Essay On Quinceañera

What is the difference between a book and a Quinceañera? While the first thought might be “a lot,” in actuality, they are very similar. A book changes in appearance over time, but the message inside stays the same; likewise, just as a quinceañera may change physically over time, the meaning and purpose has stayed constant throughout the ages. Some might argue that quinceañeras are not different than other rites of passages; however, because quinceañeras embrace gender norms, encourage catholic religious practice, and establish cultural identity, they build self-identity the most. A quinceañera is a Hispanic tradition; however, other cultures and other stages of life have rites of passages very similar, such as a sweet sixteen. This rite-of-passage

The grandmother holds a special place in the family for that reason. Women organize feast days, celebrate rituals and offer prayers. The mother sets up the alter in the home where prayers are offered for the living and the dead. She makes the home a domestic church. Hispanic women are the evangelizers and teachers of values, yet their leadership has often gone unrecognized. A quinceañera publicly acknowledges this historic role.”

Again, the quinceañera is developing a feminine identity and teaching the fifteen-year-old girl to embrace her femininity and the role of a woman in the

I think this is a very “American” idea, because habitually, Americans place a higher value on material items than most cultures. For Davalos’s research, she interviews 40 Latino women. Through this, Davalos explains why the commercialization of quinceañeras does not affect a girls self worth. “ Mexicanas would never refer to someone as “less traditional” because she could not afford a fancy dress, a large reception or gold medallion…No one would describe a quinceañera of a family with fewer resources as “less traditional”” (Davalos