Temporary Equality

Hey everybody,

I'm behind on the reading, but I wanted to add something.

I think Victoria did a good job of addressing Esteban's treatment of women, and of the lower classes, and especially of women of the lower classes. I agree with her that Esteban is a product of his time and place.

But here is something I found interesting: Esteban meets young Transito Soto again. She is a person who, because of her class and profession, could never be viewed by Esteban as an equal. Yet he finds in her a woman who "didn't make your hands feel heavy, your voice hard . . . but someone like yourself, who could take a string of bad words in her ear and didn't need to be rocked with tender arguments, or coaxed with flattery" (118). What I get from this, is that her lack of station affords her a freedom of behavior and personality such that, for a very brief time, Esteban is able to accept her as his personal equal. He is relieved by this temporary equality, in contrast with his perceived need to be firm and distant with the peasants, and his attempts to be gentle with his wife.

Then, of course, he discards Transito, because he is "not a man for whores" (119).

On a slightly related note, I agree with Aryana, that Clara is such a princess that it becomes a bit annoying. But then, she's also a product of her time and place and class.


On a totally unrelated note, we have a beautiful moon out there tonight! I suggest you all go take a look, before the clouds move in again. I don't remember having seen such a bright full moon (well, almost full) in the city before.


I hope to be caught up again by the next blog-date.

-Kevin