"The Tree" tells the story of two women from different social backgrounds: Marta, economically well placed, and Luisa, an Indian. Luisa, a lower-class woman, arrives at Marta's house, fleeing a violent husband from whom, despite his mistreatment, she cannot free herself. Marta welcomes her reluctantly and takes care of her with arrogance and contempt. The way the author describes Marta's thoughts about the indigenous woman shows the discrimination against her and the way she looks down on her. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In one passage in the story, Marta even dehumanizes Luisa, when she asks, “Can she be human?” and when she affirms that “the Indians resembled animals more than men. “Marta is complicit in the patriarchal system in the way she treats Luisa. She does not consider indigenous women as her equals. Throughout the story, Marta holds power and uses it against Luisa. She insults the native woman and is also ready to use violence to demonstrate her power over her. Additionally, Marta always questions Luisa and her stories until Luisa uses fear against Marta. Marta does not want to believe that the person she welcomed into her home, offering her food and shelter, could harm her and is therefore torn between the fear she feels and the security that her social class offers her. Marta welcomes Luisa reluctantly and takes care of her with arrogance and contempt. Luisa gradually tells her about the period of her life in prison to relieve her guilt and provokes a reaction of fear in Marta. This period was, according to her own testimony, the happiest of her life, because she felt safe there, had enough food and enjoyed the cultural activities organized to entertain the inmates. This is why she carries in her purse the knife with which she stabbed her first victim and which she considers to be the key that will bring her back to the only place where she felt integrated and for which she is ready to give up to his freedom. At the end of the story, the victim, Luisa, becomes the victim. Throughout the writing, readers clearly understand how Luisa is insulted and rejected by Marta. Therefore, Luisa's actions can ultimately be explained by how she has been treated and marginalized her entire life. When Luisa could no longer bear the burden of her sins, she went to relieve herself for four hours near a tree, which subsequently dried up; this is exactly what happened to Marta, who, after telling her everything in the same amount of time, killed her, because what the Indian woman was looking for was to be locked up again, because that she was happy in prison – where she had access to water, food, work, friends and health care. All Luisa wanted was to have a decent life – something she only experienced in prison – and, in this case, her final action would free her from her marginalized life outside of prison, even if it cost Marta her life..