Woman Hollering Creek/ Llorona

This story left me wondering about so many things that I had to take some extra time to check them out. The first thing, I was completely lost when it came to the translation of many of the Spanish words used. Secondly I found myself dwelling on the mention of Llorona, which was a legend about a woman who was extremely beautiful and vain. She married a handsome, wealthy man and had two children. Life was good for Maria until her husband returned to the wild ways of being a ranchero. He would be gone for months and only return to see his children. To make a story short Maria became envious of her children for the love of their father and cast them into the river. Realizing what she had done she raced downstream to catch them but they were already gone. The villagers found Maria the next day by the bank of the river. It is said that you can still hear her crying and to this day "Where are my children"? The children are warned not to go out at night and to stay away from the river bank, in fear that she will take them and they will never return. I just thought I would share that since I found it to be extremely interesting. So back to the original story; it is full of symbolism. The names for instance are underlying meanings, Dolores meaning sorrowful, and Soledad meaning solidarity or alone. It was amazing how this author told this story almost to the point where I questioned if it was a piece from her own life. The loneliness and despair, although hidden, seem to come to life. If you have ever known anyone in a similar situation you can definitely relate to her feelings. It just leaves you hanging wondering what will happen to her.. I absolutely loved it!

Betty

Reading "The best of Betty" to me was intriguing. A woman perhaps in her later years, bitter and unwavering. Dedicated to solving or ,at least offering assistance, in solving everyone else's problems. It was interesting to note the replies that she wrote to these women. It seemed as though she had done it for years and was basically sick of dealing with every one's day to day complaints. I think in some way she related her own day to day complaints and ailments to theirs. I think all in all, the advice she gave was nothing more than her thoughts and her possible results of experience. I think she uses this column as an escape from her own life, she writes to herself and even goes as far to insult herself on paper. I think she is crazy. It isn't until the ending of the column that she in turn, starts to realize that she is lonely, in despair, and in need of a change. Looking forward I think that Betty just needs some compassion and understanding. As do us all.