Personal Narrative and Political Nuance: The Letters of Luis Alberto Sánchez and Manuel Alejandro Seoane Corrales (1924-1961)
DOI: Pending
Gloria Clark
Penn State Emeritus AcademyPublication
Abstract
Luis Alberto Sánchez, Peruvian author, lawyer, politician, and professor, carried on a voluminous correspondence with fellow Peruvian diplomat, lawyer, and journalist, Manuel Seoane Corrales, through nearly forty years of political and personal endeavors. Much of the correspondence has been preserved and stands as a testament to the growth and development of these important political activists from the ages of 24 until Seoane Corrales’ death at age 63. The juxtaposition of this back-and-forth correspondence reveals a living relationship. The letters are undeniably connected to the life, emotions, and spirits of those who wrote them, but also to the temporal, cultural, and spatial milieu in which they are written. They present a multilayered portrait of aprismo that is not available in conventional histories of the party. An analysis of the correspondence reveals their growing concern for their beloved country and their roles in the inception of the APRA party in Peru. Also evident is the way in which they supported each other’s writing and personal lives, creating a tie that would last for their lifetimes. This article reviews selected letters and highlights the themes that surfaced as the volatile political situation swirled around and between them.
Keywords
Peru, Luis Alberto Sánchez, Manuel Seoane Corrales, APRA, Víctor Haya de la Torre
