Blake Ch. 1

In Chicana Sexuality and Gender, author Debra Blake analyzes the four Mexican female culture symbols formally known as La Malinche, La Llorona, La Virgen de Guadalupe, and Mexica goddesses. According to Blake, she proclaims that each of the symbols are oppressed and disrespected in a patriarchal heterosexist fashion. Chicana artist, Carem Leon, succesfully reimaged  the cultural symbol, La Llorona, with a painting of hers. La Llorona represents a compassionate woman who is extending her hands towards the viewer, offering a seashell as a gift. Carmen Leon’s rendition of La Llorona is intended to shine light on the idea that she does not have to be portrayed as the horrific woman who misplaced and killed her children, or the one who threatens young females in to “being good little girls, or else she will come and get you.” Instead, by modifying who and what La Llorona symbolizes, women are able to break free from the traditional roles of what constitutes a woman. In regards to that, “by emphasizing that the consequence of ‘disloyalty’ is eternal condemnation or isolation, the legends are used to socialize women into traditional roles, control their conduct, and define what constitutes Mexican femininity” (Blake 49). Legend of La Llorona is an example of a symbol who emphasizes the consequence of disloyalty. Young women must behave or else there will be a consequence such as being taken. Women artists such as Carmen Leon and Yolanda Lopez are just two of multiple Chicana artists who have seized the responsibility of creating art that is reconstructing the cultural symbols in order to demolish the barrier on what constitutes the role of women and her femininity.