Letters from a Peruvian Woman
Letters from a Peruvian Woman
Enlightenment can have various meanings but in the book Letters from a Peruvian Woman by Francoise De Gaffigny the definition of Enlightenment would be the attainment of spiritual knowledge or insight, which gives an individual a new perspective of another world/culture. In the book the main character Zilia is abducted from her Peruvian Empire where she has grown custom to their culture and lifestyle and taken to eighteenth century Europe. On her journey to Europe Zilia has many pleasant and frightful experiences as she records her adventure in a series of letters to her love Aza who remains in Peru. Unlike a frightened capture, Zilia is willing to learn the European ways and constantly compares the Europeans to the people of her society. As her journey continues Zilia has matured and starts to realize the tension between reason and faith. Throughout the book Zilia gradually experiences Enlightenment through physical objects and abstract ideas.
When Zilia sees her reflection in the mirror for the first time she is astonished and surprised by it. She sees herself and mistakes herself for the Virgin of the Sun. She is very transfixed on the image of herself and almost in a shock of never seeing herself. The mirror represents self reflection and is a very important item that she comes into contact with. When looking into the mirror she is able to see the physical differences between herself and the French and also is able to see the changes that have occurred to her throughout the journey of her capture. “These marvels disturb the mind and offend reason. What is one to think of this country’s inhabitants? Must one fear them? Must one love them? I shall be careful to reserve judgment in this matter” (Gaffigny 51). The mirror shows Zilia the advancement the French have on her people and she does not know whether she wants to embrace this or be frightened.
Zilia owes some of her knowledge of Enlightenment to books. She
Enlightenment can have various meanings but in the book Letters from a Peruvian Woman by Francoise De Gaffigny the definition of Enlightenment would be the attainment of spiritual knowledge or insight, which gives an individual a new perspective of another world/culture. In the book the main character Zilia is abducted from her Peruvian Empire where she has grown custom to their culture and lifestyle and taken to eighteenth century Europe. On her journey to Europe Zilia has many pleasant and frightful experiences as she records her adventure in a series of letters to her love Aza who remains in Peru. Unlike a frightened capture, Zilia is willing to learn the European ways and constantly compares the Europeans to the people of her society. As her journey continues Zilia has matured and starts to realize the tension between reason and faith. Throughout the book Zilia gradually experiences Enlightenment through physical objects and abstract ideas.
When Zilia sees her reflection in the mirror for the first time she is astonished and surprised by it. She sees herself and mistakes herself for the Virgin of the Sun. She is very transfixed on the image of herself and almost in a shock of never seeing herself. The mirror represents self reflection and is a very important item that she comes into contact with. When looking into the mirror she is able to see the physical differences between herself and the French and also is able to see the changes that have occurred to her throughout the journey of her capture. “These marvels disturb the mind and offend reason. What is one to think of this country’s inhabitants? Must one fear them? Must one love them? I shall be careful to reserve judgment in this matter” (Gaffigny 51). The mirror shows Zilia the advancement the French have on her people and she does not know whether she wants to embrace this or be frightened.
Zilia owes some of her knowledge of Enlightenment to books. She
Cited: Graffigny, Françoise De., Joan DeJean, and Nancy K. Miller. Letters from a Peruvian Woman. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1993. Print.