Ambiguous

An important element of Corregidora is the separation of thought and reality, specifically regarding Ursa’s tumble down the stairs. We briefly discussed this in class, but I believe that it is vital to note that the circumstances of the event that the entire novel is centered around is extremely unclear, very similar to the ending of a novel we read previously, Passing. The ambiguity on the very first page of the novel changes the entire novel, allowing everyone to interpret it a little differently. In her thoughts, Ursa describes her journey down the stairs as a fall, as if it were a complete accident, an unfortunate fate, something that is controlled by no one. In her conversations with other people, Ursa describes Mutt “throwing” her down the stairs, as if he not only pushed or shoved her, but did so with the intention of severely hurting her. It is understood that Mutt has a history of violence in his relationship with Ursa, which backs up Ursa’s claim that Mutt threw her down those stairs. If Mutt didn’t push her, maybe Ursa, in saying that he did, is taking some of the blame off of herself for what happened. She had one job, according to her grandmother, to make generations, and now she is unable to do that because of something that is, potentially, a result of her own clumsiness. I don’t believe that this is the case, but it is a logical explanation nonetheless. I don’t believe that Mutt “threw” Ursa down the stairs, but I do believe that he shoved her, that Ursa tripped, and she ended up falling down the stairs. This would explain Ursa changing the story in her head and when she tells it to other people. It also explains why Mutt feels so guilty about it, to an extent. Maybe we will find out for sure later.