Reframing Latin America: A Cultural Theory Reading ... - BGSU Blogs

264 reframing latin america
figure 14.7 René stands over María/Betty after discovering her with the North
American in Soy Cuba
While René’s secrecy contributes to the progress of the revolution, María’s
undermines it.
Once María is inside her one-room shack, her innocence is further debunked
as she takes off her crucifi x necklace. The spectator is made to
despise the expressionless North American tourist who attempts to put it
back over María’s neck and then ignores her suffering as she throws it to
the ground and begins to cry, demonstrating her physical anguish over what
she is about to do. In this way the fi lm gives the viewer mixed messages.
It clearly wants us to hold the North American accountable and to sympathize
with María, yet it has already placed part of the burden of blame on her
for feigning innocence in her deception of our hero, René.
Cut to the next morning. While María lies sleeping in a martyred position
(each arm outstretched as if in a crucifi xion), the North American
tourist is dressed and, in symbolic explanation of what happened during the
night, is eating the tangerine that was a fi gurative gift of love from René
the day before. He awakens María and then ignores her refusal to sell him
her crucifi x, one of her only valuables, by simply laying extra money on the
bed. As the tourist starts to leave, René enters the shack singing happily and
carrying a stalk of bananas, which he lies down in symbolic phallic defeat
when he sees María in bed and then attempts to cover her naked body with
the white bed linens.