Can Anyone Give A Chapter Summary Of Malintzin

Where did Mexicans come from?

As some already mentioned, today`s Mexicans are un-holly mix of 70% Indians (aztecs, mixtec, maya et al) 20% Europeans-mostly Spanish- & 10% of African Negroes, former slaves. Similar unsavory/un natural and uncontrolled mixtures of genes as you find in rest of Latin/South America.Except Argentina-whose populace appears to be predominantly of Europeans` origin, lot more so than other S.American countries.

Why do some Mexicans dislike La Malinche?

She is widely consider a traitor.

In 1519, Cortés landed on Mexico's mainland. Mexican author Jesus J. Figueroa says when the Indians lost the battle in Yucatán against Cortés, they gave him gold and 20 slaves chosen for their beauty, including Malina, then 14. Cortés distributed the slaves among his men, but when he discovered she spoke various Mayan dialects as well as Nahuatl, she was placed in a central role in his expedition as translator.

Cortés spoke Spanish; his crew-man Geronimo de Aguilar, a survivor of another expedition who lived for a time among the Indians, spoke Spanish and Mayan. Malina would translate the Mayan to Nahuatl and be known as Malina Tenepal, the last name meaning "interpreter."

Malina was given the Christian name of Doña Marina and became Cortés' interpreter, guide and, later, mistress, having been promised her freedom if she helped the Spanish. It was Doña Marina who requested the initial meeting between Montezuma II and Cortés.

Some historians say that Malina's decision to help Cortés - if indeed she had any choice - was based on his resemblance to Quetzalcoatl and her faith. Malina knew well the prophecy of Quetzalcoatl: he would return in a "reed" year to terminate the Aztec world and create a new one. Marina remained at the side of Cortés throughout the conquest of the Aztecs and accompanied him on expeditions through central America.

Writer Clifford Krauss notes that La Malinche is really hated by many Mexicans. Prominent Mexican muralist Rina Lazo, who now lives in Malinche's former house, says, "For Mexico to create a monument to La Malinche would be like giving an award to the one who dropped the atomic bomb in Hiroshima."

But others see her as a victim of her own family's betrayal. Still others regard her as the symbolic mother of a new nationality. But La Malinche, for the most part, is portrayed in Mexican literature as the "perpetuator of Mexico's original sin," says Krauss. About 15 years ago when Coyoacan officials built a fountain and statue depicting Cortés, La Malinche and their son, protests became so violent that the monument had to be destroyed.