The action of La Llorona to murder her children and seek vengeance from her husband is a complete denial and rebellion against her prescribed gender role. The structure of Mexican society allows men availability to many women without the loss of dignity, whereas the women are expected to be loyal to their husbands under any and all circumstances. As a beautiful woman in Mexico, where the ideal mother is symbolized by La Virgen de Guadalupe, the woman who becomes La Llorona was expected to be passive about her husband’s infidelity. La Llorona’s feminine identity is heavily defined by her transgressive actions within the context of motherhood and a patriarchal societal structure. However, out of the patriarchal point of view that women are defined by motherhood, women continue to find and create a voice that speaks to their agency and that subverts the narrative of La Llorona into a heroic one instead of only victimization.
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The Curse of La Llorona is a film that does not challenge this dichotomy. Orquidea Morales highlights that the dichotomy of “virgin versus whore” is perpetuated by images of La Llorona against images of La Virgen de Guadalupe, however, she also asserts that film representation has the power to challenge or perpetuate the dichotomy. Hence, a patriarchal understanding of how motherhood defines women is imbued in the film. Within the context of abortion, the mother who loses her children but then repents and helps other children to survive is redeemable, while La Llorona as a mother who continues to take other children is not redeemable.
#THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA FREE HOW TO#
Patricia has a conscience about how to navigate her painful situation, in contrast to La Llorona as monster who does not. The ambivalence between her becoming and not becoming a Llorona figure is further emphasized by her return to Anna’s house to try to protect her children in an act of regret. Out of the pain of having lost her own children due to the actions of a white woman, Patricia seeks vengeance in the form of taking other children. The moment of ambivalence where it seems that Patricia might turn into a Llorona figure is when she asks La Llorona to take Anna’s children. The involvement of the state and white authority figures is a betrayal of the supposed safety of ethnic communities. Similarly, Patricia and other women of color who report domestic violence or child abuse in their own homes are often seen as traitors because they do not deal with their matters privately. La Malinche is demonized as the Traitor of Mexico because she was resourceful with what she had and was under the influence of Hernan Cortes.
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Patricia’s situation is reminiscent of La Malinche because they are both caught up in relationships with the authorities of their state and are using the small powers available to them to navigate and survive their situations.
![the curse of la llorona free the curse of la llorona free](https://images.wallpapersden.com/image/download/the-curse-of-la-llorona-movie-minimal-art_a2huZmWUmZqaraWkpJRsZ2WtZmdtZQ.jpg)
Patricia knows that Social Services and Anna, as a white woman, cannot understand her within her own cultural context so she retreats from government help and instead turns to religious tools to help protect her children from La Llorona. They represent the marginal and vulnerable family who is under the subjugation of the state as well as to white conventions. In the beginning of the film, Patricia and her two sons are introduced as having a long relationship with their social worker and Child Protective Services, meaning that they have needed help and government assistance for at least, that long.
![the curse of la llorona free the curse of la llorona free](https://i1.wp.com/freemoviezhd.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Screenshot_20190528-135932_1559048402348.jpg)
Patricia represents elements of La Malinche and a becoming of La Llorona through her desperation and subjugation. The following is the second installment of a three-part series.