Much of Denise Chávez's work is concerned with the lives of Chicana women and the paths they take to define a sense of self. Chávez attributes her interest in female characters to her childhood: “I grew up in a house of women. That is why I often write about women, women who are without men” (“Heat and Rain” 27). The absence of men in her female characters' lives allows the women to establish an identity free from masculine control, thus making Chávez a “voice for women” (Ikas 54).
The second of three daughters, Denise Chávez was born on August 15, 1948 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to Delfina Rede and Epifanio Chávez. She was raised by her mother after her father left the family when Denise was still a young girl (Ikas). She continues to reside in her place of birth with her
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Citation: Herrera, Cristina. "Denise Chávez". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 January 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=11677, accessed 24 November 2024.]
