Option 5

Many stories we read often stick with us past the moment we read them and while thinking back on them we wonder why certain things had happened. To me, “Never Marry a Mexican” by Sandra Cisneros had this effect, I think that the point of the story had to do with stereotyping that occurs within a single race and the concept that just because someone is not seen does not mean they are not there.

Stereotyping came into play when Clemencia’s mother drilled into her head never to marry a Mexican although she herself was Mexican. Clemencia’s father’s family thought he had married down by marrying her mother and after her mother drilling these thoughts into her brain we see a direct impact of how Clemencia see’s men. “I'll never marry. Not any man. I've known men too intimately. I've witnessed their infidelities, and I've helped them to it” (Cisneros 51) the fact the she treats men this way proves her nonattachment in sexual relationship’s caused by her mother she treats these men as her art that she can mold and shape into what she desires.

Art and sexuality played a major role in this story specifically with Clemencia, “I paint, and repaint you the way I see fit even now after all these years did you know that little, fool” (Cisneros 59) which also proves her desire to mold men specifically in that she feels she has sculpted the relationship she had with Drew. This relationship had absolutely no regard to the fact that Drew was married and had a family, she just wanted to feel the power over his wife (we see this on page 60 when she is with Drew the night his child is born). This sense of power continues over Megan as Clemencia leaves gummy bears in places where Megan would know someone had been there, she wanted Megan to know about her relationship with Drew. It was a strange satisfaction to her and it was strange for me to read because I was confused, why would she want to get caught doing something she shouldn’t be? Although Megan did not see her, she wanted to be known.  

I would recommend this story to a friend because it makes you think about all relationships. The relationship between parents and children, lovers, and affairs and how just because is not seen or said doesn’t mean it isn’t there. This story in my opinion is a 5 because I would want to go back and read it again and I would want my friends to read it, Cisneros' writing is extremely interesting and thought-provoking.