María Odette Canivell Arzúová sa zameriava na vzťah medzi literatúrou, politikou a kultúrnymi naratívmi. Jej práca skúma, ako sú národné symboly a predstavy o hrdinstve formované a šírené prostredníctvom intelektuálnych a literárnych procesov. Autorka sa zaoberá historickými a spoločenskými dopadmi myšlienok, skúma napríklad vplyv Freuda na moderné myslenie. Jej písanie sa ponára do zložitých vzťahov medzi tvorivými umeniami, mocenskými štruktúrami a formovaním kolektívnej identity.
Literary Narratives and the Cultural Imagination analyzes the cultural imaginaries of the United Kingdom and Spain through their national heroes, King Arthur and Don Quijote, and compares the ways in which they have been constructed as marketing tools.
National heroes are a staple of practically every culture in the world. Through the analysis of the traits, values and personality of heroes it is possible to get a glimpse into the psyche of a given culture. By examining the figures of Don Quijote de La Mancha and King Arthur, a comparison of the world view, of the mores, and of the ideal characteristics that made Spain and Great Britain choose these exceptional representatives can be attained, highlighting the similarities and differences between both cultures.