Heart of Aztlán by Rudolfo Anaya
"Heart of Aztlán" is a novel by Rudolfo Anaya, serving as the second installment in a trilogy that explores themes of Chicano identity and empowerment. The narrative centers on the Chávez family, who leave their rural home in search of a better life in Albuquerque, only to confront the challenges of urban living and the oppressive forces that control their lives. The father, Clemente Chávez, grapples with the loss of his job and the traditional family structure, leading him into despair and a struggle with alcoholism.
As the story unfolds, Clemente experiences a transformative journey facilitated by a magical character named Crespín, which leads him to a deeper understanding of his cultural heritage and the importance of community. The novel captures the tensions between personal and collective identity, illustrating the struggles faced by immigrant families within socio-economic systems. Ultimately, "Heart of Aztlán" emerges as a narrative about resilience, as Clemente's rebirth empowers him to fight for social and economic justice for his community, culminating in a symbolic act of defiance against industrial power. This work highlights the quest for identity and belonging, making it a significant piece in the exploration of Chicano literature.
On this Page
Heart of Aztlán by Rudolfo Anaya
First published: 1976
The Work
Heart of Aztlán is Rudolfo Anaya’s second novel of a trilogy that includes Bless Me, Ultima (1972) and Tortuga (1979). It is a psychological portrait of a quest for Chicano identity and empowerment. It is the story of the Chávez family, who leave the country to search for a better life in the city only to discover that their destiny lies in a past thought abandoned and lost.
The story is carried by two major characters, Clemente Chávez, the father, and Jason, one of the sons. Jason depicts the adjustments the family has to make to everyday life in the city. Clemente undergoes a magical rebirth that brings a new awareness of destiny to the community and a new will to fight for their birthright.
The novel begins with the Chávez family selling the last of their land and leaving the small town of Guadalupe for a new life in Albuquerque. They go to live in Barelas, a barrio on the west side of the city that is full of other immigrants from the country.
The Chávezes soon learn, as the other people of the barrio already know, that their lives do not belong to them. They are controlled by industrial interests represented by the railroad and a union that has sold out the workers. They are controlled by politicians through Mannie García, “el super,” who delivers the community vote.
In Barelas, Clemente also begins to lose the battle of maintaining control of the family, especially his daughters, who no longer believe in his insistence on the tradition of respect and obedience to the head of the family. The situation gets worse when Clemente loses his job in the railroad yard during a futile strike.
Clemente becomes a drunk and in his despair attempts to commit suicide. Crespín, a magical character who represents eternal wisdom, comes to his assistance and points the way to a new life. With Crespín’s help, Clemente solves the riddle of a magical power stone in the possession of “la India,” a sorceress who symbolically guards the entryway to the heart of Aztlán, the source of empowerment for the Chicano.
Clemente’s rebirth takes the form of a journey to the magical mountain lake that is at the center of Aztlán and Chicano being. Reborn, Clemente returns to his community to lead the movement for social and economic justice. It is a redeeming and unifying struggle for life and the destiny of a people.
The novel ends with Clemente physically taking a hammer to the Santa Fe water tower in the railroad yard, a symbol of industrial might, before coming home to lead a powerful march on his former employers.
Bibliography
Alurista. “Myth, Identity and Struggle in Three Chicano Novels: Aztlán . . . Anaya, Méndez and Acosta.” In Aztlán: Essays on the Chicano Homeland, edited by Rudolfo A. Anaya and Francisco A. Lomelí. Albuquerque: Academia/El Norte Publications, 1989. Sketches three versions of the myth of Aztlán. Demonstrates the influence of Mexican and Chicano versions of the myth on Heart of Aztlán.
Candelaria, Cordelia. “Rudolfo A. Anaya.” In Dictionary of Literary Biography. Vol. 82. Chicano Writers. Edited by Francisco A. Lomelí and Carl R. Shirley. Detroit: Gale Research, 1982. A somewhat harsh survey of Anaya’s works. Discusses oppressive nature of technology, religion, and capitalism on the Chicano community of Heart of Aztlán.
Lamadrid, Enrique. “The Dynamics of Myth in the Creative Vision of Rudolfo Anaya.” In Pasó por aquí: Critical Essays on the New Mexican Literary Tradition, 1542-1988, edited by Erlinda Gonzales-Berry. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1989. Compares myth in Bless Me, Ultima as a way of understanding the world versus myth in Heart of Aztlán as a way of changing the world.
Márquez, Antonio. “The Achievement of Rudolfo A. Anaya.” In The Magic of Words: Ru-dolfo A. Anaya and His Writings, edited by Paul Vasallo. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1982. Thorough discussion of the trilogy and its critical reception.
Pina, Michael. “The Archaic, Historical and Mythicized Dimensions of Aztlán.” In Aztlán: Essays on the Chicano Homeland, edited by Rudolfo A. Anaya and Francisco A. Lomelí. Albuquerque: Academia/El Norte Publications, 1989. Excellent introduction to the history and meaning of the myth of Aztlán, its importance to Chicano nationalism, and its use in Heart of Aztlán.