There are several themes that stuck out to me while reading Teresa de la Parra’s Mama Blanca's Memoirs. Throughout the novel, de la Parra plays with the themes of gender, class, modernity, and idealism through the eyes of a child on a sugar plantation. The first thing that I found interesting is the time that the novel is set. I was expecting to read about the role of slavery in society through gruelling plantation work, however, Mama Blanca’s Memoirs gives a perspective of progress and change in Latin American that I wasn’t expecting by taking place shortly after the abolition of slavery in Venezuela. Building on this, the way that the class system is presented negotiates and mystifies the day-to-day affects of the class system in a way that I haven’t read before. De la Parra does this by invoking the image of wealth through objects like “crystal pitchers” (25) and “champagne glasses” (25) and observation of her mother’s “vanity” (26), while also providing few specifics on the place that Mama Blanca’s family ranks in the social hierarchy of Venezuelan society.
The lack of detail placed on the family’s social class in comparison to others through a child’s eyes makes an interesting statement that social class is something that is heavily conditioned and encouraged subconsciously into adulthood. Or perhaps, Mama Blanca didn’t find herself needing to repeatedly note their social position because her family’s position in society was all she was aware of. The narrator’s idyllic and childlike view of the plantation exemplifies the naivety instilled in upper class youth about their history and impact on society. De la Parra also expands on the perspective of social class by having the narrator’s main struggles be through her curly hair in a time where many were not given the luxury to worry about their beauty. It makes an interesting statement that in a time of progress, the future of the upper class (symbolized through the childhood narrator) still sees little change in their daily routine, struggles and quality of life.
Building on the example of the curls, this example combines the themes of gender, idealism, and progress in a very interesting way to me. The pressure to conform to the European beauty standards of straight hair speaks to the continued attempt to minimize Indigenous features even after abolition and therefore further cementing the social hierarchy. Carmen Maria’s concern for her daughter’s hair also speaks to the expectations placed on women, while also showing their role in society. Strive of European standards is again emphasized by Cousin Jauncho’s “admiration for Europe” (53). The daily and repetitive act of having her hair fixed shows that there is little effort to break from tradition amongst the upper classes. However, it could also be argued that Mama Blanca’s aversion to the daily traditional task that her mother forces on her symbolizes the transition from old to new ideals that is around the corner. However, for the time being, Mama Blanca continues to contribute aesthetic features to success in society by her statement that “Cousin Juancho wore his noble, well-brushed poverty with quiet dignity” (55) while also “carefully conceal[ing]” (55) it.
Having studied a bit of Latin American history before, I’ve never really thought about the role that vanity and aesthetics played in change for social progress. I’m torn on whether the importance of traditional appearances from the older characters in this novel speaks to how tradition stays the same or if it changes through the age of social progress. Therefore, do you believe that aesthetic appearance hindered the road to social change in Venezuela? Or maybe aesthetic ideals just suppressed those of a certain gender (as illustrated by Carmen Maria’s concern for Mama Blanca’s hair)? Mama Blanca herself takes note of her mother’s “vanity” (26), maybe this was a criticism for the social norms and expectations of the times, or maybe it just illustrated the appeal to authority that children are often forced to assimilate to.
Questions for the class: Do you think aesthetic appearance gives people power in society? And if so how? Does it hinder or advance female influence/power?
There's a lot here, which is great! The question of Blanca Nieves's hair also has to do with the relationship between appearance and essence... the idea that surfaces reflect depths. Blanca Nieves's mother is very concerned with such appearances, also for instance when it comes to the sexual relations of the plantation workers.
ReplyDeleteIt's also worth thinking more about what history (and inequality and so on) look like through a child's eyes, and why de la Parra should choose this perspective.
(NB for the labels, please use the surname only... "De la Parra" rather than "Teresa de la Parra." Otherwise, great use of tags!)
Hi Julia,
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear from you.
The aesthetic aspect of class division is a necessary one. For one class to distinguish themselves from other, different appearances form. What is interesting to me today is that many modern "stars" have dressed in styles that were commonly associated with the working class say 20-30 years ago (e.g., Justin Bieber's overalls when he met Justin Trudeau). Now, "high-fashion" is almost an inversion of what was traditionally understood as fashionable. One need only to watch a current fashion show to see the impressive (yet often ridiculous) aspect of the clothes that are touted as ultimately desirable.
Yet as we have seen, an overwhelming identification with the upper-class can be problematic. For Mama, Papa, nor Cousin Juancho appreciate the value of indigenous tradition or, let's say, honesty of soul. Rather, Mama, Papa, and Cousin Jauncho are all troubled in some domain of their life (Mama with her melancholy, Papa with his over-assertiveness of plantation management, and Cousin Jauncho with his 'bad streaks of luck' (we should definitely discuss this in class!!)). One must want to be like the children in the story, as they are grounded in a reality, not yet plagued by social conventions, and can appreciate all peoples, more or less, for their true selves. The most poigniant instance of this is their deep admiration for Vicente, which was such a beautiful depiction of the innocence of childhood seeing the truth of the goodness of his soul, yet a truth that the upper-class adults could not comprehend.
Lots to talk about this week! All the best,
Curtis
Hey Julia! Fascinating post - thanks for sharing your thoughts! I think aesthetic appearance is (unfortunately) an asset for those in positions of power, as well as for those who aren't. An attractive individual might have more luck swaying someone's opinion or acquiring something of interest/value because, let's face it, folks like nice things to look at. Our culture places way too much emphasis on appearance, even going so far as to encourage individuals, notably femmes, to hold it in higher regard than intelligence and compassion. And women, especially of this time, were often overlooked; if one was to garner influence or have their perspectives entertained, two things helped: attractiveness and money. This is particularly interesting as beauty standards have changed throughout history. Beauty isn't a fixed thing, and what was considered more attractive wouldn't necessarily be considered as attractive now, similar to fashion. And akin to fashion, having more money means more easily keeping on top of the latest aesthetic trends, thus being held in higher regard. I'm rambling now, so I'm going to cut this short. Thanks again for your post!
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