Blog for Week of March 17th

 Before this week, I had only vaguely heard of Eva Perón. However, after learning about Argentina and Juan Perón, and reading Tomás Eloy Martínez's book Santa Evita, I am surprised I had never heard more about her. I think it's really odd how someone as influential as Eva isn't really talked about in American schools. The way that millions of people showed up after her death to show their support, give flowers, and mourn out of respect isn't really seen in the United States or many other places around the world. I was taken aback by the sheer numbers in some of the pictures of the Argentine crowds after Eva Perón's death. In my opinion, the reason why Eva was so revered in Argentina is because she always kept others in mind. Whether Eva was participating in radio acting, running her own foundation, creating a school of nursing, or serving as an active first lady, she was always ready to get involved and make a difference. This idea can be reflected in the book, Santa Evita, as well. The symbols of flowers and candles constantly reappearing next to Eva's casket portrays almost a necessity to repay respect back to her. Although the way in which the embalmer and the Colonel obsessed over Eva's corpse was horrific, there was still an understanding that Eva was an impactful leader in Argentine history.

Comments

  1. Professor StarkMarch 22, 2022 at 8:17 AM

    Thank you, Ben, for the blog. I agree that we should learn more about the world outside of the U.S. in history classes. Sadly, this won't change anytime soon. Teachers in K-12 have a strict curriculum they need to follow that accounts for about 85% of what they teach. The rest is up to them and allows very little time for teachers to discuss subjects like this.

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