Sovereignty towards the jungle and women:

A literary analysis essay of The Vortex

By Isabella Roldan

José Eustasio Rivera in his novel La Vorágine shows connotation of sexism through the

the relationship the main character had with the women he met. Along the story is evidence of

the role of the women: they are dominated, abused, secondary without their own voice, just an

existence destined for men’s needs and pleasure, as well happened with the jungle which was a

victim of pillage and exploitation to make some men rich. In this analysis, I make a comparison

between women and nature which were victims in this story.

One of the big problems of this story is the wrong idea of romantic love that makes the

men think they are strong, brave adventurers, and the women are only partners who had to find

and follow this kind of man. From the beginning there is evidence of the sexism that the main

character has. Arturo is older than Alicia; She is innocent in all aspects, she doesn’t know the

world, and she only believes in a love who saves her and gives her a better life (like a hero). For

that reason she escapes with Arturo. In specific words: “Alicia fue un amorío fácil: se me

entregó sin vacilaciones, esperanzada en el amor que buscaba en mí. (Rivera, 2006, p. 80)”

This ideal of forbidden love starts to die because Arturo only wants Alicia for a moment,

like an object who belongs to him, then he starts to get annoyed with her. In the chapter he said:

“Pero Alicia me estorbaba como un grillete. ¡Si al menos fuera más arriscada, menos bisoñal”

(Rivera, 2006, p. 81). During his adventure trip Arturo has different lovers: women who were

wives or employers. He has a superior position of them, and he uses that privilege to be

flirtatious and a manipulator, using them just for sexual interests or to help to get what he wants.

But when he discovers that his wife, Alicia ran out with another man, he got angry because his
dignity was affected the entire time he was away from her. The worst is that all the time distant

to her he didn't really worry about her or his baby (because she got pregnant by Arturo), he just

thinks that another man is the owner of her. So it is really noticeable the idea of women as

objects who belong and are used for men.

Alicia, Griselda, Clarita and Zoraida are the women who were victims of false love of

Arturo and looking for protection or a better life with other men. They can not explore their

potential in a society who treats them in an inferior way. There were many unequal relationships

in this book: between men and women, between rich white people and indigenous or farmers,

and finally there is an unequal relationship between humanity and nature. Analyzing this story

from a sexism point of view (the lens of gender) can make us understand that it is a necessary

change to benefit everyone to have balance between relationships of all kinds.