It's aQuestion ofFaith: Discourses of Fundamentalism ... - JAC Online
It's aQuestion ofFaith: Discourses of Fundamentalism ... - JAC Online
It's aQuestion ofFaith: Discourses of Fundamentalism ... - JAC Online
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342]AC<br />
I first read Luke's paper as indicative <strong>of</strong> his failure to critically read and<br />
understand the poem. His statement that "the first girl" (Teresa)chose to wear<br />
makeup asameans<strong>of</strong>fittinginwith whiteculturerepresentswhatIconsideredsuch<br />
amisreading. BecauseI selectedthis poem asrepresentative<strong>of</strong>the conflictspeople<br />
facein assimilatingversusmaintainingculturalways<strong>of</strong>knowing-with the narrator<br />
reflectingupon the lossshefeelsandrespectingTeresa'sdecisionnotto assimilate<br />
Luke's readingseemed,to me,especiallyproblematic. Byfocusingon the positive<br />
narrative <strong>of</strong> the American dream-a minority's successwithin a "prejudice (sic)<br />
world" isviewedas"anexample<strong>of</strong>what hardwork anddetermination cando" for<br />
the individual and "her people"-Luke's responseignoresplacesin the poem that<br />
complicate his reading, such asthe conclusion in which the narrator callsTeresa<br />
"sister" and the factthat the poem iswritten in both English and Spanish. In rereadingLuke's<br />
paperinlight<strong>of</strong>hisfirstresponsepaperandthe other textshewrote,<br />
however,Irealizedtheextentto whichLuke'sresponseto "ParaTeresa"wassimilarly<br />
shaped/ produced through hisfundamentalistinterpretiveframe. Indeed,one can<br />
readLuke'spaperasacommentaryon hisroleinthisparticularclass,inwhichhefeels<br />
he must passively(andactively)resistasareligiousbelieverto coursegoals.<br />
Primaryto Luke'sreadingisthenotion<strong>of</strong>howthenarrator's"passiveresistance"<br />
enablesher to succeedinwaysthat Teresadoesnot. Becausethe narrator refusesto<br />
"changeherownways,"Lukeargues,shetakesa"moresubtlepath<strong>of</strong>resistance"that<br />
makesher successful.In comparison,LukereadsTeresa'sactions<strong>of</strong>dyeingherhair<br />
andwearingmakeupasactively"acceptingthe culture<strong>of</strong>the whitepeople,"actions<br />
which he negatively characterizes as"denying the fatethat wasinevitable." The<br />
dichotomythatLukesetsupbetweenTeresaandthenarrator,both<strong>of</strong>whom have"the<br />
samegoalinmind"readslikeamoralityplay.Teresaistheloudandarrogantgirlwho<br />
adopts superficialappearancesto gain"the security<strong>of</strong>beingawhite person"while<br />
the narrator rejectsthe easyway out andrelieson her own initiative. Eventhough<br />
others viewthe narrator ashavingaccepteddefeat,Lukesuggeststhat sheismerely<br />
bidingher time as"the bestwayto achievevictory." Lukeneversayswhat Teresa's<br />
inevitablefateentails,but it's clearthat shedoesnot succeedasthe narrator does.<br />
Ultimatelythispassiveresistancemakesthenarrator ahero, anexampie<strong>of</strong>what<br />
"all <strong>of</strong> her people could do." The relationship between passiveresistance and<br />
achievingheroinestatusisespeciallyintriguinggivenLuke'sstatement,"Aswith all<br />
heroesthey seemto fallundercriticismforthechoicesthey make."Lukedoesnot say<br />
who iscriticizingthe narrator's choicesor what thesecriticismsentail,nor doeshe<br />
saywho considersher actionsheroic. Her family?Whiteculture? Herpeople? But<br />
Luke's seeminglyvaguereadingmakesperfectsensein light<strong>of</strong> hisfundamentalist<br />
discourse. Within afundamentalist framework, those who resistthe easypathmaterialistandsecularinfluences-are<br />
ultimatelyrewardedthroughsalvation.Those<br />
who takethetougherpath andrefuseto changetheirbeliefsbecomeChristianheroes<br />
who,whileunappreciatedbythesecularworld,arerewardedwitheternalredemption.<br />
Thus, the narrator's choiceto take "thepath that seemedimpossible"isrewardedin<br />
theendandherlifebecomesaninspirationforotherst<strong>of</strong>ollow.ForLuke,valueresides<br />
in individualsalvation,not community identification.The issue<strong>of</strong>culturalidentity
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