Massacre of the Dreamers: Essays on Xicanisma

by Ana Castillo

The "I" in these critical essays by novelist, poet, scholar, and activist/curandera Ana Castillo is that of the Mexic-Amerindian woman living in the United States. The essays are addressed to everyone interested in the roots of the colonized woman's reality. Castillo introduces the term Xicanisma in a passionate call for a politically active, socially committed Chicana feminism.
In "A Countryless Woman," Castillo outlines the experience of the brown woman in a racist society that recognizes race relations mostly as a black and white dilemma. Essays on the Watsonville strike, the early Chicano movement, and the roots of machismo illustrate the extent to which women still struggle against male dominance. Other essays suggest strategies for opposing the suppression of women's spirituality and sexuality by institutionalized religion and the state.
These challenging essays will be a provocative guide for those who envision a new future for women as we face a new century.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Essays, Latinx, Social Justice, Gender, Race

238 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1994

About the author

Ana Castillo (June 15, 1953-) is a celebrated and distinguished poet, novelist, short story writer, essayist, editor, playwright, translator and independent scholar. Castillo was born and raised in Chicago. She has contributed to periodicals and on-line venues (Salon and Oxygen) and national magazines, including More and the Sunday New York Times. Castillo’s writings have been the subject of numerous scholarly investigations and publications. Among her award winning, best sellling titles: novels include So Far From God, The Guardians and Peel My Love like an Onion, among other poetry: I Ask the Impossible. Her novel, Sapogonia was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. She has been profiled and interviewed on National Public Radio and the History Channel and was a radio-essayist with NPR in Chicago. Ana Castillo is editor of La Tolteca, an arts and literary ‘zine dedicated to the advancement of a world without borders and censorship and was on the advisory board of the new American Writers Museum, which opened its door in Chicago, 2017. In 2014 Dr. Castillo held the Lund-Gil Endowed Chair at Dominican University, River Forest, IL and served on the faculty with Bread Loaf Summer Program (Middlebury College) in 2015 and 2016. She also held the first Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Endowed Chair at DePaul University, The Martin Luther King, Jr Distinguished Visiting Scholar post at M.I.T. and was the Poet-in-Residence at Westminster College in Utah in 2012, among other teaching posts throughout her extensive career. Ana Castillo holds an M.A from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D., University of Bremen, Germany in American Studies and an honorary doctorate from Colby College. She received an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation for her first novel, The Mixquiahuala Letters. Her other awards include a Carl Sandburg Award, a Mountains and Plains Booksellers Award, and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts in fiction and poetry. She was also awarded a 1998 Sor Juana Achievement Award by the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum in Chicago. Dr. Castillo’s So Far From God and Loverboys are two titles on the banned book list controversy with the TUSD in Arizona. 2013 Recipient of the American Studies Association Gloria Anzaldúa Prize to an independent scholar. via www.anacastillo.net

Reviews

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Massacre of the Dreamers is crucial literature for any activist in the 21st century, as Castillo searingly navigates through the century-old roots of oppression at the heart of the Americas: the oppression of the brown woman.

Castillo not only details the layers of misogyny in the multiple systems which brown women have faced throughout their existence, but she also manages to cast a vision for those of us who want to be allies of Xicanisma --Chicana-based feminist consciousness -- as we seek to free ourselves from our own internalized oppression. Steeped with fact-based analysis but not overwhelmingly focused on numbers, the book is also a model for what academic literature should be: based on the present conditions faced 'on the ground' by non-academics, since the majority of the working class which so many scholars hope to advocate for have neither the time nor the patience to sift through jargon-laden writing aimed at other academics.

[Sidewalk_Sotol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ana Castillo issues a call to action for consciousness-raising centered on the experiences, legacy and potential of female-bodied women who trace their ancestry to the peoples of Mexico - Mexic Amerindians, or Chicanas.

The strengths of her project include her literary surveys of religious and political ideologies having major influence on Chicana thinking/practices, an interview-based case study of the Watsonville women's strike in the early 1900s, and her discussion of what she calls the mother-bond principle - the revitalization of the importance of nurturing and bonding to children by men as well as by women that does not primarily favor male children. She does all of this without resorting to overly academic language nor over-generalization.

While i believe that Castillo's work is valuable to present and future generations, i cannot say that i found much here that is personally powerful which i have not already found in other books.* But then again, i come from a Chinese background and question the presumption that sexual organs = gender.

I am disappointed that Castillo, while intellectually critical of the dualism so ingrained in Anglo-Saxon and Spanish/North African /Mediterranean culture, fails to question her own reliance on dualistic thinking in regards to sexuality and gender. While she writes of several influential lesbians, she does not make even one mention of bisexual/transsexual/transgender people in her book.

* I recommend "This Bridge Called My Back," which includes an essay or two of Castillo's and "This Brige We Call Home," both of which explore themes similar to "Massacre of the Dreamers," as just as readable, but which contain more diverse perspectives.

[Lourdes Cambridge · Rating 2 out of 5]

I became interested in the Chicano and Cholo movements through Edward James Olmos...and in Mexican Revolutionary Art through Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. I had the opportunity to tour Chicana sewing sweat shops in Yuma Arizona and in Los Angeles. I had a friend... Marta...who sold imported goods at the border market and who was building two houses...one for her mother and one for herself in a town in Central Mexico with those proceeds. There were no males on that scene. I toured the fields during star rosary parties. And now Juan Diego is a Saint. I listened to the poetry of Netzahuacoyotl from a community college scholar on Dia de los Muertos... and ate plenty...but not too much...of Like Water for Chocolate. I can absolutely relate.

[César Hernández · Rating 3 out of 5]

i have very mixed feelings about this book. on the one hand, ana castillo, in introducing the concept of "xicanisma" (an expansion of chicana feminism), takes appealing positions on interesting topics ranging from literary theory to sexuality. on the other hand, the writing is tough to follow. at times it comes across as disjointed and hollow. in the end, reading these essays was an adventure in frustration largely because i felt that she often jumped from one interesting idea to another in the span of a single paragraph without explaining either. this book might be a candidate for a second read.

[Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mexican/Latino feminism and machismo. At one time in my life, I would have eaten this stuff up. Now, it's just OK.

[Geoffrey Nutting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading to get to know the author's background and life philosophy. I'd read Sapogonia earlier (good read, but I don't have an extensive background in difficulties Chicanas face in life). As a white male(who has lived in Mexico & Peru),this gave me better understanding of women's(Chicana or white or ...) issues in a male-dominated, male-constructed society that does not treat women as equal partners in society, & how current roles in society have been legitimized by our social institutions (Christianity, or the Catholic church). Readers will learn a lot about many roles in US society today, & hopefully how they can make US society truly more inclusive (less 'racist') & everyone better off. Note: it does not mean more Free Trade & unfettered capitalism. We need a less materially-oriented (not socialist) society.

[M Caesar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was overall pretty good though there was some fatalism within a lot of the book's arguments (and the general critique of marxism-leninism falling from a rather liberal standpoint didn't sit well with me, obviously), i.e. that because things were one way in the past w/in activism they will be that way in the future, a lot of the terms were really dated (i.e. referring to women's oppression based on physiognomy was rather embarrassing to read) and the cissexism could do without but there were some good parts to it, and it is the text that launched xicanisma

[Alma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of meeting Ana Castillo this past November. There were only 15 of us at the reading, so we had the honor of an intimate reading, question and answer session. Afterwards, my sister Lucia and I had a great long conversation with her. She is a brilliant and talented woman, who inspired me to continue with my graduate education. My only regret is that I didn't bring my digital camera!

[Emelda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been one of my favorite books of all time. My copy is dog eared, written in, and the pages are a bit loose.

Interested in queer rights, feminism, mexican/chicana history and theory, religious influence on life, and more? You must read this book.

[Joaquin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Badass. Ana Castillo is hard core on her essays about gender, race, sexual preference, and class. This mujer knows how to break it down...poetically even. Not sure how I ended up reading it on Christmas.

[Xicana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ana Castillo is amongst our Xicana visionaries. Her strong spirited voice appeals to all readers. She is a role-model, educator, and healer (in my mind). This book is a foundational text in Xicana/ Chicano Studies.

[Georg1991 · Rating 2 out of 5]

bought it because there was one essay assigned in college. it has been sitting on the shelf since then. So now I have read all of it. basically she is saying everyone comes with different baggage. Here is a group with baggage that you can make subsets.

[Jake Cotto · Rating 5 out of 5]

These essays! I need to re-read. I am loving the texts for Latin@ Literature. They are exactly what I needed to reinvigorate my drive to teach for change. Bread Loaf always satisfies (and it's only the first week).

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this work and its examination of female archetypes.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me forever to get through, but it had some jewels. I would be reading, my eyes about to close, and suddenly "WHAM!" she put my deep-seated woes in prefect prose.

[Sandra Trevino · Rating 5 out of 5]

From this book I learned how important culture is to certain people. It's empowering for women, especially Latinas.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing....

[Moonkey Ocampo]

Obras sobre el concientizmo xicana mexicana. Classic, must be read!! Its a good primer for those interested in chicana feminista literature.

[Fabiola Sandoval · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book changed my life in my early 20s ... or I was ready to change my life and this book a godsend.

[Lisa]

Massacre of the Dreamers: Essays on Xicanisma by Ana Castillo (1995)

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

every semester baby - so worth it for everyone to read - love the poem The turquoise ones. She is one of the few that explores motherhood

[Vika]

excellent history of how racism. discrimination works in both subtle and over ways in academia

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

First experience with Chianismo. Love.

[Elizabeth]

As seen in The University of Chicago Magazine: http://mag.uchicago.edu/arts-humaniti...

[Iliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

.

[Elizabeth Marino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want to replace and re-read -- my highest praise!

[sanni · Rating 4 out of 5]

tbh 3.5 stars for me and neither 3 nor 4 stars feels right here.

the writing was really lively and sometimes
gorgeous! i would love to read her novels. but i felt like the tone of the essays varied so much that it was hard to feel consistently engaged. i felt like the essays that included interviews and personal anecdotes were the most interesting to me whereas the ones that were more general musings / cultural analysis lost me a bit especially because those tended to focus a lot on religious/spiritual traditions that i don’t know a lot about and also tended to be a bit disjointed overall.

i would recommend some specific essays from it but not necessarily the whole thing. i thought it was interesting how it felt a bit dated (i mean it’s from the 90s after all…) but also had its moments where it felt weirdly contemporary (i guess the 90s weren’t that long ago and that it’s true that each generation just feels like it’s the first to be thinking about certain ideas…)

[Leslie Ayala · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me a window into the experiences of Chicana women, and Mexicanas. It also gave me a greater perception into the different aspects of their identity. I think this will benefit me by allowing me a better cultural understanding of mestizas on both sides of the border. I am hoping this will enable me to better my teaching of my students. I hope that it will aide me in my bringing cultural relevance to the classroom. I am so grateful to Ana Castillo for writing this book.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really informative and thought provoking. That being said, it is a book of essays and I read it for school, so my opinion might be biased. Recommended read for anyone who want to learn more about Chicana identity.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5