Chicano studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Chicano studies - Essay Example These movies need close introspection and a thorough cognition would definitely enable us to deep delve into some of the important socio-economic and cultural discourse of the time with a good taste of aesthetic operating throughout the film. Comparison of two films occurs from some mutual paradigm. Portrait of Teresa by Pastor Vega and Salt of the Earth by Herbert J. Biberman both the films are contemporary and are based on contemporary socio-economic issue of a similar geographical terrain. Both the films encapsulate a strong feminist discourse and centres round the deconstruction of archetypal stereotype traditional and conventional role of woman in society. Portrait of Teresa directed by Pastor Vega was released in the year 1979 and apparently seems a trajectory of women with much dramatic presentation. But the language of camera pushes its limit beyond the initial portrayal of Teresa overwhelmed with her family which comprise of her husband Ramon and three children and her job as a crew leader in the textile factory to a realm where she moves beyond the ordinary role of a household woman trying to seek the attention of her husband and becoming expert in mere domestic duties to a revolutionary and a dominant motivating factor in labour movement (The Internet Movie Database, â€Å"Retrato de Teresa (1979)†). Teresa moves beyond the parameters of odd jobs and dirty dishes and her husband failing to accept her in the new role get separated and start an affair. When her husband wishes to reconcile, Teresa asks him what if during the time of separation she also had an affair. Block-headed Ramon fails to pass Teresa’s test with his chauvinist reply â€Å"But men are different† and with if he loses Teresa forever who with her head held high in self-esteem courageously wishes to move beyond the limits of an ordinary woman performing only her household duties (Rich, â€Å"Portrait of Teresa Double Day, Double Standards†). On the other hand, the film Salt of the