Sarmiento y el Facundo: discutir su recepción dentro de la elite política e intelectual argentina entre 1890 y 1912

Abstract

Although there is a general agreement between researchers and readers about the fact that “Facundo” was considered the most representative book in Sarmiento’s work, in this article I propose problematize that perception. As I will try to show, such consecration results from a construction made in the 20th century. In order to prove my conjecture, I inquire the autor’s post-death age (1889-1912) when Argentinian nationality is rethought and, pursuing that aim, “patriotic education” is putted in practice. I will examine how “sanjuanino’s” figure and his publications where utilized in school books and essays whit the particular objective of expose that by then “Facundo” symbolized for the reading public an important book but not the main one in Sarmiento’s production.