Literary Analysis: "The Cuban Swimmer"

Introduction

The Cuban Swimmer is a play by Milcha Sanchez-Scott that brings out both personal and social struggles faced by Cuban immigrants in the US. The setting and the plot of the play are very symbolic concerning the Cuban nation and the events that took place during the 1980s. The ideology of Marxism in literary analysis asserts that most if not all texts that are considered to be amongst great literary works can be used to reconstruct history and create an idea of the author’s understanding of social, cultural and political environment even if they are clearly termed as fiction. There are various aspects of the author’s imagination that are relevant to the specific context of the time constructing the work in question. This means that it is possible to relate the story of The Cuban Swimmer with the precise aspects of Cuban American history in the 1980s and, possibly, even beyond that time period. In order to understand this, the paper relies on Marxist literary criticism to examine the social aspects of the play, The Cuban Swimmer, that still resonate with the current audience.

The Main Character

Margarita Suarez is a Cuban American girl who is on the verge of adulthood. At 19 years of age, Margarita is generally expected to have defined herself regardless of being multi-cultured as a Cuban American girl. It can be noted that in the 1980s Cuba was going through a critical time considering the turbulent relations with the U.S. (Randall 121). Fidel Castro was encouraging Cubans to leave their homeland and seek for asylum elsewhere and, at the time, the U.S. was willing to accept that many immigrants considering the situation in Cuba. Moreover, while most of the Cubans were leaving their country voluntarily, it can be noted that they were not fully comfortable with having to go to a foreign land and leaving their home behind. They were certainly torn in terms of their identity since they were something between refugees and usual immigrants. Like Margarita Suarez, these Cuban immigrants were at the point in their lives when they needed some definitions regarding who they were. Their Cuban roots had just been disturbed by their own leader and they were uncertain about their position in the U.S., especially considering that the American government was revising the immigration policies that led to deportation of Cubans who were found in the U.S waters.. In the play, it can be noted that the age and the mind frame of the main character represent the status of the entire Cuban American population in the 1980s (Kirszner and Mandel 1734). These were people who had just been compelled to leave their homes, thus they had to find their way in a new society and forge a new identity for their own survival just like a child venturing into young adulthood.

Swimming from Long Beach to Catalina Island

Margarita Suarez participated in a competition swimming from Long Beach to Catalina Island. In the historical context, Cubans were coming by boat from the Cuban coast to the American one. However, once they crossed the U.S. border, they had to struggle to maintain their identity as a people and this can be considered to be similar to swimming against the tide (Mennell 89). One of the greatest advantages of leaving Cuba behind was being able to enjoy the peace and prosperity that had a potential on the U.S. soil. In Cuba, hope, at that time, was long gone. The main challenge to Cuban Americans in the 1980s was to remain Cuban as part of their cultural identity (Kirszner and Mandel 1736). Cuba reminded them of many unsavory things that they hoped to leave behind, but forgetting their home would have implied losing their identity. The contest taken by Margarita Suarez in this play is thus an indication of the struggles to remain Cuban despite the need to let go of the past and its monsters. Margarita struggles with fatigue, distractions and, at some point, she also loses confidence in her abilities but, in the end, she manages to find the strength to win the race. This embodies the hope that keeps Cuban Americans focused despite the political challenges at home.

Being Under Water/Drowning

Coming from one culture and trying to fit into another can be overwhelming and, in most cases, people feel like they cannot make it. They try to do what they can in order to cope and, sometimes, they are seen as failures for a while. In the play, Margarita decides to go underwater in order to clear her mind and focus on her goals since there are too many distractions from her family and the news helicopters. She needs to do things her way if she is to deal with the situation effectively and win the swimming contest. When she goes underwater, it can be noted that everyone thinks she has drowned. Similarly, Cuban Americans had to try and cope with the new culture which, in some cases, entailed losing their way entirely and redefining what they were doing and what they wanted their future to be like. Some of them became more Americanized and others remained as Cuban as they could be in order to deal with the changes successfully. Basically, the writer in this play highlights the fact that people use different mechanisms to adjust to a new cultural setting with a new set of expectations and values to live with. And while the rest of the world may see them as having lost their way, there is always a chance that they will eventually find their way back. This part of the plot may have been a subconscious attempt of explaining the waywardness of the Cuban American populace in the U.S. at the time.

Winning

Right from the beginning, this play is prepared for a happy conclusion as it is consistent with most immigrant stories of that time. The hope and faith in the American dream was still very much alive and most of the authors were convinced that with hard work, even a Cuban American girl can make a name for herself and become successful in the land of opportunities. Historically, Cuban people in the U.S. were hoping that Fidel Castro would resolve the situation at home and that they would be able to return to a happy and prosperous Cuba (Randall 128). Some of the people who managed to cross the border had left their family members behind. Fidel Castro was very selective of the people that were allowed to leave and many others had to be smuggled out. Cuban Americans were thus trying to be hopeful that they would get to see their families and friends again either at home or in the U.S. They were not ready to give up hope and this play has a significant role in reminding them to maintain positive thinking.

Conclusion

From a Marxist perspective, it can be appreciated that The Cuban Swimmer carefully and accurately embodies the spirit of Cuban American people during the 1980s and beyond as they left their home and struggled to fit into American culture while still holding a hope for a better tomorrow in Cuba. The story is very touching as it is, but within the historical context, it is rather sad and deep as it provides some very clear insights into the plight of the Cuban American population of that time. The author uses the play to narrate social, political, and cultural fears, hopes, and dreams of Cuban American immigrants.