Classifying Malintzin’s Choices

I think this week’s prompt is an interesting question. While reading Malintzin’s Choices I was always asking myself, “When is Camilla Townsend going to talk about Malintzin?” During our class discussions I thought I was reading the wrong book. Originally, I was led to believe this would be a biography about a native woman named Malintzin because of the title, however after reading I do not believe this is a biography about her. I would classify this as historical non-fiction. Although I do believe one could make the argument that Townsend’s book is a biography, but it is biography about Cortés’ life.

I would classify Townsend’s book as historical non-fiction about Spanish history, Mexican history, as well as a history about the Conquest because she follows Cortés to describe the events of the Spanish conquest. She follows the Spanish from their arrival and continues to discuss the struggles they faced in the “New World.” I would also argue that she reiterates Restall’s arguments while giving the history of the Spanish conquest. Townsend mentions that the Spanish had help from allies and were outnumbered, they used the help from translators in order to communicate, they did not completely take over Mesoamerica, the natives did not think they were gods, etc.

Finally, I would argue that Townsend’s book is more of a biography about Cortés' life rather than Malintzin because she follows him more; from his arrival of in Mesoamerica to his death. She also gives details about his children in the last two chapters. When she does mention Malintzin she knows little of her. We know Malintzin did exist and she did help Cortés, but how much do we really know about her. Most of Townsend’s details are either speculations, a guess, or she states that “we will never know.” She also uses words like “she may have…,” “it is possible…,” or “presumably.” On pages 135, 136, 138, 139, 140, 143, 144, 148, 149, 150, 151, 153, 155, 159, 161, 163, 166, 168, 170, 184, 185, 194, 195, 199, and 200 Townsend shows some sort of speculation, possibility, doubt, or states “we will never know.” This is only from the second half of our reading; I did not underline words of doubt in the first half.

I think Townsend did a nice job in attempting to make a biography about Malintzin but she did a better job describing the history of the Spanish Conquest of Mesoamerica through Cortés.