Literary Significance & Criticism
In this book, the term “machismo” seems to be a territorial term. That is, it is only effective in certain situations and certain territories. Eligio, the traditional “machista”, finds himself struggling to rescue his wife. After arriving to the United States, Susana seems to reverse roles; she gains more independence making her less dependable on Eligio. This is something very different from what used to happen in their native country of Mexico. Back home, Eligio was able to suppress his companion with his “machista” traits. He would drink all the time and ignore Susana’s complaints. All these bad treatments were allowed because of his material and emotional control. This attitude forced Susana to depart toward the U.S. There, she reverses the roles, when Eligio arrives, she is now in control, she owns her own place, she has no dependence on him, rather, he is the one staying in her property and obeying her rules. Also, her emotional side seems to be filled by another participant of the program she attends, Slawomir. As a result, Eligio is no longer needed for emotional purposes. This situation and control is challenged by his “machista” husband; who tries to employ the same “machista” attitude to get her back on his side. Nevertheless, he fails due to his territorial powers. He is no longer the nucleus of the relation. In the United States Susana has no dependency on him; she can live fine with or without him. Consequently, Eligio chooses to return to his native land. His “machismo” dies in the United States, and it is only revived, at the end, once they both return to Mexico. It is a way to show the differences that exist between American and Mexican culture.
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