the art of Tamayo. Many of his works are mysterious and illustrate a concealed face or human form3. He expresses how the Mexican way of life is often concealed and how the people tend to be introspective3. There are many examples of the mask in Mexican culture. One is expressed in the manner in which men act toward women1. As in many aspects of Mexican life, men fear deception and betrayal by women1. In order to avoid being hurt in such a case, men tend to not be expressive toward wives or other women. They do not readily express love or emotion to loved ones because they don’t want to become vulnerable2. Mexicans shut themselves out in order to protect themselves; without expression of feeling, nobody can get within the person to cause pain2. Paz introduces his essay by stating that the Mexican “seems to me to be a person who shuts himself away to protect himself: his face is a mask and so is his smile .” This is accepted in the culture for one who opens himself up is a coward and is weak2. The mask is considered justifiable considering Mexican history and the society that has been created2. Mexicans have a history of betrayal by foreign countries and close neighbors. They have been defeated time and time again by different powers. Therefore a defense must be put up to prevent a recurrence, and Mexicans accomplish this through the mask. They close themselves off and avoid any vulnerability. Almost anything can hurt a Mexican, as is exemplified by the mask of the language. The Mexican language is masked and discreet and often quite intricate. The language takes the form of a mask1. For example, different words of similar technical meaning can be quite different in their representation1. Subtle changes in the use of words or form of expression can make a difference in how a person is understood. A simple, courteous expression can turn into an insulting slander with the change of one word. Therefore...
