Without Means to an End
I found that "Cooking Lesson" by Rosario Castellanos demonstrated the dual wielding consciousness of the woman of her internal wants and what people expect from her. The main character in this poem is a married woman preparing a meal for when her husband returns. In between her fumbles at culinary prowess, she reminisces on stages of her marriage. The memories of her marital strife mirror the feeble attempt of preparing her dinner. Her flower metaphors congeal cohesively to convey that the suffocating role of women as wives permeates every aspect of their lives, especially ones expected of traditional housewives. The craft of cooking is a cultural practice that requires discipline, attention, and time. The main character with her fantasies playing out of actions she wishes she could take as well as the fear surrounding being a failing wife distracts her from her meal just as it distracts her from her loss of autonomy. It makes sense that Rosario Castellanos would feel foreig...