When reading La Gringa, I had very mixed feelings, but overall I enjoyed it. I initially did not like Maria’s character because she came off as too peppy, dismissive, and/or ‘ignorant’. For example, in the start and middle of the play, we see how excited she is being in Puerto Rico and finally connecting back to her roots; where she constantly wants to take photos and is overly happy to talk back to her family in Spanish, and just wanting to visit all the parts of Puerto Rico. Although I do understand the excitement one can have when visiting a new place especially if it is a place where their family grew up, I just feel like her peppiness was a bit too much —but this could also be from the way I read her lines and envisioned her to sound like. Moreover, the scene where Maria was talking to Iris about how difficult it is to find a job in New York too but then proceed to disregard her feelings rubbed me the wrong way.
“IRIS: Don’t you have a job in New York?
MARIA: I’ll quit and look for a job here.
IRIS: Wake up from the dream Maria, I can’t even get a job here. My name’s on every waiting list from here to the San Juan area.
MARIA: I’ll try… we’ll try together… we’ll both look for jobs
IRIS: Great, more competition…” (Rivera 17)
Although I understand that Maria was only trying to find some common ground with Iris and trying to relate to her, this scene made me angry because I felt like Maria was more focused on herself rather than her family. In other words, I feel like Maria understood Iris but tried too hard to relate, so she dismissed her feelings entirely. Also, as Iris mentions, Maria knew how difficult it was to get a job in Puerto Rico but still wanted to move to Puerto Rico, not realizing she was making more competition for other people like Iris.
However, seeing this scene in the live performance changed my entire perception of Maria. Seeing how differently the actress portrayed Maria, made me realize that I was just envisioning her too peppy and ignorant rather than seeing her as someone who just desperately wants to find out how she can fit in both standards of being Puertorriqueña and American. In the live performance, Maria appeared more sympathetic towards Iris and was trying to make a pessimistic scene more optimistic. Also, the peppiness that I envisioned Maria to be was more of her being overly excited but not too extreme. But most importantly, the actress did what I was trying to ignore, which was making Maria seem relatable, especially for first-generation children. I believe that I was too afraid to relate to Maria that I painted an annoying version of her so I wouldn’t be scared that I may come off that way to my cousins who live in Mexico. The scene where Maria is talking to Manolo about how she booked a ticket to go back to New York is what made me see Maria as the way she was intended to be.
“MARIA: So I’m a Puerto Rican tourist in Puerto Rico… All I wanted to do was touch my land, hear the sounds, see the sunset, and be a part of Puerto Rico. It’s not too much to ask for. I’m more confused NOW than when I was in New York. I used to feel Puerto Rican in New York. Now I realize that I am NOBODY wherever I go” (Rivera 54)
When the actress reenacted this part of the play, I had goosebumps because, although reading it did make me feel for Maria, hearing it and seeing it done properly made me see that so many of us have been in that exact position. This was the Maria I had pictured before reading and seeing the play, and when I had only heard the title and small description of the play.
Hi Lesly! I like the image you created for this post a lot. I also had mixed feelings about reading and watching La Gringa. Since I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum when it comes to being an immigrant or having family living away, it caught my attention to read about your reflection on why you were portraying Maria in one way before and in another after watching the live play. I liked the introspection you did, to come to the conclusion that it was because you didn’t want to relate to her, and you were afraid your family in Mexico might see you as Maria.
I think a lot of people born in the U.S with roots from another country have a similar experience and I’m glad that you ended up having your expectations of the play met.
Hi Lesly,
I enjoyed reading your response because I also had the same conflicted views as Maria. To me, when I read it she seemed to have a sense of entitlement and shows traits of narcissistic behaviors. I agree with how Maria invalidated Iris’s feelings about getting a job and made it more of a focus on herself. It was annoying to read it because I feel like people from the U.S. think that life is easy. Most people say this because all the opportunities and resources were given to them and there really was no effort put in to obtain them.
Hi Lesly!
Wow, your post really felt like looking into a mirror for me. I have also experienced both sides of La Gringa, but with New York City. I am born and raised here, and I take pride in where I am from. However, there are still places that I am not familiar with and I still like to enjoy the tourist-y areas of New York. I like to take pictures of the tall buildings and get lost in the feeling of the city. Like Maria, it feels like I am a tourist in my own land. However, on the opposite side, I also have very negative feelings for gentrifiers. When I see young people come from different states and countries with Daddy’s credit card and move into the luxury high rise buildings that forced low income people out of their own neighborhood, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. All I want to do is tell them to leave and go back to where they came from, much like Maria’s family. With their $5,000/mo rent and weekly trips to Whole Foods, I used to seethe at just their mere existence as they occupy spaces that were not meant for them. But then I realized, that is exactly what New York City is. It’s a melting pot full of all kinds of people. The diversity is what makes this city so amazing, and we must learn to accept the new generation of New Yorkers as our own, because we all come from somewhere, and we’re all just trying to fit in. There is always space for more, and instead of trying to divide eachother, we should accept eachother and come together.