Townsend portrays Malintzin as an exceptional woman of her
time. In our class discussion we have looked at Malintzin’s choices and
debating whether or not her actions were a choice or if she was forced for
survival. As many women were sold into slavery Malintzin had the ability to not
be recognized as another slave figure but was able to become an honorable and
important figure throughout the Spanish conquest. Her contributions during the
Spanish conquest had basically made the Spanish conquest happen because
communication between the Natives and Spanish were imperative. On page 41
Townsend shows Malintzin’s assertiveness (which was not typical amongst other
slaves), “Malintzin could have remained silent. No one expected her to step
forward and serve as a conduit. But by the end of that hour, she had made her
value felt” Malintzin then knew it was her opportunity to make value out of
herself. Malintzin was not only able to learn the Spanish language but she was
able to learn their culture, warfare and survival. This knowledge enabled her
to make strategic plans when communicating with Natives. Malintzin was able to
recognize her worth and significance to the conquest through translation. Malintzin
knew that the Spaniards had advance technology and weapons that could cause
harm and destruction, she knew the power that the Spaniards had yet she still made the choice to join their team. Rather than being frightened and intimidated
Malintzin stepped forward and presented her skills that could make their
conquest happen. Malinztin was an exceptional woman that created a name for
herself and is remembered and honored throughout history.
I agree with you that Townsend portrays Malintzin as being an extraordinary person and most of our class discussions have focused on whether or not the titular choices of Malintzin were choices or if she felt forced to do so. I feel like both are true because she made the choice to be seen as useful by the Spanish which, in a way, also meant she chose to survive. I also agree that Malintzin's contributions to the conquest were incredibly important and that Townsend portrays it that way for a reason. It's so that at the end when we are learning about Malintzin's daughter, doña Maria's legal troubles and how her stepmother, doña Beatriz, brought in witnesses to say that Malintzin's contributions were not that important, we look on in a state of almost horror, asking why she would diminish the contributions of such an exceptional and extraordinary person. I also agree that seeing the Spanish technology and weapons may have contributed to Malintzin's staying with the Spanish. She was smart enough to recognize that her people could not compete with Spanish technology and stuck with the side that would ensure her survival. This also works with what Townsend has written in the introduction about her image in Mexico as one of a traitor. Now that we know all the details of her life, it is shocking that some would think of her in such a villainous way.
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