In the short story "Loverboys," Ana Castillo describes the sorrow of powerlessness that a lesbian feels as a minority in a heterosexual society. She is a bisexual woman who is operating a bookstore. The reader discovers that gay people are still the minority group and that mass media avoid talking about gay people by examining one of her quotes. The narrator says, "Heaven knows, any town could use at least one of each of those kind of bookshops-stocked up on alternative-press publications that inform you about what's going on with the majority of the population when you sure don't hear it from the mass media" (8).
As a lesbian, she shares true love and makes passionate love with her lover in the same way that heterosexual people do. Many people still have strong negative prejudices and stereotypes about gay people. Therefore, her loverboy's family also looks at her with revulsion. Her loverboy's brother scolds his brother for dating a non-heterosexual. Speaking about here, he says, "a lesbian-or worse, a bisexual, nothing more shady or untrustworthy" (10). Then, the loverboy's mother wants her son to break up with this non-heterosexual, and she prays for her son's salvation (11). Furthermore, she believes that her son's love is hopeless, and it is "indelible" (11).
Because of the stiff opposition of her lover's family, the narrator suggests that her lover break up. She says, "It was me who suggested we not see each other anymore" (10). She wants to keep her love, however, the society that she lives in does not allow non-heterosexuals to love someone freely.
After her loverboy leaves her, she is in a lot of pain. She thinks of him every moment, and even alchohol does not help her to forget him: "I am gonna stop drinking. This time not because someone is shaming me out of it. But because it doesn't help anymore" (11). Furthermore, she calls his work place(9). However, she cannot find him anywhere. The narrator misses her loverboy so much after their break up. However, she who felt the sorrow of powerlessness as a minority group (a non-heterosexual) in the society did not strive against people's prejudice and their negative attitudes toward non-heterosexual people because she was afraid to engage in an uphill battle.
The narrator's sorrow of powerlessness results from American society's negative prejudices toward a minority group (non-heterosexuals). It is very difficult for her as a minority group member to keep her identity, her freedom and her rights, and difficult to overcome the sorrow of powerlessness, as she fights against deep-rooted social prejudices.
As a lesbian, she shares true love and makes passionate love with her lover in the same way that heterosexual people do. Many people still have strong negative prejudices and stereotypes about gay people. Therefore, her loverboy's family also looks at her with revulsion. Her loverboy's brother scolds his brother for dating a non-heterosexual. Speaking about here, he says, "a lesbian-or worse, a bisexual, nothing more shady or untrustworthy" (10). Then, the loverboy's mother wants her son to break up with this non-heterosexual, and she prays for her son's salvation (11). Furthermore, she believes that her son's love is hopeless, and it is "indelible" (11).
Because of the stiff opposition of her lover's family, the narrator suggests that her lover break up. She says, "It was me who suggested we not see each other anymore" (10). She wants to keep her love, however, the society that she lives in does not allow non-heterosexuals to love someone freely.
After her loverboy leaves her, she is in a lot of pain. She thinks of him every moment, and even alchohol does not help her to forget him: "I am gonna stop drinking. This time not because someone is shaming me out of it. But because it doesn't help anymore" (11). Furthermore, she calls his work place(9). However, she cannot find him anywhere. The narrator misses her loverboy so much after their break up. However, she who felt the sorrow of powerlessness as a minority group (a non-heterosexual) in the society did not strive against people's prejudice and their negative attitudes toward non-heterosexual people because she was afraid to engage in an uphill battle.
The narrator's sorrow of powerlessness results from American society's negative prejudices toward a minority group (non-heterosexuals). It is very difficult for her as a minority group member to keep her identity, her freedom and her rights, and difficult to overcome the sorrow of powerlessness, as she fights against deep-rooted social prejudices.