ABSTRACT
This chapter contextualizes analysis of early twentieth-century Spanish New York narratives within the theoretical reassessment of the Spanish literature written in the period 1898-1936. Criticism of early twentieth-century Spanish popular literary texts has focused on two types of narratives: women-authored texts and the novella published serially in collections. The representation of New York given in Julio Camba's travelogue is constructed upon a sarcastic approach to modernization. New York embodies the future of civilization, both in a positive and in a negative sense. On the one hand, the presence of the 'masses' and the frantic rhythm of modern life reflects the widespread view of mass society as inevitably alienating and dehumanizing. On the other hand, it also praises progress, especially regarding women's emancipation. Camba's often ferocious criticism of foreign cultures and his controversial stance in relation to themes such as multiculturalism and women's emancipation has been, at most, alleviated by considering it as an expression of his humorous style.
