Real Women Have Curves Analysis

The play Real Women Have Curves by Josephina Lopez, and the film by director Patricia Cardoso, portray Mexican culture differently but both manage to perpetuate stereotypes. They do this by showing how Mexicans can be very family oriented, are paranoid immigrants, and put work before schooling. These factors shown by the play and film are crucial because they help the audience fabricate stereotypes about Mexican culture. The play and film do a great job in distributing the idea that Mexicans are paranoid immigrants based on the exaggeration of reaction from the characters. In the play it is evident that the characters are terrified because in a conversation by some characters it states,
[“CARMEN I saw a van!
ROSALI What van?
CARMEN ¡La migra!
Women are foreseen as very supportive and in the play one offers to help another financially. This determines that women are always there for each other and support one another without thinking twice. Even though it is evident by the type of job they have, that they do not have money, these women do not hesitate to help. This right here is the kind of vision people use to make stereotypes that women in Mexican culture are very supportive however, in the film some scenes might confuse the reader because it is shown that men are more supportive than women. Patricia Cardosa uses men as the supporter in the film to show that not all women are supportive and that men can be as supportive as women. In the film, Ana’s tetchier played a big role in her life because he is the one that supported her and even encouraged her to apply and attend college. Her teacher talked to Ana’s parents to convince them that she should attain a higher education. Also Ana’s father is the one that wants her to attend college and he even takes her to the airport. Her grandfather though he was present in most of the film supported Ana when she had a boyfriend. He helped Ana go on dates with Jimmy, her boyfriend so that her parents will not notice. The play and film contradict each other because one shows how women are supportive and the other shows that men are actually supportive. Either way, both the play and the film help with the creation of stereotypes
In the film there are scenes where Carmen, Ana’s mother treats her very harsh and hinders her from attending college. Carmen exaggerates based on her actions like when she did not say goodbye to Ana when she was leaving for college. This can be interpreted by thinking that it is hard fro parents to let their children go but its not always true. In the film the fact that the mom does not let her go might just be because Ana and her mother are not very close and do not have that mother daughter love and bond and the financial situation they are in. The fact that Ana did not mind that her college was on the other side of the nation, signifies that she is not very close to her family because she is willing to go far and does not hesitate by the fact that she will be away from home and her