Female Characters and Social Dynamics in Postwar Spain

Andrea’s Unique Character in Carmen Martín Gaite’s Novel

Andrea stands in stark contrast to the typical female characters found in romantic fiction. She embodies independence, freedom, and a desire to forge her own path, both professionally and romantically. She represents a nascent feminist perspective.

Román’s Allure and Complexity

Román’s appeal lies in his enigmatic nature. He is a Don Juan figure, a bohemian artist, adventurous and misunderstood. This unconventional persona, deviating from the traditional, religious, and formal man of the era, makes him attractive.

Generational Rebellion: Andrea vs. Ena

Andrea rebels against her aunt Angustias, rejecting the submissive female model who aspires only to be a good wife and mother. She yearns for greater freedom. Ena, while enjoying more freedom than Andrea, feels alienated from her parents due to a generational gap. Ena’s parents represent the typical bourgeois family, while she seeks a less monotonous life.

The Crucial Conversation: Ena’s Mother and Andrea

Ena’s mother has chosen to dedicate herself entirely to her children, forgoing romantic love. She sees her husband primarily as the father of her children. She represents a woman conforming to societal expectations, seeking happiness within those constraints, but ultimately lacking fulfillment. This self-sacrifice deeply impacts Andrea.

Social Sectors Represented in the Novel

Ena’s family epitomizes the bourgeoisie. Andrea’s friends, while also part of that social sector, embrace a more bohemian lifestyle, less concerned with the social issues of the time.

Three Models of Women and Their Contradictions

The novel presents three distinct female models:

• Traditional Devout Woman: Angustias and the Grandmother.
• “Liberated” Woman: Gloria.
• Modern Bourgeois Woman: Ena and Ena’s Mother.

Contradictions:

• Angustias struggles with an affair, conflicting with her Catholic morality.
• Gloria, despite her liberal stance, endures abuse without rebelling, a contradiction to her “liberated” image.
• Ena’s mother, a modern bourgeois woman, is unhappy with her conventional marriage, yearning for romantic love but unwilling to abandon her bourgeois life.

Dual Perspectives: The Use of First-Person Narrative

While the novel primarily uses a first-person narrative from Andrea’s perspective, the Chino neighborhood episode is presented from two viewpoints: Andrea’s (pp. 166-169) and Gloria’s (pp. 229-231).

Catalan Words and Phrases in the Text

The inclusion of Catalan words adds realism, reflecting the speech patterns of the time. Some words used by the narrator are “camalics” (p.14), “mosaic” (p. 15), “sausage” (p. 124), and “drapaire” (p. 227). Characters use words like “Poblet” (p. 169), “noi” (p.179), and “nen” (p.231).