Malinzin's choices versus position

Reading Malintzin's Choices I was able to understand a story that I knew in a different light. I had some basic understanding of Cortes's march towards Tenochtitlan and his ultimate conquering of the Mexica area and I was aware of Marina who acted as a translator for the invading Spaniards. What Townsend contributed to my understanding of Marina/Malintzin is that she had more agency, and by association power, than other histories might portray.

Malintzin did have power according to Townsend, in fact she occupied a position of respect with regard to the Spaniards. She asserts that the Spaniards knew that the position she occupied made their actions possible, and that she contributed towards their end goals. As much as she was respected by the Spaniards, she was also respected by the people that they were coming in contact with who saw her not as one of them but possibly above them. So it seems that she actually occupies a position in what is a "no woman's land", that she really didn't belong within any group she was in contact with.

Townsend's close reading of her sources gives her the opportunity to portray Malintzin as a strong woman who contributed to the Spanish conquest. At the same time she provides Malintzin with agency she also makes it clear that she had very little agency in the beginning of her journey to leave the Spanish and return to her home. Townsend also provides us with some interesting questions that she strives to answer, such as the possibility that Malintzin actually enjoyed her elevated position, and the idea of returning to her home and slavery was not something that she wished to do. The result of her return would have been a significant reduction in status, which was not a choice that she would have readily accepted.

While Townsend must make many assumptions from the lack of documentation I believe that she manages it well. She is clear about when she is speculating about what happened which I feel provides a feeling of honesty. She also makes clear the lack of documentation or in fact, the Europeanization of the available resources makes close reading very important. Overall, I accept the story she has written about Malintzin at face value and feel that it is the best that we can hope for with what there is to work with.