| La Llorona is a much-maligned yet ever popular cultural icon in Mexican tradition. Her story is one of punishment and pain and it is oft told as a warning to children and adults who are considering breaking the cultural norms. She is mostly presented as a one-dimensional character whose sole purpose is to educate via terror and societal gender roles. This thesis argues that through the analysis of Rudolfo Anaya, Gloria Anzaldua, and Sandra Cisneros' work, that a new vision of La Llorona is formed against the traditional folkloric and limited interpretation of La Llorona. This work also proposes that she can be rethought of as a symbol of cultural empowerment and change. |
