Critical Reading of ¡Diles que no me maten! ¡Diles que no me maten! A short story by Juan Rulfo, which depicts the reality of a peasant’s life in rural Mexico. This short story is about a farmer who had a disagreement with the landowner after asking if he would be able to share his animals’ food. Due to the refusal the farmer sneaked his animals at night to feed them; however, when the landowner found out he killed one of the farmer’s cattle. As a result, the farmer killed his landowner; consequently he had to hide for over 40 years only to be murdered later on by the landowner’s son. This paper will discuss the following ideas; themes explored in the short story such as family, death and revenge. Then, an analysis of the strong need of survival and the symbolism of corn crops. Continuing to the structure of the short story and what it adds up to the overall understanding of the story. Finally, there will be a conclusion of all the aspects and what findings are reached after reading this short story. The themes explored in the novel illustrate a life of a peasant in Mexico during the post-revolution, important themes in the story are: lack of a father’s role model, death and revenge. Additionally, the author Juan Rulfo became an orphan after he lost …show more content…
it is unmistakable that life situations inspired Juan Rulfo to write this story. He like no other person had a greater understanding of how to portray the theme of family especially missing a father as a role model, death, survival and revenge. Moreover, through the use of local Mexican language it furthermore developed the society in which peasants had to live during the post-revolution. Additionally Juan Rulfo tries to add all five senses in the story forming magical realism and a vivid picture that the readers can understand. Overall, the readers learn a lot about peasant’s approach to life after revolution that the main drive was
Desert Blood, a book by Alicia Gaspar De Alba, is considered to be a mystery novel that covers a seventeen year crime wave. Specifically, the author has focused on the Juarez femicides issue whereby femicide is defined as the murder of females just because they are women. However, in this case, the Juarez victims are the poor and young Mexican females that were murdered because they were poor. The protagonist of this story is Ivon Villa, a professor that focuses on women studies while the antagonists are Silvia Pasquel, Natalia Stregnard and Zabaleta. This paper will therefore focus on the plot summary and analysis of the novelwhile pinpointing the main parts of the story.
A warped and twisted childhood: Tayo, the half-breed neither the people of his unknown father or the Laguna people of his mother wanted him—he represented the evil destruction brought upon the people of the desert by the greed of the white man; who took without any regard of the ‘mother’ raping and pillaging the earth destroying her off-spring to feed the armies of Mexican and white laborers taking from the land trees, minerals, and killing her animals. Tayo’s first years were horrible living in cardboard and tin shacks—when his mother was not selling her body and soul for a bottle of booze. “They found their own places to sleep because the men stayed until dawn. Before they knew how to walk, the children learned how to avoid fists and feet” (Silko, 100). ...
His execution of imagery, diction, and dialogue throughout the text were very prominent regarding these three factors. The authors use of pathos, sickly diction, and humanistic dialogue were very important agents to bring this piece altogether and alive. Especially with the subject of poverty and how it effects not only Flavio’s family, but as the text says “Pockets of poverty in New York's Harlem, on Chicago's south side, in Puerto Rico's infamous El Fungito seemed pale by comparison. None of them had prepared me for this one in the favela o[ Catacumba.” Poverty effects a lot of people, and awareness needs to be brought up through messages like
... family traditions because they are innocent and fragile compared to men, therefore dramatizing the effects of the ‘inhuman’ traditions. A maternal bond is a very crucial component of one’s life; therefore by disrupting the usual aspect of one’s life, the authors are sending their message in a strong manner. Furthermore, the ending of both novels imply a necessity for social improvement in their societies as the protagonists have to detach themselves from their repressive mothers, who represent the authorities of the old generation with their overbearing attitudes, in order to pursue their own dreams, whether it is for education, career, or love. After the protagonists break away from their mothers, Tita chases her love for Pedro and Hang leaves the country, abandoning all the traditional traditions, to continue with her college education and occupation in Russia.
To begin with, the opening scene of Riso amaro introduces this dichotomy between consumerism and worker solidarity. In fact, even the opening title helps establish that, reading “man has sought two things since the dawn of time – food and love.” In this scenario, food obviously connects to the basic needs of the workers, while love carries the connotation of the artificial sentiment of photo-romances. Followi...
In the book, the author uses the history of the Mirabal sisters as well as her writing expertise to paint her own narrative that accurately describes the culture the Mirabal sisters live in. The author uses many different writing elements like convention, imagery, and change in point of view throughout the story to deeply describe the life of the Mirabal sisters. Each chapter the point of view changes between the sisters, by doing that Alvarez tells every side of the sisters live in
In Esperanza’s neighborhood, compliant women are trapped by their husbands and over- come with feelings of low self worth and insecurity. In the vignette “No Speak English,” Esperanza describes the arrival of Mamacita, a mother who is forced by her husband to leave her homeland and move to Mango Street. Troubled by Mamacita’s solitude, Esperanza explains, “She sits all day by the window and play the Spanish radio” (Cisneros 77). Mamacita, forced to leave her home, feels overcome with feelings of seclusion and sorrow. In submitting to her husband’s will, Mamacita illustrates the powerlessness and vulnerability of women. Similarly, Rafaela, another woman imprisoned in her house on Mango Street, is discontent with her submission to her husband’s wishes.
The structure of this novel can be divided in two types- internal and external. The external view of the novel can be seen by the composure of twenty-two chapters. The internal structure of this novel can be seen with a first person narrative; the narrator being Antonio. The italics in the novel represent Antonio’s dreams which are also narrated through first person.
Throughout the story, the main character Antonio is pulled in two directions as far as which family he will be more like. His future career paths are also discussed but it is mostly emphasized that the men will be the main influences in helping his decision while the women play more of a supporting role. Ultima, the main female character, is of great importance to Antonio but the author also emphasizes the importance of the time Antonio spends with his uncles and the huge influence his older brother’s actions have on him. Antonio’s father comes from people on el llano, a rough people. The book opens with discussions of how the lifestyle of the vaquero is a way of life that goes back in to ancient times, which perpetuates this idea that is a rite of passage a becoming of a man is to take on this vaquero way of life. This basically serves to remind Antonio that to choose his mother’s dream would be choosing something feminine. Antonio’s father had greatly hoped his three sons would move with him to California to begin a new life. This also serves to further the idea that men should fall in to their traditional roles as sons and take up the way of their father. Antonio’s brothers encourage their father’s idea but don’t believe in it because they want freedom. Antonio’s father is also used as almost a weight on Antonio in
Further, something that was brought to my attention was how the mother fights through the struggles even though she seems to be a ghost of herself, “She has discovered the secret to silence: pouring café without a splash, walking between rooms as if gliding on a cushion of felt, and crying without a sound” (Diaz 1668). An interesting point to point out is how Diaz describes the mother’s emotional stage and how he presents to reader how she is treated. The interesting clue is that the point of view comes from a men’s perspective. The form the mother is treated and how she was left by her husband could happen in any culture however, it is not a surprise in a Latino culture. This leads for the son to mature and to take on the role of the father in which draws the relation on how this can lead to two ways. Young men are always conveyed to be obedient and to be respectful, thus those characteristics help to grow a strong relationship among the family. The lack of not having a father brings challenges and we can clearly see how Diaz support his mother financially, despite the fact that she struggles through the pain of not having a husband “We live alone. My mother has enough for the rent and groceries and I cover the phone bill, sometimes the cable” (Diaz 1668). In addition, despite the fact that the mother is painfully hurt that does not let her
Marquez reveals Santiago’s perverted actions through Santiago’s maid’s daughter, Divana Flor. Marquez writes, “Nasar grabbed her by the wrist… ‘The time has come for you to be tamed’” (Marquez 9). Marquez’s diction in the word “tamed” exhibits the male Colombian view on women and the treatment women endure. Denotatively, the word tamed means to make less powerful and easier to control and connotatively used to control an animal. This expresses a dehumanizing tone and disrespectful mood. Marquez wants to illustrate that Colombian culture as portrayed by Santiago shows the unequal treatment and disproportional respect demonstrated by men. Marquez’s voice in this novella accentuates how he criticizes the unequal and abusive treatment of Colombian men toward women. Furthermore, Marquez gives uncomfortable imagery for the reader to see. When the narrator takes verbal account from Diviana Flor about Santiago, she recounts, “He grabbed me by the whole pussy” (Marquez 13). This visual imagery written by Marquez gives a descriptive and uncomfortable imagery of Santiago sexual assaulting minor, Divana Flor during her childhood. By looking into the real character of Santiago the audience understands the disgusting nature of Santiago and his poor moral character that the rest of society could not see. Marquez wants to highlight the façade given off by people of the upper class. Marquez criticizes how looks mean so much to Colombian people, and how no one cares about moral aptitude. In contrast, Marquez’s character Xius has moral actions in juxtaposition to Santiago. Xius formed a long and faithful relationship with his late wife. While Bayardo attempts to buy his house with large sums of money Xius explains “you young people don’t understand the motives of the heart” (Marquez 36). This character development of Xius reveals how he uses his
The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes was written as a criticism of many of the social structures and moral contradictions that were present in 16th century Spain. The book was so critical, in fact, that it was written and published anonymously is several different places at once to avoid the author being punished by the Catholic Church, the dominating institution at the time. The novel is broken up into seven different chapters, each focusing on Lazarillo’s servitude to one master told from the perspective of an older Lazaro. Each of these chapters serves as an illustration of the different social classes in 16th century Spanish culture and the inequalities and hypocrisies that each of them experienced.
For Standard 2, I selected one essay that reflects literary traditions, movements and historical contexts. In my paper, I compare the similarities and differences between Juan Rulfo’s Pedro Paramo and Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate. In terms of literary traditions, tradition is the vital component of the the protagonists lives, and how their traditions during the time period are impactful on their future. I explain how gender is a key factor as well since the stories are seen through a female perspective and male perspective of different time
Desde el momento en que la mujer nacía en la sociedad azteca la partera le decía a la niña que su deber era en el hogar como el corazón a un cuerpo. En la cultura de los aztecas las niñas crecían en la casa viendo y aprendiendo de sus madres los trabajos domésticas de una mujer. Estas tareas incluían los tejiendos, hilando algodón, moler maíz y cómo utilizar el telar. La parte más importante de la vida de una mujer era su casa. Las mujeres eran responsables de mantener limpio el hogar. En la sociedad azteca, cuando la chica llegaba a la edad para el matrimonio como a los veinte años las familias se unían para escoger el marido y empezar hacer los a...
The Alvarez lived in a compound on a respected neighborhood surrounded by aunts, uncles, cousins and the grandparents, and were a very well establish family as a result of “benefitting from their support of the people in power” during the revolution against the Haitians (“Julia Alvarez”). In her novel, ...