Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 1998. [Vol. 5.] Eger Journal of American Studies. (Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 25)

Studies - András Tarnóc: Voices From the Wild Zone: Three Versions of the Feminist Aesthetic in American Culture

make his son (Malinche's half brother) the sole beneficiary of his estate, the young girl was sold to the Tabasco Indians as a slave. Later she was transferred to Hernan Cortez, in captivity she made use of her bilingualism eventually functioning as a guide and interpreter for Cortez. Furthermore, she became his lover, and her children are considered to be the first Chtcanos (Moraga 52). The myth mirrors the position and image of the Chicana. Malinche was betrayed and treated as an object twice, once by her mother, and once by her captors, the Tabasco Indians. She was caught between two cultures, the domestic one represented by the mother, and the macrosocial one indicated by the Tabasco males. The mother-daughter conflict of Chicana myths stems from the Malinche story as well, as both her stepfather and mother call her "la chingada"(Moraga 53). Consequently, a Chicana feminist shares the fate of Malinche in two aspects: she is rejected by her own people for allegedly adhering to white feminist theories and models, and is sexually oppressed by Chicano men. While black feminism emphasizes the political aspects of the writer's role, Chicana feminism favors the spiritual level. According to Ana Castillo the writer functions as a relator, and must call on the Chicana woman to love herself (Binder 37). Sandra Cisneros sees the Chicana author's role as an artist and teacher (Binder 68), positing awareness and consciousness of oneself and community as the crucial elements (Binder 69). Lucha Corpi presents a different view of Malinche, as an intellectual woman and the originator of "mestizaje," the mother of the race (Binder 82). Veronica Cunningham compares writing to a romantic relationship during which the lover brings the best out of a person, extracting certain truths from the inside (Binder 92). This view is the opposite of the phallic conccpt of writing as the latter emphasizes invasion and by extension domination, the former points to co-operation and harmony. According to Rebecca Gonzalez the Chicano author must contribute to the rich ethnic cultural tapestry of the U.S. (Binder 94). Angela Hoyos argues that writing, similarly to Bloom's view, is creation, as the artist produces order from chaos, and "plays god" (Binder 113). Similarly to Rudolfo Anaya, a Chicana author must promote a harmony with the cosmos, and must gain her artistic strength from spiritual values (Binder 115). 13