er in a Mexican family is treated with dignity, love, and respect1. Mothers are held on a high pedestal. However, the wife in a Mexican family is treated poorly and in an undignified manner. There are many such dualities in the way that Mexicans act. Paz, for instance, touches on the introspective nature of Mexican men and how they hold in their emotions and feelings2. On the other side of things, Mexicans release their emotions at fiestas and let go of themselves for a short while2. These are a few of many examples of how duality prevails through the Mexican way of life.The notion of Fatalism as derived from the indigenous cultures of Mexico is quite different from the North American ideas of death and afterlife. It is sometimes difficult to comprehend such notions with our one-sighted perceptions of death. In Mexico, the elderly are respected for their knowledge and experience in life3. The elderly are considered wise and are turned to for advice3. This differs considerably from the North American treatment of the elderly, as they are frequently considered incompetent and placed in homes for the elderly. Just as the Mexican perceptions of the elderly differ from North American culture, so does the understanding of death itself. The Mexicans believe that the spirit continues after death and that there is no end to a spirit’s presence on earth3. This idea is exemplified by the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead as it is derived from indigenous culture3. On the Day of the Dead, the souls of the dead return to earth to visit the living3. They are lured to the world of the living by sweet smelling flowers and decorations along with ceremony3. The Pre-Columbian idea of death is that there is no end and the customary North American sorrow of the grave is transformed into giving to loved ones; gifts are frequently left for the deceased3. Mexicans do not fear death, rather, they embrace it3. They challenge death...
