Just a few thoughts on the writing of Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderlands, la Frontera- the New Mestiza:
When first reading, I could sense the strength and passion of the writer. There was one repetative image that struck me, and I learned about was el Cuatlicue, a goddess; lady of the serpent. She explains the meaning of the goddess is the creator, the mother of the earth, responsible for fertility and the beautiful days. The goddess helps her identify the importance of knowing ones culture, and the beginnings of her blood, her family. By reading the book With her machete in her hand by Catriona Rueda Esquibel, I learned that Gloria was a Chicana lesbian writer. Just knowing some more detail information about Anzaldua, it made think even more about being a woman in the U.S. Gloria does not only live in a world where being brown is looked down on, but being a woman and a lesbian that just adds more prejudices.
She had to look into her history and herself to find that strong individual. Her history begins many centuries ago, miles and miles away, but nonetheless it is her history as well as of other Chicana women that are living in the U.S. today. By one not denying who they are, one can be complete- instead of becoming what the white man has tried to conditioned most people to be according to their race. We have to gain knowledge, find value, and become whole and strong. The languages are important, because she had to know English and Spanish well. In reality accents matter to everyone in either language. Being raised speaking Spanish and learning English can be confusing to most. People will criticize, meaning that one has to be perfect in either language.
Dealing with different cultures is a constant living for most mestizos in the U.S. Knowing how to balance each world, or each culture, or just simply represent yourself no matter where you are at then well that is accepting and teaching the world at the same time. This is where most Chicanos loose themselves; loose their history, their culture. Choosing the white culture, and not the mestizo or the Mexican culture well then you just lost you.
-RA
