This week’s reading on I, Rigoberta Menchú: An Indian Woman in Guatemala, left me captivated by its unique categorization under the communal testimonio rather than autobiography or memoir, as I initially anticipated. What struck me most about this work was its focus on giving voice to the indigenous people in Guatemala who have been silenced, highlighting their struggles and injustices, and inspiring action. In contrast to autobiographies, which are typically concerned with telling a personal story for its own sake, the communal testimonio seeks to raise awareness about social and political issues and provoke change.
The book’s effectiveness in achieving its purpose with the use of distortions and exaggerations of events had a lasting impact on me as a reader, especially in provoking a sense of urgency to act. I also found that the use of extravagant components was incredibly effective in capturing the reader’s attention as well as creating a memorable reading experience, despite the content being repetitive and dry at times. Though unsettling, the dramatic and grotesque events depicted in the book were the main reason that kept me flipping through the pages.
Another intriguing aspect of the book was the repetitiveness of the language. I noticed that several events and rituals were repeated in later chapters, which, for me, created an additional layer of childlike narrative to the testimonio. The monologue-style narrative combined with the repetitiveness and simplicity of the language made it feel as though I was reading a child’s diary. This style has definitely made me keep the questions of the stories’ authenticity behind my mind.
Throughout the book, Menchú reminded the reader that she was holding back secrets. I believe this tactic was employed deliberately to create a connection with the readers on a selective part of her identity while withholding other parts. Unlike most literature, which seeks to bridge the gap between the author and the readers, I, Rigoberta Menchú: An Indian Woman in Guatemala, intentionally keep this gap open, creating a distance between the readers and Menchú. This distance attested to the statement from the lecture: “Her struggle is not ours, and never will be”, which emphasizes that while we can advocate for her activism and learn about her struggles, we will never fully be her community and people.
Question: Does the revelation that some of the stories in the book were fabricated leave you feeling “betrayed” or does it make the reading experience more captivating? How do the distortions and exaggerations of events impact your reading experience?
It is true that this testimony has some features in common with “genres of memory”, such as the diary. However, as you mention, the most interesting thing is the tension established between Menchú’s orality (hence the repetitions) and the marks of the “literary” editor, which creates an even greater distance between those who have produced this discourse and we, the readers. What is the effect of these peculiarities on the literary canon?
“Unlike most literature, which seeks to bridge the gap between the author and the readers, I, Rigoberta Menchú: An Indian Woman in Guatemala, intentionally keep this gap open, creating a distance between the readers and Menchú.”
Yes, this is a good point, and a nice way of putting it. What effect does this have on you (us) as reader?
Hi Shade!
Thank you for your post, I really enjoyed reading it this week. This was my first time reading a testimonio and I found it very eye opening and agree with how you stated it felt like it was more about general awareness as opposed to one persons story. For your question, I do not feel like knowing that some of the stories we read were fabricated made me feel any differently about the reading, due to the fact that I feel like even in autobiographies we aren’t always able to know if what we are reading is all 100% reality. And even though they were fabricated for this reading, it does not mean that events like that never occurred, so overall, learning this fact did not impact my experience with the novel much at all.