Essays on Pachuco

“Los Vendidos” written by Luiz Valdes is a one-act play that depicts and ridicules the stereotypes of Mexicans in California. It is a satiric play that shows the social inequality in the American society in the 1960-ies. So much has been said about the discrimination of the Afro-Americans, but I even could not imagine Latinos and Mexicans facing a similar situation. This play attracts attention to the social issues that have not been solved even after 40 years. Although it is full of ridiculous and rather witty moments, the message of the play is serious and profound. The author ...

Introduction

The paper is a case study that focuses on subculture theories. As such, the paper will take an application approach where the theory is explored in the context of Pachuco subculture. The subculture relates to Mexican-American gang which developed in the 1930s (Sanchez, n.d.). The subculture was characterized by delinquent behavior thus forming a suitable case to apply the subculture theories.

Understanding the Emergence of Pachuco Subculture

Bourdieu argues that there are four forms of capital namely social, economic, and cultural and symbolic. To understand the emergence of the subculture, first, the social form of capital is applied. According to Bourdieu, social capital refers to ...

The source describes the Zoot Suit riots from their origin in Los Angeles and the culture they were related to. The photo “Los Angeles Zoot: Race “Riot,” the Pachuco, and Black Music Culture” found in the Journal of African American History, is written by Douglas Henry Daniels. The photo has elaborated the zoot suit riots in details presenting the readers with a detailed story from the history. According to The photo, Zoot Suit riots were associated with the black race and they reflect the present age. The photo illustrated the brutality of the Los Angeles Police Department on the ...

A Pachuco is viewed as a Mexican or a Mexican-American, who has a flamboyant lifestyle. This can be seen through how he dresses when going out to make merry and is usually accompanied by a Pachuca, who is the female version of a Pachuco. Being well connected in the streets and having a gang life is also a dominant characteristic of a Pachuco. This type of characters can be seen in plays such as the zoot suits and also in Conjunto. An example of a Pachuco in Conjunto is a character named Pichuka who clashes with Genovevo when on ...

1) Conjunto and Zoot Suit both discuss the political complications and difficulties experienced by Latinos in WWII-era California. Conjunto’s primary conflict is the tensions and injustice that arise between Mexican, Japanese and Filipino-American farm workers, demonstrating the unique struggles these underprivileged people must go through. The characters dream of better lives for themselves and their children in America, only to wonder, “Where did my dream go?” (Mayer 53). The racial dynamics of the different characters nonetheless leave them united in their status as racial minorities; even when they argue over who is ‘more American,’ Gene pointedly says, “being ...

Defining Art: Set 1 1. How can we define art?

It is the application or expression of human creative imaginations and skills mainly in a visual state such as sculpture or painting. 2. Is there one definition that sums up the meaning of art? Art is the in-depth conception, discovery and establishment of elementary ideologies of nature into adorable forms essential for human usage. 3. How was the term, Fine Arts first used? The term fine art was first used to refer to a piece of art developed and primarily intended for aesthetic purposes rather than utility. It entails many forms of art pieces such as paintings, sculptures or ...

Part I: Zoot Suit Riots

The scope of the Zoot Suit Riots can be traced back to the Sleepy Lagoon Murder trial, a case concerning the death of Gallardo Diaz; a young Latino man, which occurred in August, 1942. While the cause of Diaz’s death remained unknown, Police in Los Angeles arrested close to seventeen Mexican-American suspects. Despite the lack of sufficient evidence, the suspects were charged for murder and held in prison without being accorded bail. Ending at the beginning of the year 1943, the trial of these suspects was the primary factor that elicited the Zoot Suit Riots. Mexican-Americans developed resentment as a result ...

Introduction

The “Los Vendidos,” play by Luis Valdez, is a magnificent blithe play that is full of paradox, sarcasm, ridicule, and humor to describe the status of the Mexican Americans in finding their identity within the realms of America. It is a play that sends a message about the paradox of American government needing the Mexican Americans, and how it does not return the support that the latter need. The purpose of sarcasm, ridicule, and humor in the play is to highlight the different marks and stereotypes of both White Americans and Mexican Americans. There are several stereotypical characters in the play. Huerta ...

The interpretation that the pachuco resistance is tied to the “assimilation to political consciousness Chicano movement of the 1960s and 1970s [] achieved national popularity following Luis Valdez's celebrated play "Zoot-Suit"” (Mazón 118). Like a majority of Valdezs works, a Chicano family in crisis has been dramatized in this play. Although the play revolves around Henry Reyna but he is not the only central figure. Henry has a rather suave alter ego by the name of El Pachuco who embodies the stereotypical “Chicano” and “Pachuco.” Henry is a misunderstood figure in the play, and unlike his familia, El Pachuco brings another dimension to ...