Something that has come to light in La Reina del Sur is the power dynamic between the male and female characters.
I think it is important to note that from the second Teresa is brought into Spain she is objectified. The contact that helps her find a place to hide says that at the end of the day what will keep her alive is what is between her legs. This is furthered when the contact sets her up at a place called Yamila, a bar and place for women to work as escorts. The owner of Yamila, Dris, seized Teresa up the moment she walked into his bar. At this moment, he decides that he wants her and eventually rats out people in his drug operation to try and get the girl. Dris is a perfect example of the power dynamic because he believes that because he is a man, he can do anything he wants to get a girl. He has no problem hurting other people or even hurting Teresa herself if it means he gets what he wants. He also never faces any consequences.
Even in the relationships between protagonists, there is a clear power dynamic. In the case of Teresa and Santiago, the power dynamic is evident from the start. Teresa does not want to be with Santiago, but because he is a man who gets what he wants, he pursues her. Once he “attains” Teresa, he struggles to be in such a close championship with a woman who has strong opinions. The two have many fights about him and his career with drugs. Teresa does not want him to participate, but Santiago does what he wants because he is a man. Further into the story, Teresa decides to join Santigo in bringing drugs across the border. Initially, Santiago cannot even fathom this because women are not considered strong enough to deal with drugs. Once he agrees, every person they tell doesn’t take them seriously and doubts Teresa’s abilities.
One of the main themes that emerge in the telenovela is Teresa proving her power and relevance in a world of men who think they know better. This appeals to many female audience members because we are all rooting for Teresa. We want her to be strong and for her to succeed. I wonder as the telenovela continues to document her life if she will ever have children. Having a kid is seen as weak. Being a mother makes women weaker in the eyes of some because they now love a person more than themselves. This is a risk in the drug world because a kid is a weak link. If the writers do make Teresa a mother, this would be another factor that proves against the common idea that women are too weak to be leaders and live in a male-dominated world.
This telenovela, although it came out before the #The MeToo movement was big, is a good example of the way that women are taken advantage of in the workplace and in society in general. The way Teresa and her friends are treated at Yamila is horrible. They are sexualized and looked at as objects by the owners and the visitors. Teresa herself struggles against the gender norms of being submissive and nieve. I am excited to see how the storyline progresses as Teresa continues to prove herself to the males around her and break down their superiority complexes.
Posting on behalf of Haley Whitehead who's having technical difficulties with Blogger:
ReplyDeleteI think you bring up a relevant and good point for many shows, it does not apply to all. In comparison, my telenovela is based on the power of a woman who goes by the name "she-devil". She married a drug trafficker and turned him into the police and now rules as a supreme leader over a small town. She holds all the power over men and women within the story. In addition, the protagonist of the story is a strong young woman. She is not aided by men at all and holds most of the power herself. There is a certain truth to what you stated, I think women selling their bodies is very common in telenovelas, especially ones with drugs. There is evidence of this in my telenovela as well. I think the atmosphere and culture are truly the root of where this comes from. It is common in several storylines; I do not believe it applies to all. In all honesty, I think most telenovelas have a strong female character as the lead and although she may find a price charming, ultimately her struggles and experiences are focused on throughout the story. This in turn makes her the most important in a sense and the most powerful with the audience. Nonetheless, you mention a good point that women are often objectified and seen as incomparable to the abilities of men.
This is such a well written post! I am watching La Reina del Sur as well and I could not agree more on how greatly Teresa is let down by men in general. The whole plot of the show seems to follow her from trusting men to realizing that they are all pig headed and dangerous. Something that is prevalent in American culture today is the saying "don't take no for an answer." While this was originally used in context with chasing one's dreams or accomplishing one's goals, it has shifted into dating culture as well. When a man wants a woman and she makes it clear she is not interested, the man does not stop trying to pursue her. Men today cannot take no for an answer and end up harassing women in the process. So far, Santiago is a great example of this. Teresa makes it clear she is not interested and he will not take no for an answer. Many similarities can be seen when comparing men in La Reina del Sur and men that women encounter on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated this analysis of this story. Especially considering that "Reina del Sur" is a Narco-Novela, I was not expecting a post about feminism and power dynamics to center around that story specifically. I was especially surprised by your point about this being appealing to female viewers, but I totally agree. From the point of view of commercialization that absolutely makes sense because I would imagine for most novelas female audiences make up at least a slight majority of the audience. I also think that the point about motherhood being included in the show is an excellent point, it will be interesting to see if that element is brought in. Personally, I would see that and how the writers handle that subject as indicative of whether or not the feminist messages are purely for monetization reasons or are for actual political reasons.
ReplyDeleteHey Zoey,
ReplyDeleteI think you put forth very important points regarding patterns in TV shows and early literature. It is considered "normal" to view women as objects and often not talked about enough. I am also watching La Reina Del Sur, and it made me very uncomfortable seeing the way women are treated on this show. For example, the bar owner Dris views all the women who work for him as a commodity that is obligated to work for him.
Male ego and pride is also a prevalent issue throughout the telenovela. Men on this show, for some reason, cannot accept no as an answer; instead, they view this as a challenge to pursue the woman to the point of harassment. This male superiority complex is apparent in real life as well, which is heartbreaking. Men continue to "impress" her after she rejects them.
Moreover, there is a clear double standard for many things. Teressa has to constantly earn respect from men and prove herself, whereas any other man on the show just receives respect by being a man. She is constantly persuaded to use "what is between her legs," and when she tries to join the drug-selling business, she is constantly mocked and disrespected. People assume that because she is a woman, she holds no actual value. As the show proceeds, I hope she sets an example for others, and the overall situation changes a bit.
Hey Zoey,
ReplyDeleteI think you make some really important points about how women are viewed and treated in media, and society as a whole. Although the show is based off of a book, it's interesting to me that the writers behind this show create these plot points and characters that reflect sexism and misogyny. Although Teresa faces these challenges and is ultimately the protagonist, it makes me wonder whether or not this show supports forward thinking, or is just reflecting current standards. I admit, I have not seen the show, but based off of your blog post, it seems like the male characters are not held accountable for their actions or their way of thinking, and the audience only sees the wrongness in it due to Teresa's point of view. How are telenovelas supposed to bring about social change/changes in ways of thinking if they don't set an example first?
It's one thing to create a story that reflects society, as this show does with the treatment of women and behavior of men. But why don't the writers create some kind of redemption arc that displays a healthier way of thinking and healthier relationships? Why doesn't the show highlight potential for social change by demonstrating appropriate interactions, apologies, and steps to move forward. Some people may say, "it's because of the genre" or "that's not realistic". Personally, I think it may have more to do with what the audience wants to see, and whether or not advocating and showing redemption arcs are good for the ratings.
You mention that you would find it interesting if the writer's allowed Teresa to become a mother in the coming seasons, and how it would be another break from stereotypes, as women who care about people other than themselves are considered weak. Based off of your blog post, I really hope that they do. Perhaps through a plot line like that, the writers can emphasize changes in behavior and social change rather than just highlighting negative aspects of society.
Hi Zoey! I really enjoyed your post! I went to read your post right after I published my blog post for this week and I wrote about sexism also. You and I can both agree that there is a clear power dynamic presented by the men in both of our telenovelas. My telenovela also includes drugs and violence, so reading your post was very interesting to me and I felt like our posts related. Regarding the male superiority in your telenovela of choice, Teresa proving her power and relevance in a world of men who think they know better is exactly what the main character in my telenovela, Ana Maria, does. It's honestly really sad that women have to PROVE their equality to men each day. I love that you talk about how viewers can root for the character in your telenovela to be strong and succeed. I think that is the good thing that comes out of highlighting sexism in our telenovelas. Overall, I'm really glad that I was able to read your post and relate it to my post and telenovela as a whole!
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