No way in hell im staying shrouded- LET ME KEEP HAUNTING THOSE WHO HAVE TORMENTED ME SO THEY BURY THEMSELVES INTO THE DIRT
Maybe it was death, no… surely it was through death that Ana was rid of any feelings of vengeance and despair that would’ve kept her bound to the living realm. God, if I were Ana and saw my ex-lover, WHO HAD ABANDONED ME WHILE PREGNANT, show up to my funeral, SAD? Bro… please escort him out and just beat the fuck out of him.
Anyway… I say what I say in this blog title, yet I’m sure that when I breathe my last breath, I too would feel the weight of my burdens float off of me for the first time, and maybe, just maybe, I would feel like the Virgin Mary and forgive those who have wronged me. Through death, we are forced to accept what we had missed, the mistakes we had made, and reflect on the remainder of the pieces of who we knew left behind.
There is also the acceptance that nothing can be changed to rewrite the future; rather, it is through the revision of our own perceptions and understanding that we can bring peace to ourselves in the present. Ana’s role as an “omniscient” figure (not exactly, because she can’t read into the thoughts and feelings within the present, but yk..) allows her to see past the pride and emotions that clouded her when she was living.
So yes, in answer to Ana’s rhetorical question out to the universe, I do think death is necessary because for once, everything stops, the mind stays quiet, and we can put together the logic that was not present due to the noise of the living. It is like the surrealist belief that something new can still transpire through something that we had encountered repeatedly in our mundane lives.
Oh God, dear God! Must we die in order to know? (176)
Another aspect of the novel I thought was fascinating was how the era Ana was living in was actively working against her. The values of her time, the expectations, and judgments had gotten in the way of many’s true desires and the potential of a happy ending. Particularly in Ricardo and Ana’s love story, as well as Ana’s two sons, the stigmas revolving around marriage, divorce, and pregnancy clearly marked the period of time that Bombal was writing in.
It was a male-dominated period where women did not have the same privileges as men, did not have the same power, and could not make the same decisions as men. It’s hilarious because, despite this entitlement, their egos remain the same: fragile. In fact, they become more insecure, threatened, and crazy. The continuous pursuit of control leads to their demise because they cannot escape the reality that not all in life can be manipulated. Their greed cannot be satiated. Not much has changed since the time this was written.
…all men once in their lifetime long to make some great renunication; to sacrifice regrefully something vital; to tear to pieces a butterfly, in order to feel themselves masters of their own destiny. (166)
Imagining yourself in the grave, what memories do you think you’d look back on? Do you think you, too, would be able to let your sorrows disintegrate alongside your body, or would it cause you to stay hooked and eternally attached to the affairs of the living?
“Another aspect of the novel I thought was fascinating was how the era Ana was living in was actively working against her. ” It would be hard to find a better example of a patriarchal society, especially in that part of the world. I wonder how women navigated that structure, how they forged relationships with one another, and how they judged their life choices?
This blog post is so real like, in all honesty If I was a ghost and done THAT dirty by a man I would never let it slide. Let’s just say he is getting spooked until he apologizes on my grave or whatnot… Anyways thanks for being the comedic relief I needed after reading this sad tale!
Hi Quizzy,
I absolutely agree with you that forgiveness is not going to be a slight consideration for someone who has done so dirty of me. I respect Ana for being able to forgive him and let everything go at her last moment, but honestly, if it were me, anyone who has been hated will remain hated until my last breath. I’m dead and gone anyway, so why bother changing my mind? Emotions and thoughts are for the living, regret and forgive yourselves, I don’t care once I’m dead.
I also loved how you defined death as a chance to “put together the logic that was not present due to the noise of the living”. This opened up a new perspective on the meaning of death.
I love how hilarious and real this blog post is. Ana’s rhetorical question is a very thought provoking concept. “must we die in order to know”.
When Ana Maria said this, I think she was refering to her relationship with Ricardo, and that even though they parted ways, that they will still be “connected” to each other (i think). A coping mechanism to find some peace in their break up. I hope it does not take me until DEATH to get over any break up. I think it’s important to know that while we’re alive that we can find peace without knowing our future/outcomes.