La Monja Alferez & the Casta painting

This excerpt from Catalina de Erauso's memoir was indeed fascinating.
The one question I kept having while reading the text was "What is she looking for?" De Erauso fled the convent and headed out into the world not knowing where exactly to go. But as she makes her way around northern Spain, she doesn't settle in one spot, nor does she give an explanation as to the motive behind her restlessness. She also seems to be "looking" for trouble. To me, it seems that she was trying to prove her fierceness and mercilessness as a protest, revenge even, to her parents forcing her to a chaste, religious and quiet life as a nun. Of course, she is not completely without morals as she does feel grief and misery at the death of the brother she never actually knew, especially as she killed him.
The memoir would have undoubtedly been quite scandalous at the time, but even after revealing her identity, Catalina was not punished for who she chose to be nor her actions. I think this is an example of how the goals of conquest and colonization in Latin America trumped many other wrongdoings (at the time), such as cross-dressing, sexual interactions with one's own sex and fratricide, these being actions perceived as ungodly.
The Casta paintings depict colonial life very interestingly, as the race of those portrayed is the main subject in all of the paintings. Since some patrons of these paintings took the images with them overseas, I am wondering if the paintings were seen as a reminder and a written indication of the hierarchy between the Spaniards, Indians, mestizos, mullatos and zambos.