Mexican Gothic

Catalina gives Noemí a letter from Ruth’s diary, and though Noemí knows that something strange is happening in the house, she can’t prove anything. Noemí knows that physicians used to diagnose women with any type of mental disorder or discordant behavior with the umbrella term “female hysteria,” and she’s actively working against that stereotype. If Noemí wrote her father and told him that she was having visions and seeing ghosts, he would likely think her hysterical—or “melodramatic,” as he called Catalina in the novel’s first chapter. Indeed, the issue of believing women has been a preoccupation of this novel from the beginning. Noemí sees herself, Ruth, and Catalina as a trio of women who’ve experienced abuse, but their stories seem ludicrous. At this point in time men hold all the power in society, so if Noemí appeals for help it must be to a man—and she fears that any man would find her hysterical. Thus, Noemí searches for a logical explanation of the things that she’s experiencing, and this search nearly ends up getting her killed. While the novel does not argue that men should believe the literal interpretation of every woman’s claim, it does make the point that simply dismissing women’s seemingly unbelievable claims can result in them being placed in a position of even greater danger.

As Noemí prepares for her escape, she enters the gloom and asks Ruth for advice about how to defeat Howard. The dream ends with Ruth tearing herself apart on the floor, but this time Noemí is able to wake herself from the dream by using Ruth’s mantra (previously she’s had to rely on Ruth’s voice to awaken from her nightmares). Ruth has served as a model of feminine resistance for almost the whole novel—her prior battle with Howard established her as a woman who fought against the patriarchy. This passage is a moment of elevation for Noemí; before this she had to rely on Ruth’s help, but now she’s ready to take the fight to Howard herself. This is demonstrated by the internalization of Ruth’s often repeated mantra: “open your eyes.” The mantra is a call to action—a signal to both literally wake up from a nightmare and to metaphorically “wake up” to the violence and prejudice that dominate life at High Place. 

Catalina gives Noemí a letter from Ruth’s diary, and though Noemí knows that something strange is happening in the house, she can’t prove anything. Noemí knows that physicians used to diagnose women with any type of mental disorder or discordant behavior with the umbrella term “female hysteria,” and she’s actively working against that stereotype. If Noemí wrote her father and told him that she was having visions and seeing ghosts, he would likely think her hysterical—or “melodramatic,” as he called Catalina in the novel’s first chapter. Indeed, the issue of believing women has been a preoccupation of this novel from the beginning. Noemí sees herself, Ruth, and Catalina as a trio of women who’ve experienced abuse, but their stories seem ludicrous. At this point in time men hold all the power in society, so if Noemí appeals for help it must be to a man—and she fears that any man would find her hysterical. Thus, Noemí searches for a logical explanation of the things that she’s experiencing, and this search nearly ends up getting her killed. While the novel does not argue that men should believe the literal interpretation of every woman’s claim, it does make the point that simply dismissing women’s seemingly unbelievable claims can result in them being placed in a position of even greater danger.

As Noemí prepares for her escape, she enters the gloom and asks Ruth for advice about how to defeat Howard. The dream ends with Ruth tearing herself apart on the floor, but this time Noemí is able to wake herself from the dream by using Ruth’s mantra (previously she’s had to rely on Ruth’s voice to awaken from her nightmares). Ruth has served as a model of feminine resistance for almost the whole novel—her prior battle with Howard established her as a woman who fought against the patriarchy. This passage is a moment of elevation for Noemí; before this she had to rely on Ruth’s help, but now she’s ready to take the fight to Howard herself. This is demonstrated by the internalization of Ruth’s often repeated mantra: “open your eyes.” The mantra is a call to action—a signal to both literally wake up from a nightmare and to metaphorically “wake up” to the violence and prejudice that dominate life at High Place.