The book captures the tale of the worst crime in history to happen in the remote villages in Ciudad Juarez. The book talks about the lives of Evita, Petra, and Mayela. Evita lives in the streets where as Petra does some menial jobs. Mayela traces her decent from Tarahumara Indians (Duarte, 2008). These three young girls together unravel the mysterious demise of young women in their neighborhood that for a long time has remained a forbidden secret in Juarez, Mexico. The activities of these young ladies bring the once deserted streets of Juarez back to life. In pursuit of their dream, these women oblivious of danger undertake to bring to book the perpetrators of brutal murder of women in the streets of Juarez. This essay intends to examine the role of human predators both men and women who preyed on the lives of Evita, Petra, and Mayela who have come from Montenegro to Ciudad Juarez to better their lives. The essay undertakes to register whether these men and women displayed gendered notions of masculinity and feminity. Moreover, the essay seeks to establish the extent to which the human predators affect the relationships and the working lives of Evita, Mayela, and Petra. Focus will be based on the understanding of violence against women and how this affects culture, class, race/ethnicity, sexuality, work, motherhood or feminism.
In the 1990 Mexico, young women mysteriously disappeared. Some of their bodies were never found but those that were found had serious mutilations that could not allow for their identification. Nipples and breasts were severed, buttocks lacerated and the bodies dumped in valleys (Livingston, 2004). It is fascinating how such cruel acts could happen right under the noses of government security agents. The book characteristically refers to these heinous acts on women as a femicide. When Popo, Mayela’s twin brother who had since died comes to her at night in dreams, he smiles with her, sits on her shoulder, and rides around her pocket. Popo, a tiny baby with wings like those of angels assures his sister not to fear anything, as he would protect her. It is really difficult to understand if such a small person would protect Mayela. This categorically reaffirms the position of men in the society-that of protection. Women are portrayed by this novel as a weaker sex who could only get protection from men. Evita who is supposed to be protected by her parents is run out of her home by her own mother and finds herself in the turbulent streets of Juarez. Because the young girls are nurturing dreams of living better lives in the United States, Isadora lures Evita into ‘businesswoman’ trade. Evita beauty makes her an object of both admiration and derision among those who exploit her. Isadora can be portrayed as a human predator as she capitalizes on the poverty situation and decides to house prostitutes (Cutler, 2009). Isadora a woman embodies masculine tendencies and uses them to impose herself on the three women. The novel gives account of how the three young women Evita, who is seeking familial love in the red light zones of Ciudad Juarez; Petra, an 18 year old beauty who has migrated with her family from Montenegro to Juarez; and Mayela Sabina, an artist, are tormented by the dead women of Juarez. In traditional Mexican society, the culture dictated that it was men who were to fend for their families. The hatred that is meted on women is instigated by status quo as women set out to fend for themselves other than relying on men for their upkeep. Femicide was also occasioned by ravaging poverty and the wealthy local cartels that masterminded crimes and got away without being punished. Young girls like the case of Petra were taken away by wealthy merchants and abused. Class was used in this instance as a shield against due process of law. The victims had to meet a specific profile. They had to be dark haired, slender, and young with their ages ranging between 11 and 22. Paradoxically, this cadre of prey only belonged to the poor working class who were voiceless. Evita is a symbol of the life in red light districts as well as unstable family life in Juarez. Petra is used to show how young girls long for good things when they come to the city amidst ravaging poverty. Mayela is used to show how cultures can at times be outdated and that beauty can come from any place. Cruelty on women is shown when Ricardo rapes Evita.
Reference List
Cutler, J.A. (2009). Western American Literature. American Literature Journals, 44(2).
Duarte, P.S. (2008). If I die in Juarez. Oxford, University of Arizona Press.
Livingston, J. (2004). Murder in Juarez: Gender, Sexual Violence, and the Global Assembly Line. Journal of Women Studies, 25.