Cumanda Ending

I was actually fairly surprised by the novel's end. Throughout the book things were predictable for the most part. When it came down to the realization that Cumanda was Julia, ever since Julia was mentioned in passing, the idea was placed into my mind. The ending was surprising since it kept the family fragmented. I had figured that even if Cumanda was Julia and the love affair with Carlos became an incestuous one the lack of a female figure in the family would be made up by the reappearance of Julia.

The ending puzzled me in that the death of Cumanda seemed to suggest that the Indigenous people and Spanish settlers could not coexist. Since Cumanda was of white decent but raised as a native she was a bridge of sorts between the two cultures.

Another way in which traditional fixed roles seemed to be blurred in respect to Cumanda is how in 3 different cases Carlos was saved by her. Carlos is also a blend of roles. He not only encompasses female and male traits, like Cumanda, but as a poet in a very Romantic way he has a certain connection with nature. This makes his like the natives in a way since they are presented as a more uncultivated society that places heavy emphasis on nature.

The religious theme in the text I didn't enjoy much. Catholicism most likely played a large role in Mera's life and the work sees to reflect this, but the tone take is one of ethnocentrism. It seems the uncultivated natives must be guided to the light of god. This establishes catholic religion as the correct one and implies that the spanish posesses a more advanced and desirable culture. Even if Mera in parts of the novel highlights the advantages of the native's culture in the end it seems these people are child like and wild and must be helped by the Spanish in other to become civilized.

Overall the book was almost too much for me. Those long winded descriptions were a part of the entire novel. I'm looking forward to Neruda (who's intricate descriptions I actually enjoy).