see through the lens of another’s eyes, even if only for a brief time. However, in that time, differences can feel smaller, and connections can feel stronger.
In my opinion this is one of the main reasons why this kind of literature still matters. It does more than simply telling a story by building bridges between people who can spawn from two completely different cultures or backgrounds. This is especially important in a time such as now, when understanding one another is more important than ever.
Sebastian Saavedra is an 11th grader at the International School of Kigali and a member of the National English Honor Society. He is passionate about literature, writing, and exploring how language shapes culture and identity. Sebastian particularly enjoys analyzing different forms of storytelling, spanning from traditional literature to modern music. Through NEHS, he hopes to promote literacy in schools and encourage others to do the same and appreciate the power of words, regardless of form.
Hispanic Literature and its Contemporary Impact
There are many reasons Hispanic literature matters and has an impact on contemporary students, their communities, and society as a whole. The first is that Hispanic literature serves as a voice for many people whose stories have traditionally been excluded from school curriculum. Hispanic history and experience were not present in textbooks for decades; however, literature will help recover those lost histories and keep them visible for young readers who would never hear those stories otherwise.
Hispanic literature builds empathy and allows people from different cultures to gain a better understanding of Hispanic culture. For example, when people who are not from Hispanic backgrounds read books about Hispanic experiences, they can learn about issues that Hispanic communities experience regularly. Through reading Hispanic literature, themes such as discrimination, access to education, gender, and sexual orientation allow readers from all backgrounds to develop a better understanding of various viewpoints.
Furthermore, using Hispanic literature can promote bilingualism since so much of the work is being done by authors who write in different languages, using both English and Spanish. Authors often write in both languages and incorporate real-life experiences into their stories, which provides readers with an understanding of the language as well. Exposing readers to Spanish words and expressions, it helps create a way for Hispanic families to continue to build their language skills.
Hispanic literature has had a major impact on people and significantly helped the understanding of Hispanic cultural experiences. I would highly recommend more people read Hispanic literature written by and about members of the Hispanic community.
Filip Predrevac is a 16-year-old who currently lives in Kigali, Rwanda, and studies at the International School of Kigali. Filip is interested in sports, music, education, and socializing. Filip likes to spend his free time with friends and family, as well as playing basketball and tennis. Filip is also interested in school and tries to maintain good grades in all classes. Filip is part of the National English Honor Society, and he is also very interested in reading and writing. His favorite subject is PE due to the fact that he loves sports, though he tries hard in classes that challenge him more, in order to get good grades.
National English Honor Society
The National English Honor Society (NEHS), founded and sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta, is the only international organization exclusively for secondary students and faculty who, in the field of English, merit special note for past and current accomplishments. Individual secondary schools are invited to petition for a local chapter, through which individuals may be inducted into Society membership. Immediate benefits of affiliation include academic recognition, scholarship and award eligibility, and opportunities for networking with others who share enthusiasm for, and accomplishment in, the language arts.
America’s first honor society was founded in 1776, but high school students didn’t have access to such organizations for another 150 years. Since then, high school honor societies have been developed in leadership, drama, journalism, French, Spanish, mathematics, the sciences, and in various other fields, but not in English. In 2005, National English Honor Society launched and has been growing steadily since, becoming one of the largest academic societies for secondary schools.
As Joyce Carol Oates writes, “This is the time for which we have been waiting.” Or perhaps it was Shakespeare: “Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer . . .” we celebrate English studies through NEHS.
National English Honor Society accepts submissions to our blog, NEHS Museletter, from all membership categories (students, Advisors, and alumni). If you are interested in submitting a blog, please read the Suggested Guidelines on our website. Email any questions and all submissions to: submit@nehsmuseletter.us.
