Jane the Virgin (2014) introduces us to a trio of women that gives us a look at the past, current, and future of Latinas in America. The comedic, fictional story of Jane Villanueva (Gina Rodriguez) begins with Jane’s grandmother, Alba Villanueva (Ivonne Coll) comparing the virtue of virginity to a delicate flower. Using a white flower, she demonstrates to a young Jane that once the white flower is smashed-up, it cannot be returned to its original state. Alba’s explanation sets the plot for a Latina female perspective of the story that will unfold in the following episodes.
Jane’s story is told by a voice-over narration by Anthony Mendez, who has a heavy Spanish accent, with a deep voice that sounds suave, sexy and smooth like a Casanova, as it engages you in understanding that you are about to witness a tumultuous, humorous, dramatic, love story, episode by episode, and scene by scene. Jane the Virgin further punctuates the love story by utilizing the style of a telenovela. The change of scenery in the story is colorful, fast-paced and playful while expressing the feelings associated with cultural differences that may be familiar to someone like me, a Latina. Jane must live her life in a space that is, culturally, somewhere between the past and the future.
Using the white flower as a prop, and the narrator talks you flashes of memories depicting both Jane’s childhood and the present. As described by Fregoso, “the interplay between multiple time referents, the past in the present tense of culture” (Fregoso, p. 21). Jane is connected to a traditional past represented by Alba, whose character is grounded in deep, Catholic, religious beliefs with antiquated ideas of marriage before sex. Jane’s memories about the flower, conflict her character because she must navigate her life decisions between her grandmother’s advice and her own feelings. It becomes clear that this will be a recurring conflict throughout the series because Xiomara or Xo (Andrea Navedo), Jane’s mother, is placed between Jane and Alba.
Xo is the only daughter of Alba and she is an aspiring singer, single mother. She gave birth to Jane at the age of 16 and lives with her mother and Jane. She is portrayed as is an oversexualized, scanty dressed, fiery Latina. Xo’s character is portrayed much like the images that artists like Lupe Velez, described in the documentary, The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema (2002), as a woman with “loose morals” or a “dim-witted señorita” (De Los Santos, Dominguez, & Racho, 2002). She humorously insinuates to Jane, throughout their interactions, that sex before marriage is acceptable, and to some degree, encourages Jane to “try out the waters” before marriage. Jane does not completely embrace Xo’s view, because she is looking towards a better future for herself.
As is common in many Latina roles, Jane’s character lives at home with her mother and grandmother and she is a struggling waitress (De Los Santos, Dominguez, & Racho, 2002). The difference is in the modern way to view the Latina because Jane aspires to become a teacher and dreams of becoming a writer. The theme of her dream is expressed throughout the series with the way each episode ends and begins. A typewriter effect is displayed across the screen and the text is used by the narrator to introduce and end each episode. This ensures that Jane’s aspirations are not forgotten as they remain embedded through each phase of her life, depicted by each episode. Especially, when she is faced with her life altering moment in the beginning of the story.
Jane’s character faces a moral conundrum as the plot of this story reveals. Jane is inadvertently, artificially inseminated with her boss’s sperm. Jane is visiting her gynecologist and falls asleep while waiting on the exam table. Her doctor, Luisa, walks into her room and because Luisa is pre-occupied with the discovery of her wife’s infidelity, from the night before, she mistakenly inseminates Jane, a virgin.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3566726/videoplayer/vi606055705
But in true telenovela style, there are several plot twists that the narrator cleverly talks us through. One twist is that Luisa is in fact, the sperm donor’s sister. Next, the sperm donor, Rafael, will become Jane’s second love interest, who happens to be rich and handsome. Also, Jane will need to figure out a way to explain the issue to her grandmother and most importantly, her fiancé, Michael. Throughout the series, Jane will simultaneously balance her culturally based conscious and her desire for a better future. Driven by her heart she must make tough decisions because just like the flower, once compromised, things will never be the same again.
References
De Los Santos, N., Dominguez, A., & Racho, S. (Directors). (2002). The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image In American Cinema [Motion Picture].
Fregoso, R. L. (1993). The Bronze Screen: Chicana and Chicano Film Culture. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
I have never seen an episode of Jane the Virgin but this post gave me a good idea of what to expect from the series. It would be devastating to be a virgin and be artificially inseminated because no one would believe that was the case, especially a religions family member. It would be somewhat sacrilegious to even suggest the idea of virginal conception to someone of devout faith because that story is reserved for the Bible, not real life. Your post comments on the way Mexican families are portrayed as having multiple generations living under one roof is something that has been seen many times on film and in television as well as the idea of the fiery Latina who has adopted morals that may be a little more questionable than those of her devout “old school” mother. Thank you for the content!
Hi Lupita. Indeed, your analysis of Jane the Virgin sounds like the makings of a true Spanish novela. I am not familiar with this series, but it sounds very interesting with all of the plot twists, but especially with the conundrum Jane is faced with. The viewer never knows what to expect. Being raised with a strong matriarch, I am familiar with the moral and religious beliefs the character Alba exhibits. In regards to the show’s narration, I wonder if it would have the same impact if it were voiced over without the “suave, sexy, and smooth like a Casanova” voice as you described. This sounds like a very complicated series, but like every good novela, one that you’ll want to keep watching.
Hello Lupita,
I watch this show all the time, it’s one of my favorite. However, I had not made the reference to the Xo’s depletion of the oversexualized latina image, but now that I see it in your review I would have to agree. Xo’s image is a depletion the modern latina according to Hollywood which I disagree with. I also realized that the heavy accent of the narrator is a depletion of latino culture. The nataror portraits latinos as a culture that is defined by complicated emotional issues besides morally distressed. Thank you Lupita, overall, I enjoyed your review very much.
Hi Lupita,
I enjoyed reading your blog! I like how you explained the characteristics in this show. I found it helpful how you explained each of them and I liked how you connected it to the Bronze Screen the film and our reading. From reading your blog I was also able to make those connections and that of Jane in the modern times. When I first saw commercials of this show, it didn’t get my attention, saw it as just another telenovela style show, but after reading your blog, I now have a new perspective in viewing this show. Great Blog!
According to the film blog, this show introducing three types of Latina in the past, present and future which means there were no stereotype of Latina expressed. So, it should be more realistic show compare to some movies which over emphasized stereotype of Latina culture. I think it is good movement, and it may change people’s wrong prejudice about Latina culture. I learned the “telenovela” from the explanation in the link. It was very useful and was very helpful to understand new words.
Hey Lupita, Jane the virgin was one of the most anticipated series in its time and the most talked about for a while. Your links were fantastically placed so that I could get a better insight and I did not have to watch the film to understand through your writing. Although I did watch the show and loved how they showed three diffrent mindsets from three age group of women.