Jeanette Rodriguez and Richard Rodriguez both had detailed view on the meaning of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and its meaning to Mexican Americans. Jeanette described it as an image for the people (Mexican Americans). She repeatedly referred to the "popular religiosity" when talking about the culture of religion that evolved over time through the Virgin of Guadalupe. It seemed to evolve from Juan Diego's encounter with Guadalupe. "In his encounter with the religious powers of the time, he is the protagonist, representing all who are marginalized" (Rodriguez 352). The sighting reflects onto the popular religiosity's view on their position with the institutionalized church. The Virgin of Guadalupe gave the people the religious pride they needed to come together and form the popular religiosity.
Richard Rodriguez had a different idea about the Virgin of Guadalupe. He doesn't think that the Virgin is a good thing at all for Mexican's. Rodriguez believes that the Virgin is a direct influence of Spain and the conquistadors. He believes that Mexicans, and the original Native Americans that were conquered, absorbed the Spanish religion so much that they created their own. However, that new culture is "under the tutelage of a curious Indian whore" (Rodriguez 368). In Richard's eyes, the Indians who became today's Mexicans completely absorbed the Spanish tradition so much that they are in fact Spanish. There is a museum of Spain where all that is pictured and displayed is Indians. No conquistadores or anything. That would be the more correct image, but being that it's Indians means that the Indians and Mexicans of today are actually Spanish. Richard doesn't believe in this and is not a fan of the absorption of the Spanish culture through the Virgin of Guadalupe. In his mind, the Virgin is the cause of it all, after Juan Diego told his story to the Spanish.
To compare the two points of view, you really have to dig deep into what they are saying in the readings.
