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 is macho can be from his insecurity.

He may not be feeling man enough or may be even feeling that

he isn t being taken care of. It s a way to attract

attention and to be the center of attention. In this story,

there is a part where he doesn t understand why she doesn t

feel certain things with him. Castro remembered how she

always urged him to hurry, be quiet, and get it over with,

on account of the children. A lot she cares about him

tonight! Never in all their years of marriage had she ever

uttered such sounds-he shook his head-or shown any passion

or much interest in doing it. (pg. 82) Men believe that

they need to take on the role of a masculine figure, and to

be the best. Through his macho attitude, he is portraying

his inse

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