La Llorona: A Glimpse into the Representation of Women in Myth and Media

The story of La Llorona has been passed down from generation to generation in different Hispanic communities, often used as a ghost story to keep children from misbehaving. There are many versions of her origin, but the main story is about a woman who is having issues with her husband, where he is either cheating on her or she is jealous of the attention he gives to their children. She then ends up drowning her children, either on accident or on purpose, and is left to haunt the woods in search of other children to replace the ones she lost. The story changes depending on who is telling it, but the woman can often be viewed as either lonely and mistreated or jealous and mentally unstable. Most stories tend to lean towards the latter, bringing forth the issue of the misrepresentation of, specifically, Latin women in popular media. This view of La Llorona perpetuates the misogynistic idea that women are quick to overreact and make rash decisions. Looking at the different ways that La Lorona is depicted and who is telling these stories can help show the underlying meaning and consequences of this popular horror story