Evita by evita

This report is based upon the book Evita by Evita, Eva Duarte Perón Tells Her Own Story first published as La Razon de mi Vida 1953, written by Eva Duarte Perón. London: Proteus Publishing Books, 1978, Pp 211.Copyright by Juan Domingo Perón 1953.

Maria Eva Duarte Perón was the first lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952.  Even though she did not hold any official governmentpositions, during her husband’s presidency, she became a charismatic leader bearing the name of “abanderada de los descamisados” or “standard-bearer of the shirt-less ones”. Eva Duarte was and still remains a controversial figure. However “Evita” became a cultural icon of Argentina socio-political history.

Evita by Evita is a memoir she wrote during the last stage of her illness. It hasthe   intention to be the legacy of the ideas and policies of Juan Domingo Perón. The book allows Maria Eva Duarte to explain how she became the connection between the “people” and their “leader” (Perón). Foremost, Eva wrote the memoir as a tool to reinforce her identity as “Evita”.  In the memoir, she does not talk about her upraising at the contrary; it appears as she intends deliberated tocenter the attention in her mission as Perón’s wife and as Evita. It is inferred that she was reborn into this new character of “Evita”. The name Evita represents a symbolic power, which emphasis her cause. Symbolic power as notes by Bordieu is:
A power of constituting the given through utterances, of making people see and believe, of confirming or transforming the vision of the world and,thereby, action on the world, and thus the world itself, an almost magical power which enables one to obtain the equivalent of what is obtained through force (whether physical or economic), by virtue of the specific effect of mobilization (Bourdieu 170). 
 Evita utilized this power, aided by the mechanisms she had, her youth, her histrionic capabilities and her voice, which she utilized in radioaddresses to reach the workers' class and mobilized them. Ironically the oligarchs try to alienate her because of her modest upbringing. These pitfalls eventually assist her in her goal of relating to the people, such as: only completing elementary school, being an illegitimate child and her dubious life as an actress. All was forgotten, once she identifies to the people (her people) as one ofthem. Her background proved to be an asset, which she utilized to divide, and conquer in her memoir; and thus, reinforce the policies of Perón.
Evita primary resource in connecting to the people is the use of an emotional inflection, in the book Evita by Evita the word “feel” appears at least once in every chapter, as she appeals more to the people sentiments, than to their reason. The book isdivided in three parts: The Causes of my Mission, The Workers and my Mission, and The Woman and my Mission. In each part Perón, her husband is the predominant figure, he is who receives the credit for all the social projects including: The Eva Perón Foundation, the Feminist Party and the Women’s rights to vote. Additionally, the book contains a religious connotation, for example: ‘They saw him andbelieved” (22) in reference to Perón or, “To you, I entrust my workers” (28) when Perón is in prison and asked her to become the leader of “his workers”. Nevertheless, the most prevalent overtone is: “God chose me from among so many and put me in this position close to the leader of a new world: Perón” (205) this religious tone serves to convey to the people a messianic message.
Messianicmessage is part of what anthropologist identified as “revitalization movement,” which according to Anthony Wallace is,” A deliberate, organized, conscious effort by members of a society to construct a more satisfying culture”(Wallace 265). The conception of being a messianic leader is vital on the revitalization movements and either Evita or Perón are viewed or created as saviors to the masses....