Adriana García Roel

Adriana García Roel (June 4, 1916 - October 26, 2003) was a renowned writer and professor from Monterey, Nuevo León, author of the novel El Hombre de Barro, (The Man of Clay) written when she was just 26 years old. The novel became an award-winning textbook used by literature students. She also wrote two other novels, published nearly fifty years later after a long period of silence.^[1] García Roel is considered, alongside Irma Sabina Sepúlveda, one of the pioneers of the women's literary movement in Nuevo León during the 20th century, a time when women were largely confined to household roles.^[2]

The co-founder of the feminist literary movement in Nuevo León, was the daughter of Mario A. García, the chief dispatcher at an old gas station, and María Roel, the sister of historian Santiago Roel. She was the eldest of five siblings. Her father was fond of the literary work El Quijote, a passion he passed on to his daughter, who made it her lifelong favorite and inspired her to become an indefatigable reader. At the same time, she also began to develop her writing skills, and at nine years old she began editing a family newspaper named Pinocho that featured various sections.^[2]

She completed her GED at the American College of Monterrey and at the Laurens Institute in her hometown. Later, she earned specialized diplomas in literature at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), one of which focused exclusively on the analysis of El Quijote, the literary work that would profoundly influence her life.^[2]

Adriana García Roel was part of a family of Neolonese professionals and intellectuals, among them was her aforementioned maternal uncle, who was a historian. All of her brothers engaged in profesional careers, Ricardo studied medicine, Mario studied law, Alonso was a medical ophthalmologist, and her brother Fernando was rector of the Monterrey Institute of Technology.^[2]

Once she concluded her studies, Adriana García Roel worked teaching English in Monterrey and at the same time began work writing short stories and essays that were published in newsletters like Revista de revistas , El Día or Continental; however she thought it was embarrassing to have her works read by people she knew, so she signed her works with  pseudonyms “Nada” or “Nadien”. On one occasion, apparently by mistake, the editor of Revista de revistas published one of her stories with her real name, something that was celebrated by her family, however, according to the author, her father warned her that she had chosen two of the worst paid careers in Mexico: Being a teacher and a writer^[2]

It wouldn’t be until 1942 that Garcia Roel would be recognized for one of her works, winning the Lanz Duret award, it was awarded by the newspaper El Universal, which was one of the most prestigious awards of its time, with the publication of her novel El Hombre de Barro. This novel deals with the lives of peasants in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, in which her family had a home. Adriana managed to convey the thoughts and language of its people in her work. Her work was mostly well received however, she did not escape criticism, with some authors saying her work lacked many literary elements and resembled a news report rather than a novel.^[2] Regardless, the newspaper that held the contest published the novel in bindable booklet form and the editorial Porrúa would also publish it. Subsequently the University of Nuevo León published a digital version for literature students.^[1]

• El hombre de barro en 1943.
• Apuntes ribereños en 1955.^[3]
• Lucía la de Tlalpan en 2003.^[1]

• "Adriana García Roel". Enciclopedia de la literatura en México. FLM–CONACULTA.