Born in Bolivia in 1958, Virginia Ayllόn studied lit- erature and sociology at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés. Although she considers herself a literary critic and essayist, her preferred form of writing is the nar- rative. She writes a regular column for the magazine Sopocachi, has published several articles in newspapers and magazines in Bolivia, and is coauthor of two bib- liographic works, one concerning Bolivian women from 1986 to 1992, and the other dealing with the history of Bolivian cities.

Ayllόn's most recent publication, Búsquedas, a collection of short stories and
poetry, is an effort that reflects her search for self. The book's thematic con-
tent revolves around women, because, says Ayllόn, "I am a woman. I am
convinced that because women's existence in society varies so dramatically
from men's, that the literature we produce is very different from what men
produce: neither inferior nor superior, simply different. I grew up reading
women's literature, especially narrative, and it has greatly influenced me."

Ayllόn's stories often reflect urban life and the daily dramas that unfold in
the cities, with particular attention paid to women. Her story "Prayer to the
Goddesses" deals with the situation of poor women living in large Bolivian
cities. Although the protagonist's ethnicity is not identified, she is most likely
a chola, a woman of mixed heritage, judging by her laments to indigenous
goddesses. A woman of very humble circumstances who must work at what-
ever is available to her, she believes she has complied with all of society's
rules, and she is unable to comprehend why she has been completely aban-
doned by all the higher powers she was taught to believe should protect her.

Violence against women, with its many manifestations, is the central
theme of Ayllόn's story, which portrays a system that cannot protect or pro-
vide for its weaker members, who are abused not only by their own gov-
ernment, but also by the men who are closest to them. The protagonist of
the story breaks with the usual silence surrounding women of her circum-
stances, but her cries for help are in vain: she is forced into the ultimate
form of subjugation in order to survive. Ayllόn says that one of her principal

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