Discursive Crimes: Chicana Affect and Hegemonic Power in Eulogy for a Brown Angel by Lucha Corpi

Abstract

This article argues that the detective novel Eulogy for a Brown Angel (1992) by Chicana author Lucha Corpi is a complex theorization on the intimate relationship between hegemonic power and Chicana affect (a relationship that I call “hegemonic affect”). Eulogy for a Brown Angel is a complex, discursive formation in which master narratives collide with counter-discourses that challenge hegemonic power. Literary critics, such as Tim Libretti (1999), have analyzed Corpi’s novel as an example of how “multicultural detective fiction” disrupts the pro-capitalist, misogynist and racist ideologies of the classic U.S. hard-boiled narratives by incorporating the historical and political experiences of communities of color. In contrast to previous studies, my analysis focuses on how in Corpi’s novel these hegemonic formations crucially impact Chicana affects. The article pays special attention to how Chicana affects are damaged by master narratives that define power in terms of Anglo-Saxon whiteness, masculinity and heterosexuality. In addition, the present analysis argues that in order to resist hegemonic power, Chicanas in the novel advance affects that facilitate solidarity and alliances amongst women of color, enabling healing and the pursuit of social justice.