Journal #6

Cultural Schizophrenia is a term that has heavily influenced the dialogue within this course. Throughout the novel, Rain God, written by Arturo Islas, we can see that a lot of the characters inhabit some sort of symptoms of cultural schizophrenia. Below are the different ratings of cultural schizophrenia from 1-10:

10- Mama Chona:

Due to her constant anti-indigenous sentiment and clear preference for folks who appear to be euro-centric, Mama Chona appears to inhabit the most cultural schizophrenia within the novel.

A vivid example of this is when she is unaccepting of Felix marrying Angie due to the fact that she was indigenous and not Castilian blooded as she would have preferred. In addition, the fact that she enforces gender roles within her family demonstrates the internalized sexism that she upholds which in turn show that she has a colonized mind based on more than just racial factors, but also the gender aspect within her family as well.

9 – Felix

Felix inhabits a majority of the cultural schizophrenia within the novel because of his deep internalized homophobia. Throughout the story, he displays aspects of a colonized mind by using his position of power as boss of his workplace, to sexually take advantage of male workers. He used his power (thus taking on a role of an oppressor) to sexually exploit undocumented workers who due to their lack of documentation can’t retaliate the overuse of his power. Additionally, the fact that he tries to pass as straight by getting married and having children in a heterosexual relationship displays his internalized homophobia and thus his cultural schizophrenia by trying to maneuver being straight while in reality craving men.

8 – Miguel Grande

Miguel Grande displays signs of cultural schizophrenia because the fact that he cheats on Juanita with her best friend shows sexist tendencies. In doing so, he shows the way in which men are often able to sexually exploit womyn (both Juanita and Lola – playing with womyn’s emotions without caring about the repercussions etc.) and not considering the emotions that come from cheating and being unfaithful. In addition, Miguel Grande shows that he is culturally schizophrenic because although he is a person of color, he still decides to work understand the police department which has a long history of oppressing people of color.

7 – Juanita

This character is culturally schizophrenic because she displays a sense of internalized sexism by being able to commit to a man that was cheated on her with her best friend. The fact that even after she found out about the affair, she was able to go back into the relationship with a man that was physically and emotionally involved with another womyn, shows lack of strength and necessity for a man, even if he isn’t worth the pain.

6 – Lola

Lola displays cultural schizophrenia through her necessity to cater to a man. Firstly, the fact that she is desperate to regain El Compa’s love even when he no longer is able to give it to her shows her internalized sexism.  Secondly, when she finally accepts that El Compa can’t give her the love she so desperately seeks, she decides to get another man that will, even if that means defying the friendships she hold with Juanita (this is a sign of the colonized mind because she blatantly chooses the oppressor – that being Miguel Grande – instead of being faithful to her best friend, Juanita.

5 – Miguel Chico

Miguel Chico displays some sort of cultural schizophrenia through his need to use Education as a means of escaping his socio-economic situation within his family. The fact that he (like most of us) adapts to a western-civilized form of education in order to seek liberation demonstrates his colonized mind. In addition, the fact that he seeks education rather than being connected to his Catholicism (which is a huge indicator for our commitment to our cultura as Mexicanos) shows him renouncing his faith and culture for education, which constitutes being colonized based on assimilation.

4 – Angie

Although Angie is not as culturally schizophrenic  as previously mentioned characters due to her indigenous identity, she does inhabit certain culturally schizophrenic traits due to her colonized mind when it comes to her views on gender roles.  Throughout the novel, she displays characteristics of someone who suffers through internalized sexism, catering to men and longing for men that is big and strong, that being Felix. In addition, the fact that she suffers from having broken English displays a sense of linguistic terrorism.

3 – Lena

Lena slightly holds aspects of cultural schizophrenia. She is one of the few characters that are aware of the intersecting racial identity she holds. Within the novel, she shows her understanding by stating that she mainly interacts with “pocho” groups, which shows her understanding of borders and intermixing of cultures.

2 – JoEL

Being a minor character, it seems he is not very culturally schizophrenic. Through dealing with his father’s death, he is able to care for him even after the accusations that were made against him. Throughout the novel, it is not explicitly stated that Felix ever molested him as well.  An aspect of cultural schizophrenia that he does embody, however, is his linguistic terrorism. His linguistic terrorism is shown mostly when he is able to make fun of his mother, Angie, due to her broken English, which shows a sense of internalized racism.

1 – Nina

Nina possesses cultural schizophrenia through the silence she holds when she is aware that Juanita’s husband is cheating on her with Lola. Although this wasn’t necessarily her duty, it internalized sexism because she is unable to be honest with her sister, and be an ally to her as a mujer, and thus leaving her to side with the oppressor through her silence. (“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor”) Other than that, however, she is a basic character that plays a minor role and therefore is rated at 1 on the cultural schizophrenia rating.