The Role of Antojo and Santo
In the book, "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents", author Julia Alvarez makes many references to the words, antojo and santos. The dictionary meaning of antojo is "whim, caprice" and santo is "saint, holy. However, through the usage in the novel, the words take on a new meaning and interpretation. "A person has an antojo when they are taken over by un santo who wants something" (Alvarez 8). Antojo refers to an inner craving, and santo implies the inner soul or spirit of a person. This is also the role that santos plays for the antojo. Therefore, Alvarez brings together santo and antojo to symbolize the "cravings of the inner soul". It is no irony that Alvarez conveys the two words in her novel. She uses the words to reflect herself also. The importances of these concepts, in respect to the author's own personal life, is the antojo of her native country, the Dominican Republic. In the article, "Julia Alvarez on the Dominican Republic", Julia states that what she misses the most is "...the warmth of the tropics" and "...being part of a tribe" (Study Notes 8). For that reaso
When the girls and their parents flee from the country, Chucha is left alone with the other servants She says ". Therefore, their many years of living in the United States has shaped their identity, so they can only return to their homeland as outsidersIn conclusion, santo and antojo play a great role in the understanding of this novel. In the chapter entitled, "Antojos", Yolanda's aunt asks her what her antojo is for the rest of the time she is spending at home. The santos as, she interprets, are the saints, the holy people, the inner peace of one's soul. Used through out the novel, there is a broad meaning for the words. the endless tropical rhythm and musicality gets into my English and therefore influences the way I write my sentences" (Study Notes 8). This comes a shock to her women relatives, because it is not usual for women to travel alone. In regards to how the Garcia girls had lost their accents, all of their antojos in their santo is to return back to their home country and sense the feeling of belonging. in which I can hear the voices of my santos settling into the rooms.
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