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Women Hollering Creek By Sandra Cisneros

493 Words2 Pages

In the short story “Women Hollering Creek”, by Sandra Cisneros, Cisneros uses the life of Cleofilas Enriqueta DeLeon Hernandez, as a way to show both the relationship between feminism and masculinity, and the patriarchal societal norms of the time period. Cisneros uses her life experience as a Latina writer to accurately portray the social norms of the time period. This can be seen throughout the short story in the way Cleofilas acts and reacts to certain situations.
Both the ways that Cisneros portrays Cleofilas life before marriage, and life after marriage shine a light on the oppressive climate during that time period. Continuing on this point, an example of this would come from the way that Cleofilas father and suitor treat her marriage. Cleofilas suitor, Juan Pedro, has to ask her father for permission to marry her, showing how women in the time period where not treated as equals. Furthermore this shows the gender inequality through Cleofilas father’s treatment of his daughter. Even though the reader knows that he loves Cleofilas, it is obvious that he believes her to be his possession. This is especially prevalent when Juan Pedro has to ask for permission to marry Cleofilas. …show more content…

In the short story Cisneros talks about the timer period where Juan Pedro abuses, cheats on, and neglects Cleofilas emotionally. Juan Pedro’s abuse of Cleofilas is tied to him feeling like he is not a man because he is unable to provide a posh life for Cleofilas. This results in him feeling like less of a man because he does not meet what society defines as a man. In addition he also cheats on Cleofilas, while she is giving birth to his son. This again is tied to Juan Pedro feeling emasculated because he cannot support his

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