The dichotomy between Cleófilas’ silence and Felice’s yelling in “Woman Hollering Creek” by Sandra Cisneros is expressive of the empowering idea that women can still break out of society's limitations and become powerful humans, even after America’s long history of attempting to marginalize their voices. We can see the unfair power dynamic America has created between man and woman through the relationship of Cleófilas and her husband. In an extremely abusive relationship, Cleófilas is unable to voice her discontent because of the fear she has towards Juan Pedro: “she had been so stunned, it left her speechless, motionless, numb… She could think of nothing to say, said nothing” (Cisneros 48). The phrases “speechless,” “motionless,” and “she could think of nothing to say,” reflect a woman who wants to stand up to their aggressor, but is unable to do so because she has no power and influence in the relationship. …show more content…
Thus, Cleofilas’ silence in her relationship is symbolic of her oppression as a result of her husband’s violent actions, and in a larger context, America’s long tendency of feeding the idea of women's inferiority through its media and culture, such as the fact that many times women are payed less for the same work in comparison with their male counterparts.
Cleofilas is a victim of her husband’s dominance and control, forcing her to be unable to stand up for herself through her voice and opinion, even though she always believed she would “cry out” (47) or “defend herself” (47). Thus, Juan Pedro literally took away her ability to voice herself in the way she always thought she would, simultaneously taking away her individuality and
power. Although society has quieted and questioned the power of women’s voices, Felice was able to successfully break away from the expectations against her. This reveals itself in the story when she verbalizes her happiness: “But when they drove across the arroyo, the driver opened her mouth and let out a yell as loud as any mariachi… Every time I cross that bridge I do that. Because of the name, you know. Woman Hollering. Pues, I holler… Felice was like no woman she’d ever met” (55). Through this passage, we can see that Felice is able to voice herself in a very powerful way; through a scream “as loud as any mariachi.” Her decision to act this way is representative of the power and independence she has, as she uses a method of expression that is often utilized for someone who feels empowered and happy; someone who is not under the dominion or influence of anyone. Thus, with her simple act of screaming after America has attempted to silence voices like hers, Felice is able to transcend the cultural norms of womanhood in society after they have attempted to restrict her. This is not only a positive attribute for Felice, but also for Cleófilas, as she is able to show her that women can be powerful and liberated from any negative authority.
Cleofilas, must endure the hard labor of her husband’s temper and if she doesn’t take on both gender roles for example: housework, caring for her children, and the outside duties of the home, she suffers the consequences of her husband and the beatings. Juan Pedro, Cleofilas husband is just like society in this situation, he doesn’t think twice about laying a hand on his wife. Whereas, in Cleofilas situation, society doesn’t want to get involved and will place the incident “under the rug” they don’t want to be asked questions, by the husband or the
Cleofilas is a young lady excited to marry Juan Pedro. Cisneros uses Cleofilas to symbolize someone who can not separate reality from real life. She comes from a family with six siblings and no mother. Leaving her father as the head of the house hold. She uses the television shows to teach herself feminine responsibilities and life lessons. Cleofilas envisions her perfect life though the eyes of the television shows she watches conscientiously. The television shows are used to show Cleofilas how life could be, but she takes it to be her own .
A woman’s self-worth and self-esteem are vital to experiencing happiness in a marriage. In addition, low self-esteem can cause a woman to feel abandoned because she is not getting enough emotional support from her husband. Cisneros demonstrates this through the character of Cleofilas in the story. For example, Cleofilas often reminds ...
Cleofilas grew up in a male dominant household of six brother and father, and without a mother, she no woman figure to guide her, give advice on life, or how to love a man. Cleofilas turned to telenovelas for a woman’s guidance on love and appearance, and she began to imagine her ideal life through the television series. Once Cleofilas was married she moved away into a home with her husband, were she pictured everything to be like the couples on the telenovelas, but she soon starts to realize life isn 't exactly like how they view it in the telenovelas. In the story Sandra make the statement ‘From what see can tell, from the times during her first year when still a newlywed she is invited and accompanies her husband, sits mute besides their conversations, waits and sips a beer until it grows warm, twists a paper napkin into a knot, then another into a fan, one into a rose, nods her head, smiles, yawns, politely grins, laughs at the appropriate moments, leans against her husband’s sleeve, tugs at his elbow, and finally becomes good at predicting where the talk will lead, from this Cleofilas
The main character in “Woman Hollering Creek” is Cleόfilas Enriqueta DeLeόn Hernández, a woman who leaves her home in Mexico to marry a man, Juan Pedro Martinez Sánchez, in Texas. Flowing behind Cleόfilas’ new house in Texas, is a stream named Woman Hollering. Cleόfilas imagines her marriage to be filled with joy and love. To Cleόfilas’ surprise, Juan Pedro is a vile husband that is both physically and verbally abusive. Cisneros brings attention to a recurrent issue within the Chicana community. According to The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, “The majority of abused women, (75%) of Mexican-American women reported spousal abuse”
Throughout history women have learned to find a voice against men through writing. Writing has been a medium where women have learned to speak their minds and allow their ideas to be broadcasted to the world. Women have used writing to discuss issues, such as discrimination, inequality, sexual frustrations, and many more that they have dealt with. In the poem, “A Loyal Woman’s No”, written by Lucy Larcom. She gives power to women to say no to men. Her poem discusses the issues that many women face. They face issues of men taking advantage of them, men objectifying them and using them. However, Larcom’s poem shows a clear progress of women standing up against men, and being firm in saying no to them. Larcom has given women the ability to stand up to man and show the true power that women have over men. Many women fear standing up to men due to the repercussions of their actions, however, Lucy Larcom uses the symbolism of nature and her rhetoric to show a woman’s true power against men and say no and to free themselves of the rigid grasp that so many men have over women.
Through American Literature many writers have given a voice to the once silent. Sandra Cisneros, a writer was one of those contributors. Very few writers of her time, explored and brought to light what she did. She started a movement in the United States and within her community to bring to light the issue that once were overlooked. The Stories, poems, novels and essays she wrote touch the lives of many people, of all walks of life. Cisneros did not have the best childhood but was able to overcome many obstacles through her life. Born in Chicago, Illinois into poverty to her first book The House on Mango street selling more than six million copies (Cisneros, 2017).
A woman’s self-worth and self-esteem are vital to experiencing happiness in a marriage. In addition, low self-esteem will cause a woman to feel abandoned, because she is not getting enough emotional support from her husband. Cisneros demonstrated this through the character of Cleofilas in the story. For example, Cleofilas often reminds herself why she loves Juan Pedr...
Intertwined in allusions to women of Mexican history and folklore, making it clear that women across the centuries have suffered the same alienation and victimization, Cisneros presents a woman who struggles to prevail over romantic notions of domestic bliss by leaving her husband. In the story Woman Hollering Creek, Sandra Cisneros discusses the issues of living life as a married woman through a character named Cleófilas; a character who is married to a man who abuses her physically and mentally. Cisneros reveals the way the culture puts a difference between a male and a female, men above women. In Woman Hollering Creek, we see a young Mexican woman, who suddenly moves across the border and gets married. The protagonist, Cleófilas’ character is based on a family of a six brothers and a dad and without a mom, and the story reveals around her inner feelings and secrets.
This creates a despair, of hopelessness and of downheartedness. The woman, on multiple occasions, wrote down, “And what can one do?” This lets the reader know that women as a whole were very oppressed in ...
It is pretty interesting how almost any factor of life can influence an individual’s state of mind. Factors like: social media, media, education, religion, kinship, and oneself has the power to persuade the mind on whether something is “good or bad”, “right or wrong”, “vice, or virtue”. In Woman Hollering creek and other stories is a book written by Sandra Cisneros a Chicana Author known for the widely admired House on Mango Street. Cisneros draws attention to all types of socio-economic statuses within this collection of short stories. Breaking down social construction built buy societies between our communities, religion, and education. In Women Hollering Creek and Other Stories, Cisnero’s representations of masculinities and femininities
In the story "Woman Hollering Creek" Sandra Cisneros discusses the issues of living life as a married woman through a character named Cleofilas; a character who is married to a man who abuses her physically and mentally .Cisneros reveals the way the culture puts a difference between a male and a female, men above women. Cisneros has been famous about writing stories about the latino culture and how women are treated; she explain what they go through as a child, teen and when they are married; always dominated by men because of how the culture has been adapted. "Woman Hollering Creek" is one of the best examples. A character who grows up without a mother and who has no one to guid and give her advise about life.
She claims that families will flourish if “women are free from violence” and when families flourish, “communities and nations do as well” (“American Rhetoric: Women’s Rights are Human Rights”). By using pathos, this evokes a feeling of pity from the audience; furthermore, Clinton adds that women are having their human rights violated everyday just for being women. For example, “babies are suffocated” just for being girls and women are “set on fire and burned to death” because of small wedding dowries (“American Rhetoric: Women’s Rights are Human Rights”). Clinton wants women around this world to give the voices back to those who have been forced silent in fear. Her encouraging words add to her purpose and show the world the abuses that women go through on a daily basis. Her heart-wrenching pathos is ideal, but her persistent rhetoric doesn’t stop
Throughout history, women and men alike, regard females as lesser, they get abused and taken advantage of time and time again. The strength of the women in the past have carried on and reached the women of today, who are able to feel empowered. Isabel Allende’s representation of women empowerment is beautifully woven into her novel The House of the Spirits, which display the viewpoints of many oppressed women who live in a patriarchal society. Despite this patriarchy, the women manage to gain control of their own roles in life. This control brings effects unto Esteban Trueba’s way of living , ultimately leading him down a path of self-despair and loneliness. Esteban’s first fiancée Rosa de Valle, his first wife Clara de Valle, and his only
In Latin America, women are treated differently from men and children. They do lots of work for unexplainable reasons. Others for religious reasons and family orders and others because of the men involved. Women are like objects to men and have to obey their orders to either be rich or to live. Some have sex to get the men’s approval, others marry a rich man that they don’t even know very well, and become slaves. An important book called Chronicles of a Death Foretold is an example of how these women are treated. Purisima del Carmen, Angela Vicario's mother, has raised Angela and her sisters to be good wives. The girls do not marry until late in life, rarely socializing beyond the outsides of their own home. They spend their time sewing, weaving, washing and ironing. Other occupations include arranging flowers, cleaning up the house, and writing engagement letters to other men. They also keep the old traditions alive, such as helping the sick, comforting the dying, and covering the dead. While their mother believes they are perfect, men view them as too tied to their women's traditions. The men are afraid that the women would pay more attention to their job more than the men. Throughout the book, the women receive the respect they deserve from the men and others around them.