The title “Bien Pretty” implies that the story is about appearance. Throughout the novel, prettiness stands in for confidence and authenticity, while uglyness represents a faked identity. Lupe’s initial attraction to Flavio is because his appearance resembles Aztec images. She does not find him attractive because of his cultural significance, but rather because he is at ease with his Mexican identity. Lupe does not use the word “pretty” until Flavio is gone. Except this. When I stare at myself in a mirror, I find that I’m not attractive. How did I not notice before?” (160). Lupe begins to criticize her appearance, and indirectly, her fake identity. Lupe is forced to reflect on her beliefs, which she has been holding up to that point. This passage is the beginning of a series of reflections that lead Lupe to question her beliefs up until this point in the story.
Throughout the first half, Lupe has a constant dialogue with both her past as she knows it and her imagined ancestral past. “We need to let go and find our past. As the I Ching states, going back to your roots means returning to your destiny,” Lupe tells Flavio. Lupe’s search for authenticity is a result of her reaching back into the past. She brings her past to Texas in the trinkets and sacred texts she brings. Lupe is best understood through her objects. The objects she uses (her grandmother’s mocajete or tapes, copal etc.) reveal her love of Mexican culture. However, many of the objects she uses (the I Ching or Tibetan gongs), as well her references and Tae-Kwon Do and chakras show that her life is multicultural. She states that she wishes to be Mexican. Yet, the objects around her suggest a desire connect with some universal Indigenous wisdom. Lupe is hungry for a connection with her ancient heritage. This hunger is evident in Lupe’s first encounters with Flavio. Even before Lupe finds Flavio attractive or falls in love with her, she’s able to relate his physical characteristics to Aztec images. She describes the “beautiful Tarascan’s face” as that of an Olmec sleeping. Flavio initially appeals to Lupe because he reflects a past she is eager to reconnect with.
Lupe’s definition of prettiness doesn’t simply refer to “good-looking people” but is also subjective. As the narrator of the story, Lupe tells us from the beginning that “prettyness” is conditional. Flavio’s “pretty” was only a conditional state if you loved him (137). As the story progresses, Flavio, at first “just a regular Flavio,” gradually becomes the man Lupe is drawn to in the faces strangers. Lupe has never stated explicitly what she thinks of Flavio. Her affection for him, however, seems to be a result of his confidence and authenticity in Mexican culture. This kind of identity comes from personal experiences and family stories, not through studied knowledge or borrowed wisdom. This type of identity is rooted in family and personal stories, not formal rites or traditions. Flavio’s grandmother gave him the cultural history he has. Lupe often doubts herself when Flavio demonstrates his Mexican authenticity. Lupe appears to be attracted by Flavio’s confidence. And the more that she watches, the more she begins to doubt herself. Self-confidence and prettiness are directly related. Lupe explains early in the episode that it’s all about believing.
Lupe’s life is a mess when Flavio leaves. In his absence she expresses anger, frustration, and even fear. She first blames the situation on love’s inevitable destruction of the world. She declares that love brings chaos to the world, but then she changes her mind and says, “Not so.” It has always been the case that the world turns with a trail behind it of tin-cans rattling. It’s all the same. I don’t like myself when I look in the reflection. How did I not notice before?” (161). She may mean that her chaos post-Flavio was just another example of tins cans rattling like they always have. Perhaps she is simply stating that her material life is the same as it was before Flavio. Ironically, Lupe claims that everything is the same, but for us readers, it’s not.
Lupe is shocked to see that her reflection does not suit her. She is not as pretty as Flavio. Her looks are the same, but she has changed in her ability to reflect on herself. Lupe’s comment that she feels ugly is a sign that she doesn’t feel authentic. Lupe has never mentioned her appearance before in the narrative, which suggests that she’s not been able to take a critical look at herself. Early on, Lupe uses a humorous tone to criticize Isaresma Izaura Coronado and her family for their attempts at decorating the home with an air of authenticity. She makes lists in order to highlight the fact that Isaresma and her husband use symbols and academics to construct their identities, instead of actually living them. Lupe had been reluctant to see herself in the same light until now. Lupe is unable to see herself through the same lens as Flavio. Flavio has a Mexican identity that makes him look beautiful. This passage suggests that she is critical of her attempts to claim her identity by mining the past. She also finds her identity-performance methods ugly and wonders why she didn’t see them sooner.
This passage marks an important turning point in the story. Lupe begins to question her beliefs, which she held throughout the first half. Lupe is left wondering what living means after these events. She starts to live in the moment, to be someone who is responsible for making things happen and not someone to whom they happen. She abandons the concept of yin-yang and her belief that complementary forces are always in pairs. Instead, she interprets amar is vivir as meaning that she can invest love in herself. Six pages later, her self-reflection has changed. She no longer tries to prove her worth by pointing out ancient history. Instead, she focuses on “the present” without thinking about the future or the past. Today. Hurray. Hurray!” (165).
