Woman Hollering Creek
...ons [s]he also impresses us more vividly”. (Friedman 111) Cisneros technique for not including specific or what the reader feels is important detail later allows them to understand why it is not mentioned. In “Woman Hollering Creek” Cisneros is vague on Cleofilas life not only in Coahuia but also in Seguin, Texas. For example, we do not know Cleofilas’ mothers name or definite childhood detail before meeting Juan Pedro. All that the author has given the reader is Cleofilas obsession with telenovelas and her desire to have the life which she believes is flawless. Any description of her wedding day was also excluded from the story. We know nothing, not one single detail except for Cleofilas buying her wedding dress in Laredo, Texas. The author also omitted all detail on the birth of her first child. If this was Cleofilas “perfect life” why do we know so little on details that would be so important? Why does Cleofilas’ life so broad when it was meant to untouchable? Cleofilas dreamt of the perfect life and when it finally came she realized that it Souza 3 wasn’t what she expected. Cleofilas was scared of what her family and especially her father would think of her if she returned back home. She did not want to disgrace her loved ones but at the same time knew she could not stay in the life she had. Juan Pedro’s activities were also vague because “He has a very important position with… a beer company… Or was it tires?” (Cisneros 221) The reader knew her husband was employed yet that is all we knew. “When Juan Pedro did not come home” Cleofilas was left feeling empty and unloved; this was not the life she had watched and hoped to have one day. (Cisneros 220) It is clarified in Friedman’s article that “From this small detail we are allowed to infer… about the situation of this couple.” (105) Friedman defines expansion is defined as information you get a lot of detail about. In this short story Cleofilas’ has a great desire to have the “telenovela” lifestyle. Cleofilas states “Somehow one ought to live one’s life like that” explaining to the reader her yearning to live life as the television portrays it. (Cisneros 220) “An action may be longer in telling because more that its relevant parts are included.” (Friedman 112) Friedman includes this in his article and it relates to Cisneros’ short story because such emphasis on Cleofilas’ obsession explains her utmost desire to live a life Souza 4 as it is portrayed on these telenovelas. Cleofilas made it evident that she would never let a man were to ever strike her she would strike back yet when the time came she didn’t fight back “because to suffer for love is good.” (Cisneros 230) Cleofilas knew that it was wrong for Juan Pedro to hit her yet the telenovela emphasized that “the pain is all sweet somehow.” (Cisneros 220) In Cisneros’ story contraction is ev...