Anita de Monte Laughs Last

Part 2 continues to explore the lives of Anita and Raquel, drawing many implicit parallels between the two women’s daily struggles and internalized insecurities. Although Anita has been murdered, her spirit still narrates her chapters in a retrospective fashion, and Jack’s behavior in the wake of her death is a further indication of his misogyny, strengthening the impression that his general disrespect for women warped his relationship with Anita. Similarly, as Raquel’s relationship with Nick intensifies, Nick begins to resemble a lesser version of The Damaging Impact of Toxic Masculinity that characterizes Jack, and this dynamic becomes most prominent in the amount of control that he tries to exert over Raquel’s life. He is particularly critical of her appearance and her weight, and she is torn between her longing to be accepted by Nick and his social circle and her desire to remain true to herself. When Raquel meets Nick’s parents, the encounter further muddles her feelings, for although they like Raquel, their casually callous comments exhibit many of The Effects of Affluence and Class-Based Prejudice.

Although murdering Anita is Jack’s worst crime within the narrative, these chapters give further evidence for his arrogance and weakness of character. Appearances matter greatly to Jack, and after Anita’s death, he continues to be consumed with thoughts of his public image amongst other members of the art world. This fixation is a function of his self-serving nature and his desire to control the narrative; because Jack has a fixed notion of how he wants to be perceived, and he will do whatever it takes to ensure that he projects that image. Even so, he fails to accurately evaluate the optics of attending Anita’s memorial service with a date in tow, and this misstep illustrates the full extent of his extreme hubris and arrogance. Thus, Gonzalez creates the impression that Jack believes himself capable of committing a wide range of offenses with impunity; he does, after all, get away with murder. It is only after the service that he grudgingly admits that publicly appearing with another woman so soon after Anita’s death was ill-advised. However, his private reflections reveal even more damning details about his misogynistic attitude, for as he recalls his past attempts to suppress Anita’s work, it is clear that he is uncomfortable with her artistic successes. He cannot stand the idea that her artistic merit might be more highly valued than his own, and he puts a considerable amount of effort into keeping her art from the public eye. He also rationalizes this approach in his memories of her, labeling her “a nobody and a climber” and asserting, “If she hadn’t been married to me, nobody would have known who she was in the first place” (144). With this statement, he entirely misses her innate talent and sees her only as an accessory.

Gonzalez’s focus on crafting parallel narratives comes to the fore once again as Nick’s controlling nature manifests in much in the same way that Jack’s did initially. Nick actively suppresses Raquel’s identity and agency by managing her appearance and reinforcing her insecurities. Although Raquel is initially thrilled at the opportunity to wear the luxurious and expensive designer dress that he buys for her prior to the campus dance, she does realize that he only purchased it because he disliked the dress she planned to wear. Thus, his ostensibly thoughtful gift is really a manifestation of The Damaging Impact of Toxic Masculinity, for he compels Raquel to wear the dress that he believes will better reflect the standards of upper-class white society. By seizing control of her outward presentation, he essentially commandeers her own sense of agency, and just like Jack, he cares more about appearances than about forging a healthy romantic relationship. When he also buys her a pair of control-top, tummy-tucking pantyhose, this gift makes an even more critical statement about her appearance. The gown is floor-length, so there is no need for pantyhose; he buys them because he thinks that Raquel is overweight. This ongoing criticism will become a major focal point within the narrative, showcasing the role that white supremacy plays in mainstream beauty standards. In her own community, Raquel was always proud of and lauded for her curves, but in Nick’s white, upper-class world, slender bodies are more desirable. He therefore continues to harp on her weight, even going so far as to order her a salad when she has stated her preference for a burger. This disrespectful, high-handed mistreatment makes it clear that Nick, like Jack, sees Raquel as an accessory and wants her to embrace a specific image for his sake.

Nick continues to be cast as an antagonist during the scenes in which Raquel meets his family, and their wealth and highly privileged worldview allow Gonzalez to explore The Effects of Affluence and Class-Based Prejudice. Although Nick’s parents are gracious, complementary, and attentive, they make small comments that Raquel identifies as exhibiting their deeply entrenched bigotry. For example, they note how happy they are that someone in Raquel’s “position” is appreciative of the opportunities that she has as a result of having been accepted into Brown, and they also talk about the art world in a way that highlights their influence and position. Raquel knows that they are acutely aware of her lack of class privilege and that they see their acceptance of her as charitable, modern, and open-minded. Additionally, Raquel now has ample evidence to begin realizing that Nick shares their deeply biased perspective of class and class differences; as a result, he will never see her as an equal.

Within these highly complex and fraught social settings, Anita’s explorations of her unique artistic process provide a distinct counterpoint to the broader political subtext. For example, when she describes a trip that she took to Cuba and explains how deeply connected she remains to its space and customs, her passion for her authentic art shines through and permeates the narrative. She delves into her interest in the Yoruba Orishas and notes her particular affinity for Yemayá, a deity associated with motherhood and the sea. The fact that Anita feels drawn to a spiritual manifestation of the divine feminine aligns perfectly with the context of her work, and her spiritual contemplations lend credence to the idea that art and identity are inextricably interwoven. Thus, Anita’s artistic style portrays a nuanced view of gender issues and is informed by her own interest in the gendered aspects of Cuba’s social and spiritual history.