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So Far From God Analysis

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Last week I read the first chapter of Ana Castillo’s fictional novel, So Far From God. The first chapter details the story of a mother, Sofi, and her four girls who all have to deal with hardships bestowed upon them in the town of Tome, New Mexico. Kamala Platt’s article, “Ecocritical Chicana Literature: Ana Castillo’s ‘Virtual Realism’,” describes the difference between environmental justice and racism to describe the uneven lifestyles between fortunate communities and low-income communities. The communities that inherit poverty and low-income minorities are described as, “toxic dumping zones” (Platt 77). Environmental justice is understood as the fair treatment of all people based on the enforcement of environmental laws and policies. However, environmental injustice is …show more content…

La Loca, I strongly believe represents a Jesus Christ presence toward her family and community. I first realized the connection to Jesus Christ when La Loca tells her funeral crowd that her purpose is to teach and pray for people similar to what Christians believe was Jesus’ purpose of living. “ ‘God sent me back to help you all, to pray for you all’,” (Castillo 24) La Loca tells the crowd at her funeral, which further solidifies the similarity between Jesus and La Loca. I further believe the reason why she refuses to touch anyone is due to the community being toxic. However, not toxic as the article elaborates on, but toxic as pertaining to souls or spirits of the community. “ ‘Don't touch me, Don’t touch me!’,” (Castillo 23) La Loca exclaims at a priest, which signifies that even the holiest of men are polluted. Being that La Loca was “resurrected” and supposedly sent from God, her soul is not tainted. This is possibly why she refuses to let anyone touch her for fear that they’ll pollute her own

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