Woman Hollering Creek

Woman Hollering Creek

"Woman Hollering Creek" is the title story of a book of short stories written by Sandra Cisneros in 1991. Each story in the book deals with women's dreams, aspiration, disappointment and realities. Some stories deal with these issues when the women are young girls, some when they are adolescent and some as adults. The main character in "Woman Hollering Creek" is a young bride that quickly learns that what she has seen on TV and read in magazines is not the reality of her situation.

The main character is named Cleofilas Enriqueta DeLeon Hernandez. She is about to be married to Juan Pedro Martinez Sanchez. A man who came into Mexico from a town called Sequin, Texas. From "en al otro lado, the other side" (Cisneros) She was caught up the business of getting married that she barely heard her father tell her "I am your father. I will never abandon you." She remembered him saying this to her after she became a mother as was often alone at home with her son. She thought that the love of between a man and woman can dissolve, but the love between a parent and child is binding. (Cisneros)

As a young bride she quickly came to realize that her marriage was not that of the telenovelas that her and her girlfriends watched religiously. Her marriage didn't have the passion she craved as a young girl and that her husband was not the dashing man of her dreams.

She was speechless the first time he hit her. It appeared that she may have been in shock that a man who was supposed to love and protect her would hurt her in this manner. She also came to realize that her husband would not come home some nights. That he was keeping company with other women. She was alone and very lonely.

She was embarrassed to tell her family in Mexico about her circumstances for fear that they would not understand or be ashamed of her. She was also fearful of the gossips back home and what they would think of her if she were to go back to daddy.

Cleofilas befriended her neighbors Dolores and Soledad. I find that the author used these names to enhance what Cleofilas was feeling. Dolores and Soledad are pain and loneliness in Spanish. Both of these women have suffered because of the men in their lives. They looked out for her. Soledad would let here watch the telenovelas from time to time.

Cheofilas had to depend on Juan Pedro for everything; money to eat and to keep up the house. She had to depend on him for rides to the store or doctor. He would complain to her if she asked him to do something in the house that it should be enough that he works hard to bring home the money to pay for the house.

The creek that ran behind their house was known as Woman Hollering Creek. She had asked around if anyone knew why such a pretty creek would be called such a silly name. She often wonders if the name had any connection to the story of La Llorna. La Llona is a story told throughout Mexico and the southwest of a beautiful woman named Maria. Maria married a dashing young rancher and had two children. A few years after they were married,