Los Vendidos, Produced by Luis Valdez Essay

In the film “Mi Familia,” we follow the story of the Mexican-American Sánchez family who settled in East Los Angeles, California after immigrating to the United States. Gregory Nava and Anna Thomas introduce the story of this family in several contexts that are developed along generations. These generations hold significant historical periods that form the identity of each individual member of the family. We start off by exploring the immigrant experience as the family patriarch heads north to Los Angeles, later we see how national events like the great depression directly impact Maria as she gets deported, although she was a US citizen. The events that follow further oppress this family and begins separate identity formations. These

You can see how Maria’s El Salvador is empty of people, full only of romantic ideas. Jose Luis’s image of El Salvador, in contrast, totally invokes manufactured weapons; violence. Maria’s “self-projection elides Jose Luis’s difference” and illustrates “how easy it is for the North American characters, including the big-hearted María, to consume a sensationalized, romanticized, or demonized version of the Salvadoran or Chicana in their midst” (Lomas 2006, 361). Marta Caminero-Santangelo writes: “The main thrust of the narrative of Mother Tongue ... continually ... destabilize[s] the grounds for ... a fantasy of connectedness by emphasizing the ways in which [Maria’s] experience as a Mexican American and José Luis’s experiences as a Salvadoran have created fundamentally different subjects” (Caminero-Santangelo 2001, 198). Similarly, Dalia Kandiyoti points out how Maria’s interactions with José Luis present her false assumptions concerning the supposed “seamlessness of the Latino-Latin American connection” (Kandiyoti 2004, 422). So the continual misinterpretations of José Luis and who he really is and has been through on Maria’s part really show how very far away her experiences as a middle-class, U.S.-born Chicana are from those of her Salvadoran lover. This tension and resistance continues throughout their relationship.

Common stereotypes about women in the Mexican-American culture include that women are uneducated, good housewives, and very fertile. Many parents still believe it’s the woman’s job to stay home and be the homemaker. The concept of gender, which is socially constructed, is reinforced since birth. (Sociology Lecture 08/24/2015) Ana was caught in the middle of gender politics. Her mother oppressed her daughter so she can become a grandmother. The film “Real Women Have Curves” deals with gender stereotypes and struggles of poor women living in East LA. Carmen was trying to have Ana chained to the notion of women being inferior to men. Carmen believed men to be superior, whereas Ana thought differently. However Ana strived to liberate herself from traditional cultural norms by pursuing her college education. Her mother’s negative influence only caused Ana to rebel.

Mexican Americans in Texas have a long and detailed history spanning from the arrival of Cortez all the way to the present day. Through historical events, the culture and identity of Mexican Americans have shifted, diverted, and adapted into what people chose to identify as. The rise of the Chicano identity during the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement was an adaptation as a culture to oppressive and unjust treatment from white, Anglos that had almost all political and social power over all minorities. To stop the oppressive voices from silencing and oppressing the Mexican Americans, they had to stand up to fight for their rights as American citizens that also had Mexican or Spanish heritage to be proud of. In Oscar Zeta Acosta’s novel, The Revolt of the Cockroach People, he dives into the Chicano Movement as a witness and an active participant. His larger than life character is on the front lines of the movement and examines the shift in identity among the group. It was particularly rising of their Chicano identity that gave the people cause to organize politically and socially in order to fight for a worthy cause.

In my analysis of this novel, The Adventure of Don Chipote or, When Parrots Breast-Feed by Daniel Venegas, I kept in mind that Nicolás Kanellos put great effort into getting this novel circulated in Spanish and in English. Kanellos argues that Spanish-language immigrant novels more accurately present the “evils” of American society such as oppression of the immigrant workers and deconstructs the myth of the American Dream, which permeates in English-language ethnic autobiographies. I believe Kanellos felt so passionately about circulating this particular novel was due to the fact that in Venegas’ novel we see clear representations of the three U.S. Hispanic cultures that Kanellos presents which are the native, the immigrant, and the exile cultures.

Whilst Mexican Americans were looked down upon as a whole minority, it could be said that female Mexican Americans were in an even worse position than their male counterparts, with little or no input permitted whatsoever. Female actresses in the film are demoted to supporting actresses or dancers in comparison to the heavily male orientated cast who have leading roles. According to Fregoso (1993: 659) ‘Chicanos and Chicanas became visible in public discourse as ‘social problems.’ Moreover, Chicanos became foreigners in their own country which led to the increase of so called ‘gang culture.’ In attempt to counter act the media and public perception of Chicano culture Fregoso (1993: 660) explains ‘Valdez deconstructs racist images of Chicano youth as ‘gangs’ or social problems, depicting the male members as victims of racist institutions… the male subjects are reversals of dominant depictions of Chicano masculinity.’

Throughout the play there are underlying theme that suggest different ideas. The themes I will discuss is how Mexican American men are portrayed in relation

This paper researches what Teatro Campesino collaboration process response is, how it responds to its environment, with a special focus on contemporary urban culture, practicing radical inclusion theatre, and activation of a space into a performance stage. I argue that the activist aesthetics have been transcending its functions, evolving into a new theatrical organism. This paper analyzes books, articles, and it includes a study with all artists who are part of the exhibition, as well as interviews with various scholars.

During the 1960’s, the Civil Rights Movement wasn’t the only one occurring. Struggling to assimilate into American culture, and suppressed by social injustices convicted by their Anglo counterparts, the Chicano movement was born. In the epic poem “I am Joaquin” written by Rodolfo Gonzales in 1969, we dive into what it means to be a Chicano. Through this poem, we see the struggles of the Chicano people portrayed by the narrator, in an attempt to grasp the American’s attention during the time of these movements. Hoping to shed light on the issues and struggles the Chicano population faced, Gonzales writes this epic in an attempt to strengthen the movement taking place, and to give Chicanos a sense of belonging and solidarity in this now

Luis Valdez wrote “Los Vendidos” in order to address his view of the Mexican culture and in reference to the prejudices that surrounded him. The play defines four versions of Mexican men, shop owner Honest Sancho is trying to sell to a Secretary in Governor Reagan’s political office. The buildup of characters: The Farmworker, Johnny Pachuco, The Revolucionario, and the Mexican-American, symbolizes an evolution of what society deems the “ideal” Mexican-American should be. “Los Vendidos” translates to "The Sold Ones" or "The Sellouts” which is a solid interpretation of Valdez’s opinion on Mexican’s conformity to the American culture. Valdez creates a distinct characterization of all four models, Miss Jimenez, and Honest Sancho with snarky

Poor Mexican American. Female child. We all look alike: dirty feet, brown skin, downcast eyes. You have seen us if you have driven through South Texas on the way to Mexico. We are there – walking barefoot by the side of the road. During harvest time there are fewer of us – we are with our families in the fields. (prologue)

Sexism is integrated into the story by the way the characters act towards each other and their dialect. Their whole conversation is very controlled. However, throughout the course of the story, the man’s powers are weakened. In the story the man is portrayed as more superior because of his wealth and education. One can tell that the man is well off with money because of what he is able to afford. He is able to travel to many far destinations with the girl and one can tell that he is well educated because he is able to translate Spanish to English.He also knows a lot about the subject of abortion which is shown when he explains to her that the procedure is just letting the air in. The man feels as if the girl is inferior to him, therefore when the girl speaks he gets agitated. Like when then girl shows her imaginative or creative side by stating the hills look like white elephants, they argue with each other. “He reacts to her powers defensively, in the same way that he has reacted to her pregnancy,” (Urgo 36). This shows how much of an emotional bully the American man is. Although, the girl is referred to as a girl, she is more than just a girl because as the conversation

I believe that this was the intention of Valdez, who put together this genre in hopes of connecting to people who were not necessarily around to see the everyday struggle of the Chicano people. My assumptions were right in regards to the material that would be covered and the overall production of Chicano Theatre. I felt that the biggest part of the theatre would be to reveal major milestones in the culture, to celebrate independence and equality and to promote and spread the word to different generations and races about how the world has evolved over time. Through this perspective I have found much interest in this particular genre of theatre. In fact, I enjoyed researching the theatre and related topics so much that I found myself often digressing away from one point and diving into another topic dealing with the culture. Needless to say I spent a great deal of hours learning about the culture in whole, and I can appreciate the work that goes into their production. I am grateful to have such a great opportunity to watch live performances locally; living in California gives all of us residents’ opportunity to witness in person these events because this is the birthplace of Chicano Theatre. I share great pleasure in the fact that not only is this form of art so close to home; it is also in its beginning stages, which leaves a lot of room for change, interpretation and documentation. Although I wasn’t around when it first

“Beautiful and Cruel” marks the beginning of Esperanza’s “own quiet war” against machismo (Hispanic culture powered by men). She refuses to neither tame herself nor wait for a husband, and this rebellion is reflected in her leaving the “table like a man, without putting back the chair or picking up the plate (Cisneros 89).” Cisneros gives Esperanza a self-empowered voice and a desire for personal possessions, thing that she can call her own: Esperanza’s “power is her own (Cisneros 89).” Cisneros discusses two important themes: maintaining one’s own power and challenging the cultural and social expectations one is supposed to fulfill. Esperanza’s mission to create her own identity is manifest by her decision to not “lay (her) neck on the threshold waiting for the ball and chain (Cisneros 88).” Cisneros’ rough language and violent images of self-bondage reveal the contempt with which Esperanza views many of her peers whose only goal is to become a wife. To learn how to guard her power

This portrayal is the typical stereotype of Latina women in todays society where they are simply known as the baby mamas. I don’t think the women were portrayed so well but maybe that was trying to relate to that time period back then as well where the women were kind of unwanted and always on the sidelines, where they never really knew what was going on and more like unnecessary characters. I think the creators of the play are trying to show how even the women with the biggest part in the play was unnecessary in that time period. Where as the other women with fewer lines were present just to add a backdrop or a more comic feel since they were not serious characters at