La Virgen de Guadalupe 3 of 3 and Works Cited

La Virgen De Las Mujeres

            While there are several artists who have depicted La Virgen de Guadalupe in a feminist representation, of all these authors, Alma Lopez is one whose works have been both revered and heavily contested. Of her works, one titled Our Lady is less of a recreating of the classic image of La Virgen de Guadalupe but rather a melding of a confident, natural Chicana woman and the common identifiers associated with La Virgen. Our Lady acts as a role model for the Chicana woman, it acts as a strong example of empowerment. The woman in this painting is not ashamed of body “With her hands on her hips she assumes a ‘Latina Power pose’ (Nunn 165). Some viewed this image as a strong commentary on the changing role of Chicanas, the women who fight against the pre-established machismo culture of Latin America countering the Madonna-Whore binary that we discussed earlier. This image shows the combination of strong confident Chicana woman and the iconic details of the image of La Virgen de Guadalupe. Others viewed Lopez’s image as “blasphemous” and “Sacrilegious” (166). These opinions speak to the power of La Virgen De Guadalupe’s symbolism, which is usually associated with purity a mother figure void of any sexuality. In Our Lady, Alma Lopez uses the pre-Colombian symbolism, roses, and Angel present in the classic La Virgen De Guadalupe image. Here Lopez reinterprets the classical image in a manner that is not blasphemous, well at least in my opinion, because it seems that Alma Lopez’s intentions for this piece were less focused on sexualizing the Virgin. But rather, She utilizes the symbols representative of La Virgin De Guadalupe, which instantly draws the focus to the cultural unifying aspect inherent in La Virgen and then uses these symbols to show the power of the Chicana woman pictured.

In Nancy Pineda-Madrid’s novel Suffering and Salvation in Ciudad Juarez, Madrid makes a commentaries about the killings in Juarez and how they speak to rape culture. Pineda-Madrid explains how some of the locals blamed the women for their assault. She explains the locals believed the murdered women had sealed their own fates because they dressed like woman of the night. These excuses are what I think Alma Lopez’s Our Lady is trying to combat; she is attempting to break the existing social perceptions of the Madonna-Whore binary that exists in the male dominated society. Pineda-Madrid’s commentaries introduce us to a common binary that exists within the Machismo culture of Latin America. This binary has been coined the Madonna-Whore binary by feminist. As scholar Browyn Conrad writes

“…Woman’s sexuality is fragmented into opposite possibilities: ‘good girls’ submit themselves to a male-defined double standard that says women should not consummate a sexual relationship too often, too quickly, with too many men, or under the wrong circumstances, while ‘bad girls’ proudly defy this standard, only to find they have been played as pawns in a sexual game conceived and controlled by men. The existence of this bipolar sexual code for women is by no means a new observation feminist scholars have long referred to it as the Madonna/Whore complex (or duality)” (310).

In Defense to the harsh commentaries, strong oppositions and even death threats, Alma Lopez writes, “I see beautiful bodies that are gifts from our creator. I see nurturing breasts. I see the strong nurturing mothers of all of us… I wonder why they think that our bodies are so ugly and perverted that we cannot be seen in an art piece in a museum.” (Lopez) Looking past the painting itself, it is interesting to not that the model Alma Lopez used as the centerpiece of this digital image, was a rape survivor further charging this piece with energy. Her piece seeks to break the Madonna-Whore complex by melding both in a way that belittles the importance of either image. It is clear that the Chicana woman is not supposed to represent La Virgen instead it is supposed to work jointly with the symbolizes to hone in on the fact that the woman is a Chicana. And by allowing herself to be criticized for her appearance she is using the revolutionary aspect of La Virgen that we have already seen to comment on the binary.

Yolanda Lopez is another artist who bravely tries to break the Madonna-Whore binary like Lopez melds the renowned image of La Virgen de Guadalupe with an image of the Greek goddess Aphrodite specifically the image created by Sandro Botticelli. In her work titled Love Goddess Yolanda Lopez takes a more direct approach to restructuring the image of La Virgen as a instrument as a commentary on the strict Christian traditions imposed on female sexuality. Yolanda Lopez artistically melds The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli and the classical image of La Virgen de Guadalupe. In Greek Mythology Aphrodite was praised for her beauty, she was not shunned nor degraded for her sexuality. By melding the two images, Lopez is able to shift the focus from La Virgen’s conventionality and focus on virginity so that the image is refocused to fit the imagery of true womanhood as it exists today. Making the image a symbol of power for the Chicana, not one of purity and docile nature.

While I am able to understand where these artist are pulling their inspirations there is a very sensitive boundary that is in place, and these artists have to tread very lightly when working with La Virgen De Guadalupe. The Virgin is not only a religious symbol it a cultural symbol as we have noted, those who are not religious still treat La Virgen with the utmost respect so when the artist distort that purity that is revered by so many there is inevitable opposition. Which is from the backlash to Alma Lopez’s Our Lady the “Bikini Virgin” (Nunn 165) as one reporter puts it. When you try to recreate an image like that of the Virgins you have to work with extreme care. The cult of La Virgen is an immense ethnically diverse group of individuals. The Virgin represents something different to every one of us. We each carry her in a special way, whether in our hearts or on our skins. Take for example when Sister Hilda came to give a discussion in our class, she asked us to describe La Virgen de Guadalupe and the Virgin Mary in one word. While there were some similar responses given by my peers there was, however, a great deal more variety than there was unity. Every student seemed to have his or her own special relationship to La Virgen. A symbol that reminded one girl of her father, another a symbol of Mexican culture, a mother, with each response the significance of La Virgen’s importance grew. Similarly, in both of works above we witness a personal devotion made public, both female artists craft a brand new interpretation to the classical model. One that suits their desires and their needs, they break free of the shackles that bond them to traditional cultural practices and create La Virgin in a controversial way but in this controversy both artists find peace. They both create a Virgin who helps in their own personal rebellion; they carry their Virgin iconography as proudly as Caesar Chavez and Father Hidalgo. Their Virgin stands for womanhood and equality. Thusly, even though both of their works corrupt traditional values associated with La Virgin, by sexualizing an image meant to be pure, they are at the same time keeping intact the same meanings and symbolism present in the classical image. To them their Virgen’s still signify hope, inspiration, cultural unity, and Rebellion.

Works Cited

Blake, Debra. “Chicano Art vs. Censorship.” Solidarity. <http://www.solidarityus.org/site/node/3537>.

Conrad, Browyn Kara. “Neo-Institutionalism, Social Movements, and the Cultural Reproduction of a Mentalité: Promise Keepers Reconstruct the Madonna/Whore Complex.” The Sociological Quarterly 47.2 (2006): 305-31. JSTOR. Web.  <http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/4120820?ref=search-gateway:f1c20659539702c8271a60a1e2c4c957>.

Day to Day. “Mr. Cartoon, Tattoing the Virgin: NPR.” NPR: National Public Radio: News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts: Npr.<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor.php?storyId+4212651>.

Lopez, Alma. “The Artist of ‘Our Lady.” Censoring Our Ladies, Alma Lopez Speaks on Her Art. La Culturas. April 2, 2001.

Mister Cartoon. <www.skidrowtattoo.com/?p=1572>

Montoya, Delilah. “Artist Statement.” <http://wwww.delilahmontoya.com/artiststatement.html>

Nunn, Tey M. “The Our Lady of Controversy: Chicana Art, Hispanic Identity, and the Politics of  Place and Gender in Nuevo Mexico.” (n.d.): 163-81. Web.        <https://mylmuconnect.lmu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-718234-dt-content-rid-     1140373_1/courses/72805.201410/The%20Our%20Lady%20Controversy.pdf>.

Olguín, B.V. “Tattoos, Abjection, and the Political Unconscious.” University of Minnesota  Press, Cultural Critique. Vol. 37 (1997): 159-213.

Orozco-Flores, Edward, and Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo. “Chicano Gang Members in Recovery: The Public Talk of Negotiating Chicano Masculinities.” Social Problems 60.4 (2013):  476-90. JSTOR. Web.<http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/sp.2013.60.4.476?ref=search-            gateway:e8d52486c5e4e952c537b64c4b033a36>.

Salinas, Raul R. Raúl R. Salinas and the Jail Machine: My Weapon Is My Pen. Austin, Texas: U  of Texas, 2006. Print.

Santos, Xuan. “The Chicana Canvas: Doing Class, Gender, Race, And Sexuality through Tattooing in East Los Angeles.” The John Hopkins University Press 21.3 (2009)

“Tatuajes Religiosos Chicanos: La Virgen De Guadalupe.” Gangster Tattoos. < Web.

Works Referenced

Dupre, Judith. “The Virgin Mary Becomes a Pop Symbol.” The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast, n.d. Web. Apr.    2014. <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/12/11/lady-of-guadalupe-virgin-marys-new-symbolism-for-gangs-and-commerce.html>.

Peréz, Laura E. Chicana Art: the Politics of Spiritual and Aesthetic Altarities.                       Durham: Duke Up, 2007

La Virgen de Guadalupe 2 of 3

Chicano Gang Masculinity

What does Mister Tattoo mean by this “hardness.”(NPR) Is it a commentary on an individual’s violent tendencies? Or a lack of emotion and sympathy that allows for the individual to continue their life of deviance. In order to further to elaborate on the comment made by Mister Tattoo, I found an essay titled Chicano Gang Members in Recovery: The Public Talk of Negotiating Chicano Masculinities by Edward Orozco Flores and Pierrette Mondagneu-Sotelo. This essay puts into perspective the early stages of the tattooing process. It explains the sociological factors at play in the machismo because it gives us an in-depth observation of gang mentality. The author’s discuss the impact of masculine privilege and how this privilege is at the heart of the conflict. The authors suggest, “men who have experienced structural barriers to mainstream society, such as massive unemployment, urban poverty, and institutionalized racism, have typically innovated competing forms of ‘marginalized masculinities.’ In turn, the formation of such gendered hierarchies has enabled the circulation of ‘a legitimating justification for gender inequality”(Flores & Sotelo 477). As they suggest, Chicano Gang members fit the profile of the males with “marginalized masculinities.” Because the authors do a good job at summarizing it is fitting to quote them in length.

Chicano gang masculinity is one type of marginalized masculinity. Chicano men, as marginalized men, have been structurally blocked from resources (i.e., good education and jobs) necessary for the performance of dominant male breadwinner masculinity, and instead they have often relied on aggressive behaviors, such as the use of physical force or the exercise of control over women, in order assert their dominance and masculinty. Chicano gang behvior has been characterized as self-desrtuctive and as part of an addictive ‘machismo syndrone.’ Chicano gang members in Los Angeles are associated with a hypermasculine culture of locura, which involves ‘a type of craziness or wildness’ and ‘the appearance of a lack of impulse control.’ Heavy drug and alcohol use as well as street violence crime, and neighborhood territoriality are part of Chicano gang life. (ibid)

Looking back to the Interview with Mister Cartoon, we see the same themes beginning to show. It appears that the tendencies to resist authority and prove ones machoness is a key component of growing up a Latino. From a young age, the need to prove oneself as a tough or manly leads to the need to impress ones peers. This need to impress leads to an endless cycle of crime and deviance.

While there is still a level of mystery that shrouds the exact reason someone would get a tattoo of La Virgen. The research seems to support that the tattoo is a symbol of power and respect. The pandilleros and cholos tattoo get La Virgen to protect them from violence. It is a way of asking for forgiveness in hopes that in death the sinner may find a place in the kingdom of heaven. They hope that La Virgen will help argue their case in the eyes of God. In another article, the author explains how La Virgen de Guadalupe is respected by everyone as a cultural symbol, it is for this reason, Mexican gangsters tend to have the image engraved in their skins, to show their devotion to religion, despite the deeds they are committing. “A tattoo of the Virgin is a way of showing ones pride for their race and heritage, a way of fighting the oppression of the North Americans”(Gangster Tattoos) This is because of what the Virgen De Guadalupe symbolizes a dark skin clearly Mexican figure. The author states that getting a tattoo of the Virgin gives the gangsters a way of asking for forgiveness for a life of crime, and that they hope the Virgin will help plead their case before the eyes of God. Helping to grant them a peaceful repose after a life filled with sin. Their bodies become their alters of forgiveness, the Virgin as the centerpiece to the their penance. Furthermore, a tattoo of the Virgin is said to help protect the wearer from bullets.

This sinner-saint duality is present in the artwork of Delilah Montoya. Montoya’s work titled La Guadalupana emphasizes this saint/ sinner dichotomy present in the tattoo of La Virgen. Where the back of this “sinner” becomes a type of alter, giving homage to this national symbol. La Virgen de Guadalupe acts as a guiding figure in the lives of Latinos. She is symbolic of all things pure and innocent. It is only fitting that a life long sinner would want to permanently etch her image into his skin. Accompanying the larger photo by Montoya, are several other examples of tattoos of La Virgen de Guadalupe. Each tattoo hold its own significance, adding more significance to the piece.

Scholar Xuan Santos further elaborates on some of the issues Flores and Sotelo explain above. Santos states, “Chicanos, like other colonized groups, constantly struggle with agents of social control who seek to have power over their bodies”(Santos 93). In the case of the gangsters, La Virgen becomes a symbol of empowerment. This however, is not the only place we find La Virgen de Guadalupe as a icon of agency. We have also seen her as symbol for revolution, Her image carefully printed on the banners of Cesar Chavez and the National Farm Workers Association. Her dark skin, and native features make it her easily identifiable as being one of the natives.

I was able to find an interview with Raul R. Salinas a Chicano poet and political activist after his time in prison. He too has a tattoo of the Virgen, which he states has less religious symbolism and more of a symbol of revolution. He talks about his time in prison and how it was illegal to get a tattoo in prison. It was considered a form of self-mutilation. He explains, how this illegality made tattoos more meaningful. They were physically incarcerated but their bodies became mediums for resistance. “The ultimate slap in the face to the prison system”(313) and a tattoo of a La Virgen only further empowers this act by claiming ones heritage, race, and at the same time asking for forgiveness for ones sins. As scholar B.V. Olguín states, “The commodification and institutionalization of Tatuajes are limited by the formal and class-specific nature of this vernacular form of writing. The tattooed brown body is not for sale, As such, it militates, almost essentially, against its own commodification, thus preserving the symbolic challenge to the overt and indirect forms of domination”(163). Salinas’ tattoo of La Virgen de Guadalupe rests on his chest, his guardian from evil and from his sins, “La Virgen is a symbol of protection,” Salinas states (Salinas 312). But as Olguín explains his tattoos are carry a deeper meaning one that stems back to the colonial era. The tattoos especially of the Virgin allow the oppressed Chicano a medium for critical commentary on oppression. Looking past the reasons for their incarceration, we can use Michel Foucault’s tripartite project of subordination- police fill prisons so that these institutions may in turn produce and reproduce the deviants and deviancy necessary in any hegemonic relation”(162). As stated earlier, tattoos on the Chicano canvas become as symbolic as the Virgen on the flags of the oppressed farm workers, or on the flags of the revolutionaries. La Virgen’s becomes symbolic of a better life. Whether it be peace in death for the pandilleros following a life of crime and sin, or freedom after a life of oppression for the incarcerated.

 

 

La Virgen de Guadalupe 1 of 3

 

Mi Virgen, Mi Protectora;

An In-Depth Look at Artistic Representations of La Virgen De Guadalupe

Having been raised in a Mexican-American family the Image of La Virgen De Guadalupe was always near. I remember the prayer candles with her image on the windowsill above the kitchen sink, a statue with her image watching over us from the ledge above the fireplace in the living room. On trips to visit my grandfather in Mexico, we could see an image of her stood atop el cero guarding the town below,in a small chapel littered with candles housing special prayers. A portrait of La Virgen hung next to the crucified Jesus on my bedroom wall protecting me as I slept. The image of La Virgen de Guadalupe is a common symbol in the Latino community. If you ask any Latina/o many of them, that is the ones that are catholic, will have some story about La Virgen in their own lives. The image of La Virgen is especially prominent in East Los Angeles, hanging insides family owned stores, hubcaps, pendants, graffiti you name it.

From her first appearance in 1531 to Juan Diego, La Virgen de Guadalupe has grown into a national symbol. While the Classical image has become an unforgettable icon it has also evolved and adapted to suit the needs of those who worship her. Whether it be on the Chicana/o Canvas or as a tool for feminist to cross male-dominated hegemonic hierarchal structures of the Machismo culture of Latin America. The image of La Virgen can be used as symbol o resistance, revolt, forgiveness, and protection offering the community peace and unification

La Virgen De Guadalupe And The Chicana/o Canvas

In 2004 National Public Radio did a short interview with, a renowned Tattoo artist from East Los Angeles, Mister Cartoon. Mister Cartoon talks about the immense amount of respect he has for La Virgen. Being commission to tattoo her image is an almost sacramental experience. Mister Cartoon says that he always feels excited and nervous when commissioned for the job. Mister Cartoon explains that when preparing to tattoo the image of La Virgen he has to prepare himself for the incredible amount of detail and shading that must be completed. Despite the immense amount of work that tattooing La Virgen entails, Mister Cartoon knows that the finished product will be worth the time he has to put in.

One of the aspects of this interview that I found interesting is the conflicting tattoos Mister Cartoon specializes in. Mister Cartoon usually specializes in “sexy woman tattoos”(NPR) but he also specializes in La Virgen de Guadalupe. Mister Cartoon explains that he takes both projects with different standards, when he is commissioned to tattoo La Virgen he does away with the curves and detail of the ‘sexy-woman’ tattoos and instead goes more simplistic and soft in the likeness of a motherly figure clean, respectable and with a fuller face (NPR).

Mister Cartoon has his own tattoo of the Virgen, which he explains has a lot to do with the community in which he was raised. He says, “in Latino culture, your raised to be macho… not let anyone get over on you.” He continues, “It’s funny how the hardest gangsters get that tattoo… the reason the homies get that tattoo is kind of like a protector, Like protect me from what I’m about to do”(NPR). It is interesting that in this moment the Virgen becomes a symbol of lost innocence. The hardened gangsters/cholos get the tattoo to remind themselves of their sins. They carry La Virgen with them everywhere as a protection from violence but at the same time, they are continuing to carry out violence. In the same interview, we get a glimpse into the mind of another tattooed man, Armando Sierra who gets his tattoo of La Virgen shortly after the death of his father, He says that after the death of his father who had been a protector for him it was only suiting for him to get that tattoo (La Virgen). He states, that he wanted a tattoo that would look after him, and he says that his catholic upbringing made it an easy decision. “There was no other image than the Virgin Mary to put on my shoulder” (NPR). Again, we see the same relation, a young man from a less than privileged neighborhood, getting the tattoo of La Virgen as a way of seeking her protection.

La Llorona as seen in many of the course readings (Part 2 of 3)

In this blog post, I’m basically going to discuss how in most of the books that we read in this semester, except for Their Dogs Came With Them and Gods Go Begging (though it can be argued for them), there is some element or aspect that incorporates a piece of the story or character that is La Llorona. I’m going to look at Antonio’s dreams in Bless Me, Ultima, Concepcion and Tituba in Calligraphy of the Witch, Medea in Hungry Woman, and Arlene Watson in What You See in the Dark. I will incorporate a few summarizing plot points discussed in our class discussions as well as my interpretations of each novel’s similarity with the story of la llorona.

 

 

Hungry Woman

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            The basic plot of Hungry Woman is that a lesbian activist, Medea, is banished from her hometown because of her sexuality, and after some time gone, Medea is confronted by her ex-husband seeking the custody and return of his son, Chac-mool, to which Medea refuses and eventually poisons, kills her son, and then kills herself as well.

I see this novel as a modern interpretation of La Llorona in that it is a lesbian activist in the role of the heterosexual weeping woman. Also, it is interesting to note that Medea cheated on her husband first, not the other way around like most stories tell it. This novel also gives insight into a step-by-step view of the breakdown Medea has, a sort of rationalization that she tells herself as a justification for the murder she is about to commit. This view is typically not show of La Llorona, which is usually commenced with her finding that her husband has been cheating on her and then immediately jumps to the killing, suicide, and haunting.  It’s also interesting that this book takes us to a momentary period between Medea’s murdering of her son and her suicide, when she is in a psychiatric facility, which shows that she truly was insane, another trait associated with La Llorona.  In almost every obvious way, Medea shares many aspects and elements of La Llorona and could surely be seen as a modern interpretation of the old tale.

 

 

What You See in the Dark

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This novel follows a rather similar plot to that of the movie, Psycho, which is curiously being filmed at the time that the novel is actually taking place, and in the same town. Basically what happens is that Dan Watson, a well-liked, well-known, handsome man, murders Teresa, a less known, private woman, and the book follows the actions and thoughts of both the residents and the actors of the movie in how they feel about the murder. As the movie Psycho begins filming in the town, there is an eerily similar murder being committed and talked about in the town. The particular aspect of the novel that I found to relate to La Llorona is the character Arlene Watson, Dan’s mother.

I saw an interpretation of La Llorona in Arlene because after she catches her son with bloody clothes, packing a suitcase, rushing out the door, and leaving his bloody truck behind for his mother to dispose, she feels a period of confusion, sadness, shock, and lost. In this scene, she was weeping and asking herself what to do, whether it be to dispose of the vehicle to protect her child or call the police and turn him in. She could not bear the things people were going to say about her and her son once the truth came out and the town knew, and she had a momentary lapse of judgment considering to help her son, but in the end, she did call the police. I saw this as a similar aspect to the story of La Llorona in that, firstly, the father was out of the picture because he had left with another woman, the adulterous act that triggers la llorona. However, the difference between la llorona and Arlene was that La llorona murdered her children, and instead Dan was the one who committed the murder, and thus killing himself in the sense that Arlene did not know who this person was, and did not feel that her boy was alive anymore. Though the comparison is rather weak between the two, I believe that Arlene could be seen as a different kind of weeping woman, though still possessing certain similar aspects to that of La Llorona.

 

 

Calligraphy of the Witch

 

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This novel is about a woman, Concepcion, that unexpectedly becomes enslaved and sold to a family in New England as a house slave, where she is seen as impure and evil for speaking Spanish, ends up being pregnant, has her daughter taken to be raised by the owner’s daughter, Rebecca,  in Christian tradition, and ends up losing her entirely in the sense that her daughter denies belonging to Concepcion and instead accuses her of witchcraft and attempting to poison her mind with her words (which she then regrets when she reads Concepcion’s letters towards the finale of the novel).

Concepcion shares many aspects with the story of la llorona. Firstly, Concepcion has multiple names throughout her life, something which relates to la llorona which also has multiple names and is said to have multiple places of origin and places of hauntings.  Also, la llorona is said to take children from people in attempts to replace them for her children or to be able to see her children again, and through the novel Concepcion fights Rebecca in trying to make Hannah feel that she is her daughter and not Rebecca’s, but utterly fails to do so, by which Hannah stands by Rebecca and her Christianity and declares herself as daughter of Rebecca and has Concepcion labeled as a witch having attempted to corrupt her pure beliefs.

The spiritual nature of the book and surrounding Concepcion and her friend, Tituba, also relate to the gothic elements in la llorona. A being that is alive after death and haunts for children can be seen as closely synonymous with women who speak in “devil’s tongue” and take part in witchcraft, which is what Tituba, Concepcion, and many others are labeled as doing so in the small town on the hill. Another small relation that both stories share is that la llorona ends up killing herself (most stories never say how, but’s it’s safe to assume it could be drowning as well) and in this book, Concepcion, shortly after arriving to New England, makes an attempt to kill herself by jumping in the cold bay water, though is rescued soon after. Although the motives behind dying were different, the action itself parallels similarities.

 

Bless Me, Ultima

 

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Bless Me Ultima follows the story of a young boy, Antonio, and a curandera, Ultima, along a small town in the Southwest, who come across many different gothic elements: Supernatural, witchcraft, poison, death, sanity, dreams, etc. The story is told as a coming of age of Antonio, through his interaction with Ultima.

In this story, I thought the aspect of la llorona which was set out quite clearly (and already discussed by a few of my classmates) was within Antonio’s dreams.  In one of his dreams, Antonio can clearly hear a voice calling to him, while in another he sees shadowy figures calling to him. There are multiple elements of la llorona in these dreams: la llorona is said to call out asking for her children, and as well to children not hers in attempts to lure them and take them away, which is closely related to that which is occurring in Antonio’s dreams. Also, the fact that this is occurring in Antonio’s dreams adds another element of gothic in the sense that there is something dark, mysterious, unknown, and spiritual calling out to Antonio that is clearly not in the physical world, but  in a other worldly dream, which can symbolize and parallel the idea that the ghost of the weeping woman, an other worldly entity, walks on the earth in a sort of spiritualistic yet real sense.

Final Project Blog Post

 

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When I first figuring out what I wanted to do for my project, my brain ran rampant because everything seemed to peak my interest as fleshed out topics. While I was thinking about my final project and doing the reading for the class, I started to notice a commonality in Calligraphy of the Witch and Bless Me, Ultima having the figure of the Virgin de Guadalupe present as both a Gothic figure as well as a symbol for the Mexican heritage of the main characters. She, for me, encapsulated what the class was on the continuous duality. She represented the Gothic and Chicano very much how she represents the Indigenous as well as Mexican Culture, Chicano and Chicana and Tradition and Modernism. Her symbolic presence is universally constructed to be highly relatable to the individual as well as a societal influence.

When conducting my research, I noticed three notable topics of discussion. First, I found it important to ground my project with the origins of how her symbol came about in religious terms and her influence on the church community. Second, the Chicano(a) Movement of the 1960s gave her a spin on her previous identity as a religious figure by making her a symbol of revolution and liberation in the Chicano Community. Lastly, she seemed to be a symbol for the Chicana Feminist Movement as, once again, a duel representation of classic feminine passivity but redefined as a strong, independent woman of pure action. In my research, I admired the universal nature of the Virgen’s presence being the anchor of people’s search for identity in the world around them.

Here are my three blogs posts on her:

The Importance of the Lady of Guadalupe to the Chicano Community Part 1 of 3
The Importance of the Lady of Guadalupe to the Chicano Community Part 2 of 3
The Importance of the Lady of Guadalupe to the Chicano Community Part 3 of 3

 

Picture:

http://www.examiner.com/article/dec-12-celebrate-the-virgin-de-guadalupe-queen-of-all-mexicans-here-and-mex

The Importance of the Lady of Guadalupe to the Chicano Community Part 3 of 3

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In my first and second installment of the examination of the Virgin of Guadalupe, I examined where she came from and how her image became a symbol not only for religious sanctuaries but also for the rejuvenation of the Chicano people during their Human Rights Movement liberation in the 1960s. I wanted to end my research on showcasing how the Virgin became a pivotal symbol for Chicanas as well as showing different art interpretations of the originally Virgen into more contemporary depictions of feminism. Chicana Feminism is defined as “an ideology based on the rejection of the traditional ‘household’ role of a Mexican-American woman. In challenges the stereotypes of women across the lines of gender, ethnicity, class, race, and sexuality.  Most importantly, it serves as a middle ground between the Chicano Movement and the Women’s Liberation Movement” (What is the Chicana Movement?)

The Chicana Feminist Movement began to gain momentum with the 1969 Chicano Youth Liberation Conference which took place in Denver, Colorado. The actually term “Chicano/a” was adopted for national identity use and the goals and objectives were laid out not only for the male population but for the women. Goals of equality as well as matters of sexism were addressed and resulted in more movements and protests outside the conference’s limitations.

Much like how we discussed how the Virgin’s symbol has evolved representing two sides of the coin, traditionally she was represented as a loving mother of peace and harmony but especially one of feminine passivity. The Chicana Feminist Movement transformed into from the Protector, a role a man typically embodies, and gives her the hybrid representation of “tradition and liberation”. She embodies the struggle women face in the Chicana Movement behind men and the culture they live in, much like the Indians seeking indignities outside the subjectivity of the conquering Spanish invaders:

“When Chicana feminist artists, cultural workers, and intellectuals focus on Guadalupe’s strength and reconstitute her from the traditional passive being to an active subject, they are reinscribing her beyond patriarchal meanings” (Elenas 106).

 

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Yolanda M. Lopez is a scholar but also a combination of activist through artistic expression. Lopez created the Guadalupe Series which caused controversy because of her work combining the traditional figure of the Virgin mixed with Mexican women of everyday Modern life. Lopez commented on her choices:

“I originally did the Virgin de Guadalupe series when I was looking at media. I wanted to look at the images that we have of the Virgin–she was essentially the most ubiquitous female Latina. What was its meaning? So, I did the first one of myself running.
Then I did the image of my mother [as the Virgen] who was working at the Navel Training Center at a sewing machine, so I wanted to show her as a working woman. This is one of the problems with the Virgen de Guadalupe being so ubiquitous, there is no real imagery of Latinas at the work that we do.
The other one was that of my grandmother. The Virgen de Guadalupe is always this beautiful, young thing. Yet there is no depiction of her as an older woman. I was conscious about this and so that‘s why I did my grandmother as an older woman. I see the Virgen de Guadalupe as being the great Aztec goddess and I think that’s one of the reasons why she has such a strong, indefinable hold on Mexicans and women in general. Its more primordial. I think the great Aztec goddess, Cuatlique, depicts the primal forces in nature: life, death and rebirth” (Lopez).

 

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Pinterest Page of Varying Representations of the Virgen de Guadalupe

Works Cited:
N. a. “What is the Chicana Movement?”. Exploring the Chicana Feminist Movement. N.d. Web. 29 May 2014. <http://www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects07/latfem/latfem/whatisit.html>.

Elenas, Alejandra C. Transforming Borders: Chicano/a Popular Culture and Pedagogy. New York: Lexington Books, 2010. Print.

Lopez, Yolanda. “Bareclaimingthelatinatag: Yolanda M. Lopez: The Virgen de Guadalupe”. Mikkipedia. 15 Dec 2012. Web. 29 May 2014. <http://mikkipedia.net/?p=6172>

Photos:

http://mikkipedia.net/?p=6172

http://chicanas.com/about.htm

http://kookitasthoughts.blogspot.com/p/virgin-of-guadalupe.html

Short Story Inspired by Maria Cristina Mena’s “The Vine Leaf” -Reflection

 

My final project consisted on writing a piece inspired by the literature we’ve read in class. As an English major, I get to write an excessive amount of essays, however, I rarely have the possibility to express myself creatively. I thought a creative approach to this final assignment would help me develop a more profound relationship with the books we’ve been discussed because it would force me to really examine these works as I look for elements that inspire me. Moreover, as I began to write my short story, I realized that through this process I was learning more the essence of Gothic storytelling since I had to establish a Gothic atmosphere in the world I was developing.

As I explained on one of my earlier posts, I have been very interested in the work of Mena since I was introduced to “The Vine Leaf”. There is not a lot about her online and therefore, I thought it would be good to write something inspired by her celebrated yet relatively unknown short story “The Vine Leaf”  to promote her impeccable work. This is how the story “The Petal” was born, out of my admiration for this underrated writer.  Mena perfectly balances the traditional Gothic and her Mexican heritage, creating stories that deal with very dark episodes without losing a sense of provincial humor and the unique character of her people . As I stated in my introductory post:Mena cleverly combined the already explored themes of dangerous scientific curiosity, greed, indomitable passions, jealousy and other quintessential Gothic elements with a distinctive Mexican flavor. In her native culture, Mena found the necessary ingredients that separated her from the many other accomplished American Gothic writers.”

As the platform for this assignment, I created a blog dedicated to the Chicano Gothic. I also included information about Cherrie Moraga, another Chicana scholar whom I found particularly interesting. Initially, I intended to write a series of poem regarding issues discussed in class but as “The Petal” started to take shape, I realized that the story was becoming long enough to be a project on itself.

The format of the story was borrowed from an old tradition to narrate horror stories in episodic progression. This style that was referred to as the “Penny Dreadful” and was a highly popular and affordable form of entertainment for young people and members of the lower classes. Horror columns were particularly loved during the Victorian era, a time when many of the most acclaimed novels of this genre were created.  As an avid fan of horror stories, shows and films, I thought it would be nice to continue with this tradition.

I tried to incorporate different aspects of the Gothic in the story such as ghostly visions, obsessive behavior, death, madness and grim imagery. I was also inspired by the Gothic fascination with split personalities and the moral duality that resides within us all, best exemplified in the classic horror novella “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. Moreover, to really accentuate the Chicana Gothic atmosphere of the piece, I made a subtle references to Mexican folk tale of La Llorona. Unconsciously, I also alluded to another classic Gothic novel where a painting becomes associated with a force of evil The Picture of Dorian Grey. 

Split_personality_by_Lushkya

 

You can visit the blog I created for this project here

Final Project – La Llorona Screenplay

For my final project, I chose to write a screenplay on La Llorona. There is a wealth of information following the story; as we have seen from other student’s blog posts, the legend exists in many forms in many cultures. I therefore wanted to try and adapt the story to give some originality, while still retaining the basic level of the myth. In reflecting upon how I wanted to pursue the story, I remembered the first time I had seen mention of La Llorona, although I did not know the legend at the time. It was in the show Supernatural, with the very first episode being about a “Woman in White” that was based off of the myth. I decided to follow a similar investigative pattern to the show, while still retaining my own original work.  The character of my story, Tom, discovers the origins of La Llorona and then works on finding out more and protecting his children. I chose to go with a white man as the main character in order to show how this myth has crossed cultural boundaries and affects multiple ethnicities. Below, I will break down the various scenes of the screenplay, along with notes on why I chose to pursue certain avenues. I will also attach the screenplay in it’s original format so that, if people wish to, they can view the work.

Scene One:
This scene is the introduction of the story. We see the main character, Tom, working at his desk. As he types, his children, Anna and Edward, run into the room. Tom plays with them for a time before his wife, Marie, comes in and extracts the children from the study so that Tom can continue to work. We close on the image of a screaming woman in white on a book Tom is reading. The scene was intended to introduce Tom and his family to the audience. In addition, I wanted it to be clear that Tom is a happy, loving man, in order to better establish how the story will actually affect his psyche by the end of it.

Scene Two:
This scene is a continuation of the themes of the previous scene and introduces Tom’s interest in the La Llorona myth. Tom’s children ask him about his work, and so he begins telling the story of La Llorona to them. Before he gets to the part where the children of the story are drowned, however, he activates an app on his phone that scares Edward and Anna, so that he won’t have to finish the story. His daughter, Anna, asks him if he ever had a sibling to help him when he was scared. Tom replies that he did, and that her name was Anna, but that she died when he was very young. After the children leave, Tom finishes the story for his wife, telling of how the children were drowned by La Llorona. He then kisses his wife good night and goes back to work. The scene gives the basic idea behind the La Llorona myth: She was a woman who met a nobleman, but he was not faithful, so she went and killed the children before killing herself out of sorrow. The scene is intended to introduce the myth, and to provide backstory for Tom: we see his dedication to his children, as he does not wish to scare them, and the more important piece, that his sister died when they were young. This plot point becomes pivotal in Tom’s later quest to learn more about La Llorona.

Scene Three:

This is a short scene, but is important to set up the rest of the story. It can be seen as a turning point, when Tom begins to see La Llorona as more than a myth. As Tom researches local obituaries, he finds the story of his own sister’s death. He reads through it and thinks nothing of it, before he sees a note: a woman in white was spotted near the river where his sister drowned. Tom thinks this is interesting, and begins searching other obituaries. He finds numerous children have gone missing along the river over the past years. Tom closes all the stories, leaving only the one about his sister. This scene is therefore important because it sets up Tom’s sister as more than just backstory, and gives Tom the beginning of some mental instability.

Scene Four:

This is the first time we start to see Tom’s paranoia about the myth kicking in. Tom and his family walk along the river that runs through his town. Tom is unable to engage in conversation with his family, as he is distracted by his potential revelation that his sister was killed by La Llorona. Tom glances down at the river, and sees a woman in white. He jumps back, but then he realizes it is just a woman meeting her lover down by the river. His family notices, but Tom makes up a story about seeing a shark in the water to entertain the children. This is the start of the psychological horror element, present in Gothic literature, that we see in the work. The things that terrify Tom exist in his head at this point, as evidenced by his fear even in the middle of the day at something he has very little reason to believe in. Tom’s children wish to go to a spot by the river and play in the water, but Tom once again becomes scared and forbids it. This worries his wife, who confronts him about his erratic behavior. He admits the story of La Llorona is getting to him, but that he would appreciate her supporting him. Marie agrees, and Tom’s phone rings. He has a brief conversation with a man named John who agrees to meet with him a few days later. It is in this scene, therefore, that we see how deeply the myth is starting to affect Tom, as he believes the danger of La Llorona is real enough to forbid his children to go near the water. At first, I considered having La Llorona exist only in Tom’s mind, in order to play up the psychological aspect of Gothic literature. However, I decided that there needed to be a very real menace to the story, and bringing in the mythic element would serve the screenplay.

Scene Five:

Tom visits John at his home. We find out that John is Tom’s uncle, who became estranged from the family after the death of Tom’s sister, who was also named Anna. The two men briefly discuss this before Tom admits that he thinks something killed Anna. At this, John, who has been standoffish to this point, allows Tom into his secrets. John discusses at length local legends of a woman in white who kidnaps children. He then goes into a story about a woman, Katherine Ruckinson, who existed 200 years previously. I gave this woman a variation of the La Llorona myth, while still adding in some characteristics that I thought would make her a bit more complex. This woman, Katherine, was a beautiful woman. She was courted by one of the wealthiest men in town, named William Ruckinson. However, she became pregnant out of wedlock, forcing her to marry. She had children, but the negative talk of the town against her immodesty caused her to resent her children, who she blamed for her small problems. After her husband contracted a sexually transmitted disease, she realized he was being unfaithful. Katherine, who was obsessed with bloodlines, became convinced the children were not hers, even though this was of course impossible. She took the children to the river, and drowned them. She was found the next day, wailing and screaming until her lungs were destroyed, leaving it so she kept coughing blood. She then killed herself by drowning herself in the river. John goes on to explain that a certain pattern emerged in the recent killings: Katherine appears to target bloodlines, going after siblings or even children of her initial victims. Tom, realizing that his sister was killed by Katherine and that his children could be in danger, rushes home. This scene is by far the longest of the work, but the most pivotal. It establishes the Gothic tone by giving a horrific story that utilizes elements of the existing myths, while still adding in certain details that give Katherine a level of sympathy. Furthermore, Katherine is intended to trigger the abject, as she can be recognized as a woman, but one that has been horribly transformed.

Scene Six: Tom rushes home, and as he does, his children sneak out of the house, bored of being cooped up inside. The scene alternates between shots of Tom driving home, and the children getting closer to the river. Eventually Tom reaches home, where he notices the children are gone. He sprints out into the woods, followed by his wife. While this is happening, we see Katherine, a.k.a the Woman in White, or La Llorona, begin taking the children. Tom briefly explains the situation to his wife as they run. Eventually, the two parents reach the river, where they see their children being taken. They call to the children, but Edward and Anna don’t respond. In desperation, Tom calls Katherine’s name. She stops at this, and turns. Tom attempts to appeal to her humanity, asking her to release his children. After his pleas however, La Llorona turns away, as she has no humanity. Tom then launches himself at her and frees Anna from her grasp. Katherine begins wailing, spraying blood on him and pulling Edward into the water. Tom goes after Edward as well, who he finds embraced by La Llorona, who holds him as if he were her child. Tom frees his son and flees. In my original draft, I had Edward die, taken by Katherine. However, I found this too morbid, and chose to allow Edward to live. However, I did add in the detail of Katherine / The Woman in White holding Edward like her own child to play into the abject once more, as we can recognize her feelings of motherly attachment. In addition, I made sure to include Katherine’s bloody lips spraying the air to establish the dark Gothic tone. This scene takes place during the day, as I wanted it to be clear that this kind of horror is not reserved only for the dark, but can breach the light of day as well.

Scene Seven: The final scene. Tom and his family are seen packing up. We find that they are moving out to Arizona (very few rivers and such). We then close on a shot of the river by Tom’s house, where we see Katherine, or La Llorona, beneath the surface, wailing softly.

Overall, I hoped the screenplay accomplished the goal of showing how a legend that was originally based in various cultures, such as Mexican, Aztecs, and so on, could spread into other cultures as well. In addition, I hope the screenplay establishes the Gothic element in the dark overtones of the story, as well as the way the abject is utilized in Katherine, who can be recognized as a sympathetic character warped beyond what a human should be. By giving her a name and a backstory, I hoped that I made La Llorona seem more human, and therefore more terrifying. La Llorona is an intimidating myth to try and adapt, but a story that still can be used in a number of different ways.

 

Screenplay:

La Llorona

Works Cited

Aragon, Ray John de. The Legend of La Llorona. 1980

Hayes, Joe. “LA LLORONA – A HISPANIC LEGEND.” LA LLORONA – A HISPANIC LEGEND. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014. <http://www.literacynet.org/lp/hperspectives/llorona.html>.

Perez, Domino Renee, There Was a Woman: La Llorona from Folklore to Popular Culture

“The Petal” [Part III of IV]

Here’s the third installment of my creative project, a short story inspired by “The Vine Leaf”.

IV

We began work on her portrait that same week. Our first session was dedicated to discussing how she wanted to be painted. I expected her to describe a luxurious brocade dress, a black rosary tied in her hands, a contemplative glance, eyes away from the viewer. I expected her to choose a vision of solemn femininity—the style that was popular amid the Spanish elite.

But she wanted her beauty to be immortalized with the aura of a mythical temptress, a biblical bringer of passion and calamity. She wanted to pose nude. This decision alarmed me at first. Though I had painted some nudes as part of my artistic training, I had never been professionally commissioned to emulate the divinity of the human form. This inexperience caused me great discomfort. I also knew that the accustomed nervousness I felt around her would multiply if I were to see her without the protection of her garments. Yet, I was determined to see more of her … desperate to see her regularly and so I accepted the challenge with a fabricated confidence that hardly disguised my fears.

“I know you are capable of this task, sir. I know you can confront any ill this venture might shower upon you. I have seen your soul and it is pure and noble. And your spirit is strong. But I must warn you that our agreement could become hazardous …”

I asked her elaborate on this warning, to specify the source of this possible danger. She look at me intensely for several seconds and then started to laugh. A mocking sound, grotesque and almost unnatural.

“Don’t mind my words. Lord knows my husband never did. He always laughs at my fear and superstition.”

That laugh still resonated through the corners of my mind the next time I saw her. She was wearing a scarlet cape, which gently tickled the dusty floor of my studio. The color revived the beauty of her sunken eyes and illuminated her face with a fiery glow. She gracefully extended her arms to the side and let the garment dropped to the ground, revealing the hidden miracle of her naked skin, a strange source of light amid the darkness of that lonely room. Her reddish brown hair cascaded down to the soft valley of her back. She positioned herself in front of the mirror and closed her eyes, half-smiling.

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“En tanto que de rosa y de azucena 
se muestra la color en vuestro gesto, 
y que vuestro mirar ardiente, honesto, 
con clara luz la tempestad serena;

y en tanto que el cabello, que en la vena 
del oro se escogió, con vuelo presto 
por el hermoso cuello blanco, enhiesto, 
el viento mueve, esparce y desordena …”

I cannot remember much about the following months. They become a blur, an inconsistent memory—hands trembling with exhaustion and a heart ceaselessly galloping, aching with desire. My afternoons were spent with her, in silent concentration, but each night, when her body was gone but her presence still lingered, we would find a way to be together, despite our shyness and her mysterious fear.

Poem Credit: “Sonnet XXIII” by Garcilaso de la Vega.

The Gothic Elements of Selena Quintanilla Perez

My final project for the class is “The Gothic Elements of Selena.”  There are many aspects of Selena’s life, death, and the impact she has made that contain gothic elements within them.  Many of these gothic elements involve similar ideas that we have discussed throughout the semester, and I think Selena’s life and death encompass many of these themes very well.  I first became familiar with the legacy of Selena after watching the biographical film about her when I was quite young. I was immediately drawn to her warm persona and her fun, catchy songs.  Selena’s real life was very much like the movie with very little exceptions, so in many ways, Selena’s theatrical life ended in a tragedy that hearkened to her involvement with the industry.

Selena’s life was an exciting ride for herself and her family as she was able to accomplish many significant marks for Mexican-American women everywhere.  There were so many different elements throughout her life that added some gothic themes as she was growing up, as she passed away, and as her impact lived on.  I think reflecting on Selena’s with an untraditional lens allows us all to examine and recognize specific elements that hurt her or made her stronger.  I hope you enjoy this project as much as I enjoyed creating it.  Now, allow yourself to immerse and explore the gothic elements in the life and death of Selena Quintanilla Perez.

http://djeffer5.wix.com/selenachicanagothic

(I tried to make it a link but it kept redirecting me to a Time Warner Cable site)