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Summary Of Growing By Viramontes

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In her collection of short stories, Moths and Other Short Stories, Helena Maria Viramontes elaborates on the importance machismo has on struggles of Chicano women in their daily lives. In the short story, “Growing”, Naomi is faced with the struggle of growing up in a “machista” household where transitioning to womanhood means to forgo any trace of childhood. In another short story, “Birthday”, Alice is faced with the struggle of an unwanted pregnancy and a decision to terminate the pregnancy. Through the use of plot and diction, both of Viramontes’s short stories “Growing” and “Birthday” illustrate the influence machismo has on the norms and gender roles of women to grow up and bear children, in order to emphasize the characters breaking through …show more content…

In “Growing”, Naomi’s father represents the strong, overpowering role of machismo: “You have to ask your father” (35). This depicts the authority Naomi’s father has in Naomi’s life. He has the final decision of whether she can do something or not. He has the last say, no matter the majority may agree to. Naomi’s father also states “TU ERES MUJER, he thundered like a great voice above the heavens, and that was the end of any argument…the thunderbolts breaking the tranquility of her sex.” (36) These specific words illustrate Naomi’s father as a god who is all mighty and can change the course of anything. The influence of men to the characters can also be seen in the character of Joe when he convinces Naomi to leave her younger sister, Lucia, on the Ferris wheel, so they can go somewhere more private. This not only establishes the empowerment Joe has over Lucia, but also supports the idea of Naomi being seen as an object of pleasure. Machismo can also be seen outside of the main character, when the minor character of Piri spends his time trying to score at all costs, since his father was watching the game outside the liquor store. Both Naomi and Piri are strongly overpowered by a male authority as they do and say what male authority would

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