Under the Feet of Jesus: Comfort in Touch

     The second half of the book had an interesting section pertaining to touch and how it bridges the gap between young and old. Touch as key source of human interaction has been discussed in many other works, but in this book I found that it was human to human contact represents a feeling of comfort that is more important than in other stories. Due to the theme of relocation and trying to recreate a "home" any source of comfort is cherished, no matter how one-sided the comfort is. This idea can be further explored through a gendered lens as people of different genders often react oppositely when exposed to touch, even though the need or want to be touched is identical.
     The first discussion of touch happens when the young twin girls take their father's hands and he immediately recoils (p. 102). Viramontes says that Perfecto "recoiled his hands because he no longer liked the feel of the warm knots of fingers tying into his; but they anchored a hand each anyway, clamping their grasp and laughing" which shows that Perfecto is hesitant to accept the girls' touch. It's as if Perfecto feels disjointed in or a failure to his family and may be undeserving of their comforting touch. However, if he really didn't want to hold their hands, I don't think he would (as he is much stronger and has more authority) but he experiences a measure of calming when they take his hands, as if their little bodies are all that are holding him down to this place.
     The second discussion of this human to human interaction is when Estrella is carrying Perla on her shoulders. Although heavier than she used to be Estrella doesn't mind carrying her sister as it seems she knows she needs that protection. However, the sister appears to hold on tighter than necessary and Estrella says "Let go a little...You're not going to fall" indicating that Estrella will hold up the young girl (and the family) despite the challenges they face (p. 105). In the first scene, the young girls anchor their father, but then Estrella supports the young girls indicating that it is the cycle of healing touch that keeps this family going. It's not always good times and sunshine; and despite the strained relationships among them, without each other no one would have a hand to hold and soothe them.