Key quotes Flashcards
“The women here live longer than the men.”
Represents how the life expectancy in La Mancha is one of the highest in Spain (86 years for women and 80 years for men)
“Las mujeres aquí viven más que los hombres” - Raimunda
“I’ve brought myself some crumbly cookies from town which melt in your mouth.”
Represents the rich gastronomy of Madrid
“Me he traído del pueblo unos mantecados que se deshacen en el paladar.” - Ines, vecina del pueblo
“Agustina has cancer, you have cancer, Agustina, a huge round of applause for Agustina.”
Represents the popularity of trash TV and how ordinary people would go on daytime talk shows to reveal (embarrassing) secrets as entertainment (Agustina went on the show to find her mother but instead was embarrassed by the host)
“Agustina tiene cáncer, tienes cáncer, Agustina, venga un fuerte aplauso para Agustina.” - Presentadora
“Mum, is it true that Agustina comes to tidy her own grave?”
“Yes, here it is customary.”
Represents the Manchegan tradition of cleaning graves, even going so far as to clean and maintain your own grave. This is seen as normal by the natives (Sole and Raimunda who grew up in La Mancha) but for the modern urban generation (Paula who grew up in the city) they see it as strange and morbid
“¿Mamá, es verdad que Agustina viene a arreglar su propia tumba?” - Paula
“Sí, aquí es costumbre.” - Raimunda
“She speaks about our mum as if she was still alive.”
“It’s because for her, she hasn’t died.”
Talking about Tia Paula; represents how people think about superstitions and also the fact that Irene was never actually dead
“Habla de nuestra madre como si todavia estuviera viva.” - Sole
“Es que para ella no ha muerto.” - Agustina
“It was her spirit who warned you!”
Talking about Irene’s spirit alerting Agustina of Tia Paula’s death; represents how people believe strongly in superstitions and ghosts
¡Fue su espiritu quien te avisó! - Vecina
“Look Mundita, I thank you for your trust, but my life is already complicated enough… I don’t have a job, I don’t have papers, I have to work on the street to survive…”
Regina represents undocumented Cuban immigrants who travelled to Madrid for a better life, however she is unable to get a job due to having no papers and therefore she works on the street as a prostitute
“Mira Mundita, yo te agradezco la confianza, pero mi vida ya está bastante complicada… no tengo trabajo, no tengo papeles, tengo que hacer la calle para sobrevivir…” - Regina
“Raimunda, my mother… was involved with your father.”
Agustina reveals that her mother and Raimunda’s father were having an affair
“Raimunda, mi madre… estaba liada con tu padre.” - Agustina
“In my town there are many fires due to the East winds.”
References the prominence of strong winds and forest fires in La Mancha
“En mi pueblo hay muchos incendios, por el viento solano.” - Agustina
“It’s the East wind that drives people crazy.”
References the strong winds and superstition in La Mancha
“Es el viento solano que vuelve loca a la gente.” - Raimunda
“Agustina’s town is the marvellous town of Alcanfor de la Infantas, a town which, according to statistics, has the highest rates of madness per inhabitant.”
Represents the superstitious beliefs of Manchegans, and how others may see their traditions as crazy or strange
“El pueblo de Agustina es la maravillosa localidad de Alcanfor de las lnfantas, un pueblo que, según las estadísticas, posee el mayor índice de locura por habitante.” - Presentadora
“Women’s stuff.”
Represents the importance of the theme of womanhood. Raimunda is able to hide the fact that she was cleaning Paco’s bloody body by brushing off the blood on her neck as being from her period
“Cosas de mujeres.” - Raimunda
“Paula, remember it was me who killed him and you didn’t see him because you were on the street.”
Represents Raimunda’s selflessness as she immediately devises a plan to cover for Paula and take the blame for Paco’s death if they were to be caught
“Paula, recuerda que fui yo quien lo mató y que tú no lo viste porque estabas en la calle.” - Raimunda
“Hey, with your cleavage and my mojitos we can make gold.”
Represents Raimunda’s beauty and attractiveness as a typical Mediterranean woman
“Oye, con tu escote y mis mojitos podemos hacernos de oro.” - Regina
“Suddenly Dad threw himself on me… He was drunk…”
Paula reveals how Paco tried to sexually assault her
“De pronto papá se me echó encima… estaba borracho…” - Paula
