Manuel Puig's Kiss Of The Spider Woman

Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spider Woman is the compelling story of two prisoners: Molina, an eccentric gender-ambiguous window dresser and Valentin, a well-educated and articulate revolutionary. In this post-modern novel, the two characters speak only in dialogue; there is no narration. The two spend their days in a jail cell talking about films and their own lives in attempt to escape from the hard realities of their lives. In doing so, they often bring up Gabriel, a married, heterosexual waiter that Molina is one-sidedly infatuated with. Puig uses the character of Gabriel to comment on the use of storytelling as escapism, comment on the alienation of individuals and meaningless of existence and deconstruct gender norms and society’s notions

According to Molina, Gabriel is the epitome of the masculine man. When Valentin asks Molina the definition of masculine, in regards to Gabriel, Molina responds, “The nicest thing about a man is just that, to be marvelous- looking, and strong, but without making a fuss about it, and also walking very tall. Walking absolutely straight, like my waiter, who’s not afraid to say anything. And it’s knowing what you want, where you’re going” (61). This weighty description of a man is completely dismissed by Valentin, who calls it a “fantasy” (61). Although Molina disagrees, Valentin’s theory remains triumphant as Gabriel is disclosed as being uneducated, unhappy and unambitious as he, “isn’t very disciplined at all, it seems” (67). The deconstruction of the idea of a masculine man is extended when Molina points out to Valentin that his, “wife made more than he did. She was a secretary in some company and slowly got to be some sort of executive, and he didn’t go for that too much” (69). Molina, who is unhappy with this idea reflects society because society puts undulated pressure on men to be the stronger sex. The fact that Gabriel fails to the be the “stronger” one but is still a man in Molina’s eyes shows Puig deconstructing gender norms. Puig is also able to demonstrate the dangers of homosexuality mimicking heterosexuality. According to Altman, “when homosexuality copies the norms of heterosexuality, it becomes repressive and ceases to be radical” (154). Molina, wishes for him and Gabriel to be like a heterosexual couple, living together, helping one another. Through the failure of this along with Gabriel’s lack-luster relationship with his wife, Puig demonstrates that they are both able to remain radical. As a matter of fact, to Molina, sex is meaningless’ it is more a biological need, a part of nature. He keeps telling Valentin, “it’s