Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Happily Ever After


"Even though Rochelle didn't get her elegant autumn wedding, she stood before Judge Grijalva in her off-white linen pantsuit, which was damp on the shoulder and smeared with Mom's mascara, erect and with as much dignity as if she were under a tent at the Chamizal." (pg. 8)

In this story, Granados uses Lily's recollection of her sister's dream in order to critique the social standards and norms presented within American weddings. Throughout the story, Granados goes on about how Rochelle wanted to have a typical, white wedding. She didn't want anything that could related to her Mexican American heritage. However, in the end, her wedding ended up being completely opposite of what she had imagined it to be. Instead of a classic, conventional wedding, she had a stereotypical, lower class got-married-because-you-got-knocked-up-at-prom wedding. Nevertheless, it seems as if it is not Rochelle that has a problem with this, but Lily. In the end, Rochelle could be described as being satisfied and happy, her love for her husband overtaking her love for her dream wedding. It is Lily that is confused at the end. The tone in which she describes her sister's wedding can be said to be dumbfounded.  Furthermore, maybe it is Lily that wanted more than what was given to her by her Mexican heritage. As Lily continues with her life, she seems to keep hold to the idealistic wedding her sister had, for she went back in June to buy those magazines with pictures of  women that were "white, skinny, and rich" (6).

Why do you think Lily does seem a bit disappointed in her sister's rushed wedding? Was it because of her sister's own young, foolish mistake or because of the dream that never came true?

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