Furia

Méndez creates a rich backdrop for Camila’s story by setting the narrative in modern-day Rosario. As an Argentine American who was raised in Argentina, Méndez offers an insider’s perspective of the culture and community yet is able to mark the contrasts between Argentinian culture and American culture to show her readers the qualities that make the Argentinian people unique.

The setting comes alive through Méndez’s use of specific street names, park names, and landmarks. Méndez grew up in barrio 7 de Septiembre, the same in which Camila lives in the novel. Within Camila’s barrio, Méndez characterizes the neighbors as nosy yet also conveys a sense of closeness in the neighborhood. Camila and Diego know the neighborhood kids by name, and although gossip runs rampant, the community gathers at the end of the novel to see Camila off to the United States. Descriptions of Camila’s neighborhood and the surrounding city of Rosario provide a rich sense of place for the events of the novel and give the reader a taste of the communal atmosphere in Argentina.

Méndez also peppers the narrative with subtle references to aspects of the culture such as food, physical touch, and language. Camila’s mother makes several cultural dishes such as milanesas (fried breaded steak) and fugazza con queso (Argentinian focaccia). Pastries, called facturas, also feature as a staple item in Argentinian culture. Diego and Camila stop at a bakery a few times, and Camila’s mother shares facturas with Camila at home. Finally, perhaps the most commonly mentioned aspect of Argentinian food culture in the novel is mate, a tea made from dried leaves. Making and sharing mate is a common social practice in Argentina and other South American countries, much like drinking coffee in the United States. Along with mentions of cultural food and drink, Mendez also describes the Argentinian practice of greeting a friend with a kiss on the cheek. Although this would be considered an intimate gesture in some cultures, for Argentinians, it is a normal salutation. Physical touch is mentioned a few other places in the novel as Camila touches Diego’s arm, hair, and neck in a casual way. Although these instances of physical touch serve to heighten the sexual tension between the couple, Méndez also uses them to show the commonality of physical closeness in the culture. Finally, Méndez includes many Spanish words throughout the narrative to incorporate the national language into her narrative. Food, physical touch, and language contribute to the novel’s setting and educate readers on the practices and foods of Argentina.

On a more serious note, Méndez also depicts the dangers of life in Rosario because of the crime and poverty present there. Fear of theft and kidnapping is shown to be an ever-present concern for Camila. As a young woman, she is especially vulnerable. Anything of value, such as Camila’s expensive phone or Diego’s BMW, is shown to be target for thieves, and posters of missing girls fill the walls at the bus stop. The kidnapping and murder of Eda is a sobering example of the all-too-common rapes, kidnappings, and killings in the community. Sadly, many people, such as Camila’s father, blame the victim for “running with the wrong crowd” (305). However, Méndez shows that many people are fighting against this mentality. Camila marches with her team to demand justice for Eda, emphasizing the changing societal mentality surrounding the dangers and injustice present in the community.