Impact Of Borderlands On Gloria Anzaldúa

Overtime, we have seen the influence and power that authors held through their writing(s). Authors such as William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and J.K Rowling have had lasting impacts on society whether it be through the entertainment business (ex. J.K Rowling and the Harry Potter franchise) or through studies inside and outside of the classrooms. Gloria Anzaldúa adds to the list of influential authors as her novel Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza has “the power to change minds” (Cantú and Hurtado 1), and has been taught in classrooms particularly geared towards women studies and feminist theory. Borderlands is a metaphor that conveys the limitations- socially, culturally, geographically, and sexually- within the border of two counties, particularly the U.S Mexican border. Gloria furthers her discussion in chapter six and seven by expressing her frustration of being stuck between these borders, the battle of feminism, and the loss of herself due to her oppressors.
Gloria Anzaldúa stated “As a

mestiza I have no country…yet all countries are mine. As a lesbian I have no race…I am cultureless” (Anzaldúa 81). Gloria expresses her frustration at the limitations she has because of the borders society place upon an individual’s place of origin, sexuality, gender, and culture. Gloria’s confusion of being a Chicana, American, and Indian is seen through the mixture of English, Spanish, and Chicana languages that she implores in her writing in chapter six and seven to allow for her readers to comprehend the irritation she feels for a being a mestiza. Not only is her frustration of being a mestiza seen through her writing style, Gloria further convey her feelings when she mentions “cradled in one culture, sandwiched between two cultures, straddling all three cultures and their value systems, ta mestiza undergoes a struggle of flesh, a of borders, an inner war” (Anzaldúa 78). On top of being of various cultures, another inner war that she faces is being a lesbian in a society that fails to accept her sexuality- looking upon it negatively and making her feel like an outcast as it is out of the norm.
In addition to Gloria’s frustration to being a mestiza and a lesbian, her womanhood also appears to further her annoyance.

Gloria’s culture degrades women as they value a patriarchal system that promotes the confinement of women and “machismo” (83). Being opposite of a man means “you are defective” (83). The value of woman is lowered and they are instead convinced that their duty lies in household chores/ motherhood. Gloria takes an interesting view of male dominance seeing it instead as a man’s inferiority and low self-esteem. Thus, seeing that a man’s lack of respect and dignity creates this “false machismo,” where sexism is formed- causing brutalization and degradation of women (83). Chapter seven expresses the battle and struggles that Gloria faces in addition to other women for their feminist behaviors/views in a male-dominated world. However, she motivates her readers to overcome those limitations and “develop equal power with…those who have shamed us”

(84).
Additionally, Anzaldúa struggle of being a woman on top of being a mestiza and lesbian causes to feel at a loss of herself. White supremacy, homophobia, and patriarchy are the metaphorical borders that she has to tackle. Her feelings of being cultureless, an outcast, and without race because of her sexuality conveys her way of wanting to overcome these borders/oppressors to finally free, find, and be who she really. In chapter six, titled “The Path of Red and Black Ink,” goes over the writing process and purpose she hopes to achieve. Gloria sees her writing as needing “to be ‘fed,’ la tengo que bañar y vestir” (67). Hoping that as the ancient Aztecs “believed that through metaphor and symbol, by means of poetry and truth, communication…could be attained,” she can get communicate with her audience through her metaphors of the borderlands and within her writing (69). Her writing that is inspired by “living in a state psychic unrest in a Borderland,” reveals the truths of the borders (white supremacy, patriarchy, homophobia, cultural/geographical divisions) to reach her audience- both teaching and inspiring them to do better and be better while achieving the concept of Self.