Sana Sana Colita De Rana

Sana Sana Colita de Rana

Many people would say that to be born a Mexican is to be born a Catholic. This perpetuating stereotype has forced many Mexican families to raise their children as if no other religions options even existed. In the book Pocho by Jose Antonio Villarreal a young boy by the name of Richard Rubio finds himself being raised Catholic by a traditional Mexican family. Richard, struggling to find his place in the world, has his parents religious beliefs pressed down on him forcing him to conform to a religion he does not agree with. Throughout the course of the novel the Catholic religious beliefs imposed on Richard affected his personality in many ways. By the end of the book it is clear that not allowing others to find their own spiritual calling can have drastic effects on their ability to recognize who they are. Many of the spiritual problems Richard faces in book are common to a number of Mexican children. Through the use of my personal experiences in being in a situation similar to that of Richard's, I intend to support my claim that forced beliefs may have damaging effects on a person.

As soon as the main character Richard is introduced into the story line we learn his beliefs about god before we even learn his name. Perhaps Villarreal, even this early, is tiring to show readers that in the Mexican American culture religion, specifically Catholicism, plays an extremely large role. Richard carries his Virgin Mary picture home which he received as a reward for being the first in his age group to learn the catechism protecting it in his handkerchief. The Catholic Church has often rewarded people for their achievements when pertaining to studying their religion in hope that they will encourage them to remain catholic. When I attended catechism I was always rewarded for having perfect attendance. This idea that you will be rewarded for an achievement or attendance may be a way for the church to make sure you are there every Sunday and behaving well. Richard claims that the picture had little value to him but it was a symbol of recognition. Surely he would go home and present it to his mother knowing that it being from the church would mean a lot to her. Many times I would do the same thing with my tokens of recognition, posting them proudly on the refrigerator, not because it was worth anything, but because of the praise I would received for it.

The Church also would condition you to simply accept what you were told and never to be skeptical or question God. Richard at first accepts what he is told about God, but when he begins to question he would end up confused about what he believed. Many religious subjects raise questions to which a Catholic will make his best attempt to answer while keeping true to their faith. This faith that has been forced on to people since childhood hinders their true thoughts about many personal subjects because they are only allowed to answer within their religious bounds.

When Richard makes his first attempt to become more educated and break free from these bounds his mother accuses him of blasphemy. He tells his mother how he loves to read and learn because he escapes their poor life style and questions why he should not do so. She answers simply that "God says so" ending the argument leaving Richard answerless in his pursuit of truth. When this oversimplified answer of "because God says so" comes