Women In The Crystal Frontier (Carlos Fuentes)
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In Carlos FuentesÆ The Crystal Frontier, the author presents a number of stories all linked in one manner or another to the character of Don Leonardo, a wealthy Mexican businessman who has few qualms about increasing his self-interests at the expense of his less fortunate countrymen. In many ways these stories depict the inequality between Mexicans and Americans, elites and peasants, and men and women. From Mexican servants to wealthy elites and Americans women, women are portrayed in these stories as victims or victimizers. However, their characters are generally the result of male dominance and patriarchy, whether we follow the example of Michelina Laborde or the wealthy Manhattan businesswoman, Audrey. As a means of showing FuentesÆ call for greater human understanding and compassion toward each other, this analysis will explore the portrayal of women in The Crystal Frontier. In ôA Capital Girl,ö Fuentes shows how the elite have prospered at the expense of the poor Indian. Michelina Laborde is from an aristocratic family, but despite her style and education she is poor. Her familyÆs fallen status mandates the Michelina become a bartering chip in developing their fortunes. She is to be the wife of Don LeonardoÆs effete son. She is forced to marry Don LeonardoÆs son, but she falls for the powerful and wealthy aristocrat and becomes his mistress. She enjoys the prestige and ôpowerö that Don Leonardo provides (Fuentes
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count. Blacks, homosexuals, poor people, old people, women, foreigners, the list was interminableö (Fuentes 1995, 48). This demonstrates that even more than politics and revolution or economics and class inequalities, prejudice is responsible for relations between men and women, upper and lower classes, and Mexicans and Americans.
The experiences of Marina and Dinorah in ôMalintzin of the Maquilasö show the inequalities and harsh working conditions working class women are treated to. The elite classes prosper from the same work that after nine months makes ôyour sides start to hurt and your back wonÆt let you sleepö (Fuentes 1995, 118). Fuentes aims his criticism at the wealthy elite Mexican businessmen and American businessmen who take advantage of such women in order to increase their own interests. These women work until nearly dead to support their families, yet they still are treated as inferior by Mexican men, exploited by wealthy classes of both countries, and face social stigma if they dare exhibit behavior considered outside the norms and roles for women. As Rosa supports the men in her family but she is proud she is not a single mother, ôJust ask around the factory. Half the women working there are the breadwinner
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Approximate Word count = 1472
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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