Becoming-Wom Film Analysis

Pisters explains generally that “the concept of becoming-woman is understood as “a way of understanding transformative possibilities— the ways in which identity might escape from the codes which constitute the subject” (Pisters 79). The film begins with an unsteady understanding of Irene’s identity. It is assumed that she was invested in a marriage with fidelity and when her husband broke this, she was so distraught that she killed him along with Agustina’s mother. The act of killing her husband breaks her out of an old identity and now she is dealing with both the consequences of her actions and finding herself again. The investment she had in the marriage may have been a reason why she was blind to the violence her husband inflicted on Raimunda.

I noticed that the conversation itself was one way for them each to maintain that connection. O’Neil and Case write, “Maintaining relationships in which they could talk about their mothers was another way to develop connection” (34). I was raised listening to stories of my grandmother even while she was alive. My family agrees she is fun to talk about as she was a hilarious, eclectic, energetic, opinionated woman. Some daughters in the chapter maintain a connection through artifacts. My aunt and mom hold onto their mother’s furniture, crafts, jewelry and photo albums. Daughters in the chapter are said to receive “unconditional love, support, guidance, and both positive and negative role modeling” from their mothers (35). My mom and aunt received all these including negative role modeling. They spoke about how forgiving their mother’s shortcomings is something they have to continually do. The chapter dedicates a short section to forgiving as it is an essential part of a daughter reconnecting with their deceased mothers in the present. In Volver, while she still believes her mother is dead, Raimunda smells the passing of gas and it reminds her so strongly of her mother that she is overwhelmed with emotion. This is an example of how Raimunda has internalized her connection with Irene. Upon understanding Irene is not actually dead, she is