Politicizing Spanish-Mexican Domesticity, Redefining Fronteras: Jovita González's Caballero and Cleofas Jaramillo's Romance of a Little Village Girl

Don Santiago's use of Spanish-Mexican women to resist the AngloAmerican colonizers is rooted in Spanish colonialism and patriarchal views of women as objects of property who carry "Spanish" wealth, family, and manhood. As the conflict ensues between the Spanish-Mexican community and the Anglo-American Rangers, Don Santiago first appraises Spanish cultural objects of the home. In the following passage, Don Santiago views his culture as purely Spanish and free of mestizaje-, thereby evoking González's project in writing Caballero and her positioning of her culture as "white." In this passage, Spanish colonial items are described as under threat by the Anglo-American invaders:

Don Santiago slowly circled the salat then stood at its center. How long, he wondered would this great living room with its family background and tradition remain as it was? The fireplace was a black maw against half of the north wall. Against the white wall above it hung a large black and silver crucifix flanked by massive silver candelabra resting on the wide mantel.... Would the Americanos dare to take these symbols of his faith and change them to silver dollars?33

As the passage continues, the narrator depicts the cultural objects Don Santiago prizes. These are mostly objects of the Spanish colonial past, including religious symbols ("the black and silver crucifix"), weapons used by his ancestors ("rapiers, lances, knives, long-barreled pistolas, an escopeta with a brass bell-opening at the muzzle, bits of old armor"), furniture of a "former splendor in Spain" ("mahogany chairs and tables finely carved and a great harp of gilt"), and products of the ranch land ("chairs, stool, benches, and a couch of stave and rawhide").34 For Don Santiago, these various domestic and ranching objects signify Mexican political and legal entitlement to land derived from the descendants of Spanish conquistadores in southwest Texas. In keeping with his need to protect "Spanish" bloodlines, Don Santiago's assessment of his home space includes no symbols of indigenous and native Mexican people, many of whom work his land.

The role of Spanish women as objects and signifiers of Spanish identity and honor creates a complex relationship for the female and male characters in Caballero who do not follow Spanish colonialism's prescribed gender roles. Don Santiago's various family members-his submissive wife Dona Maria Petronilla, widowed sister Dona Dolores, beautiful and rebellious daughter Susanita, intelligent daughter Maria de Los Angeles, and artistic and foppish son Luis Gonzaga-defy his authority and patriarchal views of the female body deemed necessary to uphold Spanish-Mexican honor. Only Don Santiago's brave and hypermasculine son Alvaro follows Don Santiago's prescribed rules on how to use Spanishness so as to resist the Anglo-American presence in their community.