Surviving El Chuco
Stories tell of strong women in a town you just might recognize
Not since Estella Portillo Trambley's classic "Rain of Scorpions" has
El Paso been so honestly and bitingly depicted as it is in Christine
Granados' debut collection of short stories, "Brides and Sinners in El
Chuco" (University of Arizona Press, $14.95 paperback).
The
protagonists of Granados' 14 narratives are mostly women, usually
adolescent or in their 20s, who are struggling "to get on with life" in
the harsh and unforgiving borderlands. The gesture that most
illustrates this is in the story "A Scenic Night": Girlfriends Sandra
and Yvette sit in a car, laughing their troubles away as they "stamped
their feet on the windshield. They stopped when they heard a crack.
After inspecting the glass for damage, they giggled some more."
Similarly,
the rest of the women in this community must remain unflappable, even
when they are hurt. That pain is sometimes emotional, but going against
the convention of the internal woman, Granados writes stories about
women fighting back or becoming agents of their own fates and
vulnerabilities.
One example is Nancy, in "Man of the House."
Nancy has adapted to her mother's string of lovers so well that she
sleeps soundly with the door locked, knowing that if the current guest
has "any thoughts of midnight wandering, like some of the others, he'd
have to break the door down." And when the latest relationship goes
sour, Nancy, though she likes this boyfriend, must be a dutiful
daughter and avenge her mother by throwing eggs at his car.
Noelia
in "Inner View" makes a similar choice between familial loyalty and the
world outside when her family accompanies her to a job interview. As
her prospective employer offends her repeatedly with his ignorance of
El Paso life, her family sweats and argues as they wait for her in the
old blue Chevy outside. She stumbles through initial shame and
humiliation as a necessary path to redemption, in this case,
deliberately mistranslating a message for the boss.
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But dangers also thrive within the inner circle: the story "Enough"
tells the heartbreaking tale of a young woman living with an abusive
mother. And to demonstrate how the family is not always on the spotless
side of morality, "Small Time" presents a humorous portrait of a family
of con artists, and "Pecado" highlights the hypocrisy of the
self-righteous family elders.
Three
of the stories showcase a rambunctious tomboy named Jenny, who must
contend with three brothers. Perhaps a symbol of the strength and
endurance found in all the grown-up females, Jenny learns to toughen up
and defend herself by never backing out of a challenge, even when she
knows she won't win.
"Brides and Sinners in El Chuco" is not a
study of victimization but of survival and how women change and shape
perspectives at the intersections of class, gender and culture. And
because of Granados' surprising characterizations and unexpected plot
lines, these stories become as unforgettable and unique as they are
poignant.
Rigoberto González is an award-winning writer and
associate professor of English and Latino Studies at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His Web site is at www.rigobertogonzalez.com, and he may be reached at Rigoberto70@aol.com
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Meet the author
Author Christine Granados plans several readings and book signings in El Paso and Las Cruces. Among them:
2 p.m. Saturday at the West Side Barnes & Noble, 705 Sunland Park. 581-5353.
2-4 p.m. April 15 at The Bookery, 10167 Socorro Road.
Noon April 18 at the Spring Arts Festival, El Paso Community College, Valle Verde Campus.
She
also plans a BorderSenses benefit reading April 20 and will participate
in the Border Book Festival April 21-23 in Mesilla. She will read and
discuss her work April 30 with a writing class at New Mexico State
University.
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