Amber Sheth '18, Spanish

The Lasting Effects of the Malinche Myth in Elena Garro's "La culpa es de los tlaxcaltecas"

My thesis analyzes a short story by Mexican author Elena Garro, “La culpa es de los tlaxcaltecas” (“The Tlaxcalans Are to Blame”). The story, published in 1964, tells of an indigenous woman named Laura who time travels between the time of the conquest of Mexico and the present day. Laura feels that she has betrayed her people, forming parallels with the indigenous translator for the Spanish conquistadors, la Malinche. I analyze how Laura’s story serves to reclaim that history by emphasizing female agency. I also investigate how use of the fantastic genre allows for a re-imagining of history as a way to explore Mexican national identity.