Victoria Guzman Character Analysis

Victoria Guzman is a victim of Direct Violence in her youth, and a perpetrator of Cultural Violence as an adult to make-up for the pain from her past.

Victoria was seduced by Santiago’s father when she was young and didn’t know better. “...you won’t have a drink of that water as long as I’m alive”(9). At this time, Santiago is trying to seduce Divina, and Victoria doesn’t want her daughter to have her same experience. In her past, “ She’d been seduced...in the fullness of her adolescence”(9). She was seduced before she knew better and gave herself fully to Ibrahim Nasar, Santiago’s father. Victoria loved Ibraham, and was hurt by him, “...he brought her to be a house servant when the affection was over” (10). When Victoria was young, she

Victoria’s repressed rage can appear as racist, “Let go of her white man...”(9). Victoria can do nothing about Santiago going after Divina. She is frustrated with the situation, but can’t find a person to blame. Since a wealthy man is so powerful( and any woman is powerless) she can’t do anything about the situation. When Victoria was young, she was in love with Ibrahim, but his spite towards her caused hatred, “He was just like his father...a sh*t”(10). She is hateful towards Santiago, because she doesn’t know if she should be frustrated with him, his father, or the patriarchy within the village. Victoria’s life is presented with two choices, “They had been told it by a woman who had passed by...who in addition had revealed the motives and the place where they were waiting...I didn’t warn him because I thought it was drunkards’ talk”(13-14). Victoria knew about Santiago’s foretold death, and didn’t tell him or anyone else, because she despised him. All of her pent up frustration caused her to hate Santiago, which presented itself when she didn’t tell Santiago about the twins’ murder plot. Victoria was even told where and when the murder would happen, and she denied being told to avoid the truth. Victoria hated Santiago because she needed to release her anger from Ibrahim and her past onto