The Good, the Bad, and the……

Drinking, gambling, fighting, love, shootouts, and revenge are all the components that comprise a great western tale and many films.  Such components make up Emma Pérez’s novel, Forgetting the Alamo or Blood Memory.   Unlike the dominant version of history in which, those that died in the Alamo were heroes, Pérez’s novel reveals another version in which we see that the Anglos were the invaders and wrong doers.  The story showcases the chaos resulting from the disputed territories and the trouble that ensues.  This version unfolds throughout the story as the readers’ journey along with the protagonist, Micaela Campos.  She takes on a role that would be seen as a man’s role.  Dressing up as a man and scarring her face to be this machismo figure.  The character is similar to the adelitas and soladeras.  Representing this female character that is strong and fights for her rights.  The novel anchors itself in history by telling the counternarrative history of the Alamo and Anglos taking over Tejas.  The character of Micaela allows Pérez the chance to write the perspective of Mexicans as their land and way of life was being taken over by the Anglos, and to see how women were treated in this time.

As the novel progresses, the readers view the Chicanas perspective during the 1800’s.  The novel has to be one of best books that I was assigned to read.  The novel showcases Micaela who seeks revenge on the men that killed most of her family.  It grips the readers’ attention with main story of revenge and love.  As the novel reaches its end, they see Micaela shed and break the gender roles that the society assigned to her.  The readers begin to see that Micaela can be as rough and tough and stand her own as any man that crosses her path.  From gambling to rough housing to cattle ranching, Micaela breaks the assign gender roles.  Her actions remind me of the Adelitas that fought along side the Mexican men during the revolution.  The novel showcases and reveals to the readers the chaos and cruelty that the Mexicans or “meskins” people came across. Not only does it reveal the atrocities that came after the battle of Alamo and the people being displaced but also reveals the treatment of women and women of color.  Not only does Micaela told not to continue her action by strangers but also by her half white cousin Jed and her own mother.  Pérez’s novel illustrates the often-untold history of the Tejanos whose lands were lost during the 1800’s from the invading Anglos.  Thru her eyes the readers see the displacement and chaos that Tejanos suffered as Anglos claimed their territory.  Along with that come the chaos of the burning land and the raping of women.  The novel showcases Micaela breaking free from society’s chain of gender roles and then cross that line that society has put between the two genders.

Links:

1. Amazon link to book