Beauty and Betrayal: Finding the Deeper Meaning of Rubi

While searching for Grady electives to take, the class about telenovelas immediately caught my attention. While a lot of people were criticizing me for being interested in that class, I was more than excited to begin. Now, two weeks later, I am even more eager to continue my telenovela education. A class about telenovelas, despite preconceived notions, is not about purely watching a telenovela during each day of class. While that would be fun and relaxing, I would not be gaining the knowledge, not only about telenovelas, but also about the various cultures of Spanish speaking countries, that I have been throughout the past couple of weeks.

At first I was also a little reluctant about what we would be doing and learning in class. However, the past two weeks have opened my mind to not just other cultures’ entertainment, but other cultures’ issues as well. The issues presented in different telenovelas are the same issues occurring in the society of that represented country. Rubí, a Mexican telenovela, reflects some issues that people living in Mexico might have been facing- struggling for money, jobs, and a good education without money.

After watching an episode of Rubí, I have come to realize what we are learning in class is actually what telenovelas are all about. They are full of drama, exaggeration, betrayal, and more. Rubi is a girl that uses her beauty to her advantage with everything. Even after only watching the first episode, I can already tell she uses her beauty to cheat, steal, guilt, and get whatever she wants. However, reality gets in the way, and sometimes life will not be so smooth for Rubi.

I have thoughts about where the plotline is heading. Rubi uses her so-called “best friend” for her money. The episode ended with the best friend’s boyfriend coming to see her, but Rubi looked like she was up to no good. I predict Rubi either uses her best friend to get close to her father for money plus more inappropriate actions, or she steals her “best friend’s” boyfriend away from her.

I am excited to find deeper meanings behind all of the drama and exaggeration. I know it is there, and with more plot development, the deeper meanings will become clearer. Rubi will start to represent various aspects of Mexican culture just as her mother and sister have started to represent the struggles that people living in Mexico have living their daily lives.

This telenovela is taking bigger issues and simplifying them in an easy, entertaining way. Although on the surface, this telenovela might seem like all entertainment and drama with no deeper meaning, I know the deeper meaning will appear.