Aunt Rosana

Aunt Rosana’s Rocker-Hispanic-American Literature Essay, Research Paper Aunt Rosana s Rocker As times change, everything changes with it. The roles that women take on have changed in certain cultures, but in some cultures they have remained the same. Before, men were treated with more respect and superiority, while women had no voices or say in the events that took place in their society. Today, there are situations where men are taken more seriously than women, but slowly, women are being treated with respect and play an active role in their community and have involved themselves within their community. In certain cases the roles never change because the people do not change along with the society. In those cases, the roles are usually permanent because of their character

or personalities and how they were raised. The ways that some people were raised and their environment are the direct cause to why they may be the way they are. Aunt Rosana s Rocker by Nicholasa Mohr presents a story where it discusses the lives of a married couple and how they are struggling with issues that involve not only the marriage, but themselves. In a way, it does not directly talk about the different roles they play, but it can be seen and understood through the events that take place and through the way the characters act. Castro, who is one of the main characters of the story is married to Zoraida. Zoraida s husband, Castro, is the head of the family and is the one who is working and supporting the family. He had even considered sleeping on the living room couch, but

he would not be driven out of his own bed. He was still a man after all, a macho, master of his home, someone to be reckoned with, not be pushed out. (Aunt Rosana s Rocker pg. 81) Castro is a masculine figure and takes on the role of the husband. He supports and takes care of his family, but the character thinks of himself more than a caretaker. He is prideful and arrogant. As a male figure it is understandable that they may take on the role of someone who is confident and strong, but Castro takes it a step further by implying that he is the only one who is capable of handling matters and is someone who only thinks about himself. There would be times that Castro would be portrayed as someone who is patient and understanding, but underneath that disguise he was a man who had

intentions and only cared for his own well being. Putting down his hands, Castro opened his eyes. All he could do was wait patiently, as he always did, wait for her to finish. (Aunt Rosana s Rocker pg. 81) He had no slept properly since this whole affair started. After all, he had to drive out to New Jersey to earn his living and his strength and sleep were being sapped away. (pg. 81) He would even tell his family good things about his wife, but he was only doing so that he could benefit from it. As a male figure, Castro wanted control and wanted to have control of others. Every time I go near her at night, or two or three in the morning, she relaxes. He raised his hand and slammed the table, God damned chair! He couldn t control Zoraida s sickness and make her stop going to the

rocking chair. He could not comprehend what she was emotionally feeling and the issues that she had with him and herself. He became even more upset because he did not understand why some of the things that she did were not the ways she treated him. To think my handsome, healthy son, who could have had any girl he wanted, picked this one. (pg. 89) The way that Castro was raised helped him to be the way he was. His mother s mentality of how his son was so handsome and better than others may have caused Castro to think that he was superior to others. He may be receiving his confidence through this mother or it may be that he truly feels that he is man of many qualities and talents. In a way, the issues that he is having with his wife and how he constantly brings up the idea that he