Gender and Sexuality

As Melchor explores many social issues in her novel, the discourse on gender and sexuality is immensely important to understanding the Witch and her story. One issue related to gender and sexuality is the rampant misogyny that defines La Matosa as a setting. Upon her introduction, the Witch's mother is labeled as an “evil skank” (12) for her relationship with Manolo. This idea of evil is in connection to women and their bodies, as sex is not something women can have without judgement. Munra elaborates on this idea when he says women, “take a few drops of their skanky blood and slip it in your drink.. and then you’re well and truly cuntstruck” (72). The language reflects an insecurity that women can use sex to gain control, and La Matosa is a town where women are expected to act only in passive roles. Thus, characters...