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Water Under the Bridge Tony Corbell period 2 Throughout the stories Cesar Burgos by Sandra Benitez and

Woman Hollering Creek by Sandra Cisneros, marriage is looked at in two opposite ways. The way marriage is looked at in Sandra Benitez's story is that marriage was something of sacred value, While in Sandra Cisneros' story the idea of marriage is strictly reserved for the female taking care of the her duties. These two stories contrast the status and role of the female with the idea of marriage. Both protagonist have their own way of dealing with the conflicts within the story. Both ways deal with watching the water and how the water make the main characters feel. In the story, Cesar Burgos Cesar is in mourning over the loss of his wife and two so ns. He has to take control of his life and explore the new role of caretaker for this one son that he has left, while also being the provider of his family. Cesar must play the role of the man in the house, while also being the one who cleans and cooks in the house too. Since the accident he had not allowed himself to weep, for a man must be strong.(Cesar 93) He had take the male role at this point. His realization that the females role isn't easy comes when he lets himself cry in front of his son. ...I can't seem to make things right, he said. I've tried to be a mother to you and a father too, but I have failed. (Cesar 93) Cesar used the water as place where he could be himself and just relax. The water is a place for him to breakdown. Later in the story Beto, the son finally admits that he feels like he's the reason his mother and brothers died. ...But I was wrong to say no, Mama. If I had gone, I would have saved my brothers.. (Beto 100) After realization that he blamed himself. Cesar took over th e female parents role to comfort and talk to Beto. It wasn't Beto's fault, nobody was at fault. Thi ngs happen for a reason. In the story Woman Hollering Creek Cleofilas always believed that her marriage would be like the television show that she'd watch. When she was married she was remind that it's not reality by a husband that was abusive and his friends talking about them killing their own wives. Within this story

marriage is more like a duty than in the paralleled story. Because to suffer for love is good. The pain is all sweet somehow in the end. (Cleofilas 45) She believes that the abuse is part of a healthy relationship, when that is the polar opposite. Cleofilas has only been influenced through the television thus she doesn't know any better than her own naivety. She uses the sea water as a symbol of the truth. Cleofilas concludes each nightly trying to find the truth lying at the bottom of a bottle like a gold doubloon on the sea floor. She still plays the female role in the marriage, but isn't praised for doing everything around the house that needs to be done. The story shows how the men are very controlling of their wives. ...Because the towns here are built so you have to depend on your husband. (Cleofilas 51) The women who are married don't even have a choice on anything they don't feel that they have a choice on whether to stay or leave. These two stories do a good job of displaying two different types of marriages in different households and in different settings. Though, both of them may contain the symbolism of marriage they both have different views on the way marriage will turn out and how it should be interpreted. In Cesar Burgos its shown as a sacred belief and respect to the female. While in the story, A Woman Hollering Creek it displays a husband who grew up with a bad home life and takes it out on his wife, who is too naive to know any better.

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