The Struggles to Model Character in the Mexican-American Society

The Struggles to Model Character in the Mexican-American Society

Essay Topic One.

Introduction

In the short story “The Moths,” Helena Maria Viramontes introduces a fourteen-year-old character and places her at the center stage of the narrative. Viramontes uses the protagonist to bring out different social vices, especially the consistently thriving patriarchal family structure, and the struggle to fit in the family as a different female. As immigrants, the Mexican-Americans are still tied to their traditional ways of life, which is not appealing to Viramontes. The short story has succeeded in presenting how circumstances shape the character of the narrator and showcase the struggles she went through to bring self- assurance in her life. The narrator goes through a lot of discrimination in the family before she finds solace at the feet of Abuelita, her grandmother (Viramontes 27). Abuelita introduces the narrator to a new form of life, an awakening which relates to her personality and the different perspectives she holds concerning life.

The Mexican-American culture heavily influences most works of Viramontes. Her narrative, “The Moths,” gains traction from Chicano culture, which assists her in establishing a critical framework from which she finds the theoretical backing (Denney 59). She proceeds to stand against the conventional cultural aspects which are dominated by the male chauvinists. Moreover, she is not defiant of the Chicano culture as she holds on to their heritage while at the same time highlighting the stinking traits adorned by the sexists. For instance, in the narrative, Apa becomes furious with the narrator since she does not approve catechism and the average life of going to church without clarity of purpose. Apa forces his doctrines down her throat and flips the blames back to Ama. He claims that she is not a responsible wife since she is not in a position to bring up morally upright kids (Viramontes 28). That scene presents the obligation of raising and nurturing children as a feminine role, which adds to their plights in the Mexican American culture.

The Mexican-American heritage relies on whipping and punishment to bring up a culturally sound individual. The notion of engaging young ones and other members of society in constructive conversation to come up with a relevant solution to an issue is not appreciated in this society. The sexists employ harsh tones, which they presume to communicate authority and expect back reverential tones as sign heeding to their commands and instructions. In the first paragraph, the narrator highlights that Abuelita saved her from many misfortunes, scarlet fever, whippings, and broken arms (Viramontes 27). The parents mostly exercise whippings. They have failed in the aligning of the narrator according to the cultural expectations. She is introduced to a composed manner of handling situations through affection, which is evident in the care and affirmations, which lays the framework for building the confidence of the narrator into her fragile personality.

Collaborative engagements between individuals bring about personal awareness and clarity on relationships  (Lopez & Christina 2018). The frequent interactions people get into have a way of restoring knowledge in both the parties as they harvest from the energy exuded in the relationship. From “The Moth,” the narrator explains that she was not respectful and went ahead to doubt the healing power of the slices Abuelita used to place on her head to do away with her fever. However, her grandmother instills a form of awareness in the narrator when she is asked whether she is alive. Abuelita proceeds to apply a balm on her big hands, which brings them to the standard sizes as she deemed fit (Viramontes 27). These acts by Abuelita are aimed at instilling awareness by issuing clarity and changing the appearance of the hands of the narrator. She resorts to reciprocate the kind acts of Abuelita by frequently visiting and assisting in cleaning and mending the plants growing in the cans.

Family obligations are also vital in character formation and instilling appropriate values for young adults. The accomplishment of specific tasks and the time spent in carrying out responsibility offers affirmation once the work is approved. Moreover, it strengthens experience and paves the way for meaningful and beneficial interactions with other partakers. While on her grandmother’s porch, the narrator would always take the active responsibility of mending her plants. She also planted more spices, flowers, and punched holes into cans that are used for collecting the soil for planting.

Furthermore, she learned how to cook from Abuelita’s kitchen (Viramontes, 29). The culmination of these obligations took place when Ama decided that the narrator was going to be taking care of her grandmother. The successful accomplishment of responsibilities builds trust and gives room for gaining other relevant roles.

A positive environment and open interaction can assist in the development of suitable traits. Most individuals tend to be open about their struggles and question conventional ways in society when free from any form of judgment. A conducive ambiance and free interaction fosters opening up and trying out specific traits that are appealing to an individual’s demeanor. After the narrator was quarreled and perceived as a disgrace to the family, she would walk down to Jay’s, which is located near a chapel. In her own volition, she would asses her spirituality by staying in the chapel to soak into that aura of sanctity before she proceeded to Abuelita. In my view, Abuelita let the narrator explore her uniqueness and accepted her the way she wanted to carry herself (Viramontes 30). In so doing, Abuelita found an avenue of imparting some traits as the narrator also assimilated other vital qualities that would assist her in the course of life. Besides, spirituality, in my view, should be experienced first by an individual who can shape the perception tied to religion and enable understanding of how the general society attempts to interpret the impact of religion on a character.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Viramontes has crafted exemplary work that postulates the relevance of the circumstances we go through in establishing a strong foundation for the character. The narrative portrays the importance of nurturing and concern as they played a significant role in the process of earning self-assurance and relevance by the narrator. However, during the analysis, the notion that individuals are brought to life holding their characters came up. This proclamation should consider the benefits of healthy interactions and revealing moments that people are often exposed to and verify if they are vital in character development.

Work Cited;

Denney, Ashley. “Cultural Reclamations in Helena Viramontes’“The Moths”.” The Oswald Review: An International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Criticism in the Discipline of English 12.1 (2010): 6. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1112&context=tor

Lopez, Garcia, and Christina. “With the Sacredness of a Priest: The Body as Ritual Site of Feminist Knowledge in Helena María Viramontes’s ‘The Moths.’” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 15 Oct. 2018, academic.oup.com/melus/article-abstract/43/4/175/5131668.

Viramontes, Helena María. The moths and other stories. Arte Publico Press, 2014.