“She abandons herself to the pulling sensation, to the delicious feeling of fingers that don’t want to break anything of hers, that want to leave her hair beautiful and radiant for the west wind to play with and make her a woman.” (Santos-Febres, 6).
This passage from Mayra Santos-Febres short story “Broken Strands” evokes several of the major themes within the story. I was struck by the image of “fingers that don’t want to break anything of hers” (6) which allude to the epidemic of broken noses of women in Trastalleres. This depiction of pain (“pulling sensation” (6)) seems to be a pleasurable pain, because the outcome allows Yetsaida to conform and uphold idealized White and western standards of beauty she so desperately craves. This is illustrated by the “west wind” (6) that will play with [her hair] and make her a woman” (6). Ironically, continued use of heat treatments like straightening often cause permanent damage, or breakage, to hair, leading the hair’s owner to eventually have to cut it short, and begin growing it out again. The beautiful, straight hair she craves is actually the broken hair, and her natural hair is the unblemished, perfect one. This is confirmed to the reader on page 5, with Miss Kety saying “Oh, these roots, girl. Your hair’s gonna break right off. Look at all these broken strands.” The broken noses are evidence of physical abuse against the women, just as the broken hair a sign of abuse, too. However, beyond the physical damage to each strand of hair, the broken strands signify the internalized racism and struggle to conform to western beauty standards that the women of Puerto Rico experience. This dichotomy of physical pain versus emotional pain is visible on the faces and heads of each woman who has experienced abuse.
Hey Danielle! I really like the passage you chose for this analysis. I also agree that it encompasses a lot of themes present in this text. It’s interesting to me just how convinced Yetsaida is of these hair products and her need to straighten her hair. It’s so ingrained in her and other women from a very young age that she must straighten her hair and they trust Miss Kety to take care of them. This is also demonstrated when the hairdresser reveals a new way of straightening their hair that according to her is less damaging and lasts longer. Unfortunately, the problems that arise with hair straightening are not solved by stopping the treatments, but rather by creating new technologies that will hopefully get the results these women want.
Hi Danielle! I also really enjoyed your choice of passage; there is so much meaning within those sentences and I didn’t immediately take note of this passage. The use of “west wind” is very interesting to me. Not only does the wind reference the west’s influence on beauty but it also references the Breck advertisements as well. For Yetsaida, the goal is to have flowing hair that blows in the wind, an image that she sees on screens and in ads. I also enjoyed your analysis of the use of “break” and “broken.” The author is able to subliminally communicate her message through word choice.
Hello Danielle! I found your blog quite interesting. The idea that Yetsaida is so convinced that she must conform to the western idea of beauty. I like your comment on how broken strands is just as much of a sign of abuse to the person’s hair as broken noses are a sign of abuse to the girl. The continued use of heat-based hair products can indeed abuse a person’s hair strands.