Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz

Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz as a nun in the convent

There have been many heroes, from different places in the world, that have changed our lives. Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, a Mexican nun that lived hundreds of years ago, is one of the most important heroes in Mexico. She did a lot of things to benefit other people, especially women. Behind her veil, and under her long gown, there was a very special woman.

Juana Ines Ramirez, known as Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, was born in San Miguel De Nepantla, near Amecameca, which is the state of Mexico today, on November 12, 1651. She was a great lover of literature, and learned Latin before she was ten years old. During her lifetime, it was very hard to send a girl to school. However, because of her intelligence, Juana was in the waiting line to be the viceroy's wife in 1664. Juana didn't like life in the palace, and so she decided to become a nun, in order to be free and spread her knowledge. Being a nun enabled her to write a lot of books, and to make her own library.

Once in the convent, she was called Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, and she started to write a lot of texts, and other writings against Spanish domination of Mexico. During that time, the church had become very powerful, and asked Sor Juana to stop writing. If she didn't stop, she was going to get in trouble. In response to that warning, she wrote a letter in which she defended a woman's right to any education she desired. Around 1693, she decided to stop writing, rather than put her life at risk. Also, she was forced to sell all of her books, an extensive library of 4,000 volumes, as well as her musical and scientific instruments. In April 1695, plague hit the convent with great loss of life. Unfortunately, Sor Juana contracted the disease, and died at 4:00 am on April 17, 1695.

Sor Juana is not only important for Mexicans, but for all women, because she tried to get equality for both men and women. Even though it was very hard for one woman to do it all alone, she never gave up. All of the books, poems, texts, and other writings, show her efforts to try to get equal rights for women. Because her books still exist, her name will never be forgotten, and her image appears on the Mexican 200-pesos bill. Today, her writings form part of the finest literature in Mexico.

In conclusion, all the heroes that have existed around the world have changed our lives. Sometimes these changes have made our lives better, but sometimes the effort of trying to get better conditions for people fades away. We should never forget all the people that once tried to get better things for the people, even if they failed. The efforts of these people made the very tiny changes that make our lives a bit better.