Staying True To Yourself

"Rochelle was obsessed. Because all those ridiculous magazines never listed mariachis or dollar dances, she decided her wedding was going to have a string quartet, no bajo, horns, or anything, no dollar dance, and it was going to be in October. It was going to be a bland affair, outside in a tent, like the wedding up North in the "elegance of autumn" that she read about in the thick glossy pages of the magazines" (4).

This quote is the epitome of Rochelle's obsession with the idealized Anglo culture because denies all Hispanic influences in her perfect wedding. Instead of being prideful of her culture she turns against it and only accepts what is in the "thick glossy pages of the magazines" (4). She attempts to shed her Hispanic ancestry in an effort to become something she is not, an overly idealized version of a Caucasian woman. Rochelle casts off all that is unique about her, her family, and her ancestry to try and conform to the magazines caricature of a perfect wedding. She is consumed by the unrealistic and unattainable goal of this one-size fits all model for her life. She does not view Hispanic culture as part of her future because she cannot see this as a realistic model for herself due to the influence of mainstream media on Rochelle. This lack of Hispanic presence in her media is what leads to her demise. Rochelle cannot picture her family, her friends, and culture fitting into this naive and impractical model so she tries with everything she has to deny her true identity.

How much of our identity is attached to our heritage? Do you think Granados is stressing the importance of being true to your heritage?