The Shawl that Defines: The Motif of the Rebozo in Mexican Culture and in Sandra Cisneros’ Caramelo

Abstract

My thesis aims to examine the symbolic functions and meanings of the traditional Mexican shawl, the rebozo as represented in Sandra Cisneros’ Caramelo (2002). Discussing the history of the Reyes family, I claim that the rebozo is the carrier of individual and collective Mexican identity of the Mexican Americans.