The movie, I, the Worst of All, was an interesting movie. As we were watching, I felt that I saw many more windows than mirrors. Part of that is because I come from a non-denominational church background whereas most of the traditions found in that movie are found in the Catholic Church. But, even beyond that, the struggle that women had then is foreign to me. Yes, I have heard about such oppression. However, I have not experienced it in the way Sor Juana did. She was told that women should not have the knowledge she did and that there was only one path in her life: to become a nun. Now, I have absolutely nothing wrong with people choosing to become a nun. However, I question the thought that it is the only way to be a servant of God. But that is a whole different discussion. But, I have not experienced most of the oppression that Sor Juana did. I am not a writer. However, if I were, I would not be ridiculed for writing as a woman. The constant desire to hold in her thoughts and knowledge seems unfair. That draws me to the interest of why people thought women should not think, have opinions, or learn. Why? Why are women superior to men? I do believe that there are some things that usually one gender can do better than the other. There are always exceptions to this but generally, I find this to be true (I might be sheltered but who knows). However, how would we be able to live if only one gender existed? Once again, I seem to be getting lost on a tangent…
Sor Juana’s life journey throughout the movie seems to be sad. I understand humbling yourself before the Lord. I believe that all of our gifts should be used to glorify God. However, I also think that critiquing other beliefs is how we actually form our own. It is how we learn about out relationship with God, not just believe things we are told. Human nature questions the unknown. So, usually, people have to discover things for themselves to actually believe them. I have found this idea to be true in my life so I find it interesting to see how it was criticized in Sor Juana’s life. The lifestyle seems to be very hierarchical, minimizing the life of individuals.
The end of the movie also makes me wonder how she lived throughout the rest of her life. Did she ever go back to her literature? Did she stay in the convent for the rest of her life? Did she follow her confessor for her life? The movie provided me with a lot of curiosity and questions about the lifestyle, especially in regards to the ritualistic aspects. But that will be saved for another day.
I, too, experienced more windows than mirrors while watching this movie. Even though I am a woman, I have never experienced the obvious struggle and prejudices that Sor Juana faced just because she wanted to spend her life learning.
ReplyDeleteThe role of the Catholic faith in the film was another eye-opening aspect for me. Even though I know the church then is not what it is now, there are many parts of Catholicism that are new to me. Every year there are four different denominational churches in my community that hold Lenten services on Wednesday evenings together, each week in a different church. The four include the Methodist church, the Catholic church, the Mennonite church, and the Brethren church. Because this is about the only experience I have had with Catholicism, I have never been exposed to the rigorous lifestyles that nuns and monks have to live. During this class, then, I have not only been exposed to new learnings about the Spanish language, but to aspects of a foreign religion as well.
Krista, you make an important point that it is by exploring and critiquing other beliefs that we come to know our own. So, was there anything in this movie that was a window for you? What beliefs of yours might you have come to know better through this "window" into a life of a learned, talented woman in 17th century New Spain?
ReplyDeleteIf you find yourself drifting off on a tangent while writing a post about a movie or a book, find an image or scene to focus on. Sometimes many ideas will come together in one scene and you can suddenly see how when you begin to describe and unpack the scene that stays in your memory.