María is struggling to understand why people hate Matt so much, to her he seems like any other kid, there isn't any difference... María is the youngest daughter of Senator Mendoza, who is a politician in the US. She also has a older sister named Emilia. María is very energetic, and also she has a very distinct/split personality (Sort of Bi-Polar), she is always very happy or sad by a event no matter how big or small. She also forgets things very easily, and tends to forgive people indisputably, because of this.
I think María inside, sort of loves Matt, I think that is why she always is near Matt, like when he was in the jail. María is probably the only one with feelings that are positive towards Matt, other than Celia, in these first chapters. All of the other children try to influence María's view on Matt, they try to make her think Matt is some sort of evil creature that is like the stuff in myths they tell. María has a very independent view on Matt, and I think she is also very curious why people call him names, and that might be another reason why she is always near him.
In these first few chapters María doesn't have that much actions, until the last 2 or 3 chapters. I think Farmer wants to introduce María as the one person that can help Matt, sort of like a savior for Matt, like a kind of angel that helps people when they are going to die or are in a bad condition, or like the Virgin of Guadelupe. I think María is very interesting, because she sometimes hates Matt and other times she is very friendly, like when she was in the "Jail" with him and he told of scary stories like La Lorona; the weeping woman who drowned her children, and now makes the wind howling sound. She really hated Matt for that because she doesn't like scary stories and takes them very seriously. She was very friendly otherwise to Matt during that, since she brought him food and things to drink, when Rosa didn't want to provide food to him.
I think María inside, sort of loves Matt, I think that is why she always is near Matt, like when he was in the jail. María is probably the only one with feelings that are positive towards Matt, other than Celia, in these first chapters. All of the other children try to influence María's view on Matt, they try to make her think Matt is some sort of evil creature that is like the stuff in myths they tell. María has a very independent view on Matt, and I think she is also very curious why people call him names, and that might be another reason why she is always near him.
In these first few chapters María doesn't have that much actions, until the last 2 or 3 chapters. I think Farmer wants to introduce María as the one person that can help Matt, sort of like a savior for Matt, like a kind of angel that helps people when they are going to die or are in a bad condition, or like the Virgin of Guadelupe. I think María is very interesting, because she sometimes hates Matt and other times she is very friendly, like when she was in the "Jail" with him and he told of scary stories like La Lorona; the weeping woman who drowned her children, and now makes the wind howling sound. She really hated Matt for that because she doesn't like scary stories and takes them very seriously. She was very friendly otherwise to Matt during that, since she brought him food and things to drink, when Rosa didn't want to provide food to him.
Great title Jack - very insightful!
ReplyDeleteI really like your thoughts on how Maria may be saviour for Matt, consider this in light of Farmer's focus on the Virgin... Any ties?