Week 9- Categories

I would first categorize this book as non-fiction. Townsend is very careful when discussing the aspects of Malintzin's life that are unknown, and in supporting any of her theories and speculation by grounding them in facts and evidence. She places all of her speculation within the context of non-fiction and she never steps over the line to say that something can be undoubtably known about Malintzin when it cannot. 

I would categorize this book under history because it does tell us about many historical events, the arrival of the Spanish, the defeat of the Aztecs, the Spanish rise to power in Mesoamerica and many of their struggles in-between. While reading the book at times, I almost forgot that I was supposedly reading a book about Malintzin, because it was page upon page of facts about the Spanish conquest, or of cultural traditions. Townsend does tie in how the facts about the conquest or of the culture allow the readers a better understanding of the kind of environment that Malintzin may have been living in, and how this in turn would have affected her choices.

I would also call this book a biography, but not in the traditional sense as I feel that there are sorts of mini-biographies scattered throughout the book. The readers get a detailed insight into the life of Cortes during the conquest and afterwards when he returns to Spain, and even what was written in his will. It was also a biography of Malintzin's children, as they each have their own chapter dedicated to them which provides many details on their life and struggles. I feel these three biographies come together within a historical and cultural context in an attempt to create as much of a biography as possible of Malintzin. 

Lastly, I would categorize this book under anthropology. When Townsend is describing what the early life of Malintzin might have been like, she is using what appears to be anthropological evidence of the lives of others that were in a similar position. It is the anthropological evidence that helps Townsend theorize and speculate on the life of Malintzin.