Our Word is our Weapon Part 2: Controversial with Intent

 My reactions to the second half of “Our word is our weapon” shared similarities from the initial pages read. We got a continuation of Marcos projecting himself amongst the greatest writers of Latin America, narcissism to the highest degree, and a splash of propaganda for the resistance. The only difference is whereas the introduction to this dilemma and Marcos raised eyebrows about what his true intentions are, the second half almost exposes his intentional form of writing to coerce others.


“Do words know to fall silent when they can’t find the time or place for which they’re called…And the mouth does it know how to die?” (pg.258). This is a quote used by Marcos from Eduardo Galeano’s book “Las Palabras Andantes” which really made me think about the psychology of Marcos and his Zapatista efforts. In his letter to Eduardo and some tales, the form of his writing produces consequences, some of which we discussed in class. 


First, his introduction to Galeano is a means to assert his status as a voice of injustice. He iterates “I’m writing you because…because i feel like writing you” (pg.258). Marcos is of this stature so high and prominent that Galeano should be blessed to hear from an occupied man creating great change. Galeano himself is someone who contributed to resistance through his works and voiced concerns over the treatment of the Indigenous in Uruguay. This is a strategy (or propaganda) which brings a reader closer to the masked man and creates investment in his words. We all use the works and abide by certain principles from intellectuals, Marcos in these literary sequences is providing his own form of evidence that he is one of them. 


Second, Marcos tells various tales that are short and put up for interpretation. What I believe Marcos is trying to accomplish is demonize the government by creating new folklore history.   “The Tale of the Little Seamstress” depicts a little seamstress being ridiculed by the community for acting like a “fairy” (pg 345). The seamstress would sew the mouths of all those who made fun of him. When I think of this story, the seamstress could represent the government, and the reaction could represent public outrage. The government essentially silences those that oppose it in the way of the seamstress even though their agenda does not match the norms of society. “The tale of the little Newsboy” tells a story of a little boy selling old newspapers because he did not have the money to which no one would purchase from him. As a solution, he would make a paper recycling plant and become a millionaire subsequently making his own newspaper service a monopoly that sells only old newspapers. This is a representation of people not wanting to acknowledge those they look at as inferior and read the history of Indigenous strife. People will move forward without understanding the past. 


Those are just my interpretations of what those tales could mean but imagine the interpretations of those that idolize Marcos and are in harsh situations. It enables citizens to resist but only through his cause and the Zapatista way.

Comments

  1. Anthony LockleyMarch 22, 2024 at 5:26 PM

    While these metaphors Marcos includes have pretty clear narratives, and their projection onto the real world reveal Marcos’ true message, I was wondering, quite simply, why? Why does he shift his tone and narrative style so drastically in these years? Was it Marcos creating his own voice, one no longer a projection but taking on a life of its own? While certainly more fun from an audiences point of view, I felt like the work lost some of the rawness of the original communiques. This feels much more intentional and planned out. It feels as though it deviates quite drastically from the ‘non-book’ of part 1

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