Cabeza De Vaca Analysis

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Recommended: Introduction of mexico

Of love and religion The evolution and history of México and its people has been intrinsically related to religion and love. As the so called ‘new world’ was being shaped, the conscience of its people, the original inhabitants and the newcomers, was also being re-shaped. The Mexican identity was constructed on the pillars of the indigenous and the Spanish values, traditions, and beliefs; and this determined the characteristics of the new society, its cultural idiosyncrasy, and the way they saw the world; the way we see the world. Docter’s (2008) analysis of the journey of Cabeza de Vaca portrays through the experiences of an individual, the way the Spanish and the native cultures got intertwined from the moment of the first arrivals to the present. As Cabeza de Vaca evolves, …show more content…

He is not only healing the Indians through his rudimentary medical skills and religious rituals, but he is also healing himself as he is able to see the natives as people, as valuable individuals who deserve nothing less than he does. All the transformation he goes through is triggered by the exploration of his own Christianity and his ties with the community. He becomes willing to learn from others and to take this learning as the point of departure for a new identity. His religious self and the love he managed to let grow for this new land and its people determined his new positionality. Love is also the ruling issue in Doña Marina’s life. Usually portrayed at the same time as a traitor and as a victim, Ireneo Paz’s interpretation is different to the later male-centered takes on her story. Paz focuses on the strength La Malinche had to face her destiny once she became a bridge between the Spanish and her own people. This bridging was based on her love for her own people and the love she felt for Hernán Cortéz. She became a connection between both and understanding her position has always been a debatable

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