George Washington Gómez: A Mexicotexan Novel

At the close of the novel, Guálinto, who has displayed a track record of acting on half-measures and half-commitments throughout his life, ends up accordingly fulfilling only half of his father’s and uncle’s wish: he has become educated, but he will not help his people. Instead, Guálinto follows in the footsteps of Don Santos, the Osunas, and Martin Goodnam: He becomes an opportunist, embracing both sides of his bicultural identity but only as far as their various qualities will serve him.

His marriage to Ellen Dell, the daughter of a rinche, represents one of the lasting effects of his education: Having been given some of the strongest support by his teachers post-Miss Cornelia, all of whom were white women, he ends up marrying a white woman after leaving Jonesville. Signaling his low regard for his family’s opinions on or approval of his affairs, Guálinto even goes so far as to marry Ellen without first introducing her to his family. His own encounter with Ellen’s father—who left the Rangers because he disapproved of the violence they committed but still agrees with their racist view of Tejanos—is cool, but the old Ranger does not speak out against their union, with the book commenting that “he was civil enough though not very communicative” (284).

One of the only comments Ellen’s father makes to Guálinto is to ridicule his name for its bicultural origin when Guálinto introduces himself as “George Washington Gómez.” The father responds, “You look white but you’re a goddam Meskin. And what does your mother do but give you a n***** name. George Washington Go-maize” (284). Rather than defend himself, Guálinto decides in this moment to “legally change his name to George G. Gómez, the middle G for García, his mother’s maiden name” (284). This change further signifies his embrace of what the Jonesville folks would call his “Spaniard” identity, but also goes directly against his Mexican heritage as the order of names is incorrect—whereas the traditional full Spanish name lists as given name, father’s surname, mother’s surname, Guálinto changes the order so his mother’s surname is listed first like a “middle name,” playing into the Anglo structure in which the most prominent surname is listed last.

Guálinto’s reunion with Elodia and the rest of his childhood friends serves as the climax of the novel, with Guálinto given one final chance to embrace his Tejano heritage and fulfill the other half of his father’s and uncle’s wishes. The stage is set much like the one other time he bravely defended his heritage—he is with Elodia, Antonio and Orestes (the three friends he previously defended in Harlanburg) as well as El Colorado, La Gata, and many of his other Tejano friends who supported him over the years. The name of the restaurant itself, La Casita Mexicana, is a play on the offending restaurant in Harlanburg, La Casa Mexicana, and is implied in Elodia’s speech to have overtaken the Harlanburg establishment in popularity. Not only are his friends and community there to support him once again, but they have also clearly been fighting the good fight while he has been away in Washington.

Elodia’s leadership of the committee even shows that Guálinto’s own generation of Tejanos has begun deconstruction of the sexism of Feliciano and María’s generation. However, Guálinto is so far gone by this point, locked into his “Spaniard” identity, that all these accomplishments and advantages are lost on him. He harshly ridicules Elodia in particular, sees the naming of the restaurant as an act of petty bitterness, and he dismisses his entire community as incapable of lifting themselves up, despite all evidence to the contrary, due to his own established racism whose power is made clear in his later conversation with Feliciano.

An additionally interesting point brought up in the meeting is the committee’s goal of electing Miguel Osuna—María Elena’s brother—as the mayor of Jonesville, replacing the city’s incumbent white mayor. Miguel has not factored heavily in the novel save for the scene in Part 3, Chapter 5, in which he and Guálinto fight and are sent to the principal’s office. In that previous scene, the principal, Mr. Baggley, is prepared to place all of the blame for the fight on Guálinto without any measure of due process, but Miguel chooses to speak up and accept responsibility. While Miguel is an Osuna, and he has therefore grown up under the “Spaniard” influence of Don Onofre, his decision displays a willingness to set aside the advantages of that position in favor of justice. By becoming the committee’s champion in the political fight for the mayoral office, it is hinted that Miguel has grown even more since his school days, following a mirror-image path from Guálinto’s own and leaving behind his “Spaniard” identity to support his fellow “Mexicotexans.” Guálinto, blinded by his continued bitterness towards María Elena and the Osuna family as he once knew it, refuses to support Miguel on a personal level.

Feliciano’s final encounter with Guálinto shows what has come of the former sedicioso and the Gómez family as a whole. Feliciano has escaped the worst of La Chilla by investing more into his farm, having convinced the county to connect it to the roads and leaning on Juan Rubio to help him work the land. He no longer lives with María, as Carmen has volunteered to care for his sister, and he implies that Maruca will be left out of his will not because of any hard feelings on his part, but because she would not want anything from the family. The will itself becomes a way for Feliciano to explain his current relationships with the family. Maruca will not receive anything, nor will Guálinto. María will inherit half of the farm, to be passed on to Carmen when she dies. The other half will go to Juan Rubio, “who has been like a son to me these past few years. With the understanding that he will continue to work both parts of the farm. Or buy Carmen’s part if she so wishes” (301).

Guálinto’s omission from the will is a particularly harsh stab. Feliciano complains Guálinto never stays home for long in his visits and wishes to leave his entire “Mexicotexan” identity behind. Guálinto even refuses to teach his child Spanish and plans to raise them far away from the border—implying given the shade of his own skin and his status as a spy that the child will essentially grow up as close to white as possible. While Feliciano is rightfully upset with his nephew, he commits his own failure when he places all the blame for Guálinto’s upbringing on Gumersindo. In so doing, Feliciano makes himself something like his old neighbor Santiago—a representative or executor of the will of others, rather than a supportive force in their actions.