Representations of Mexican-American Resistance The Bandit, the Pachuco, and the Farmworker

Date of Award

2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Portugal, Jose Alberto

Keywords

Chicano, Resistance, Mexican-American

Area of Concentration

Hispanic Language and Culture

Abstract

This project will explore representations of Mexican-American political, cultural, and socioeconomic resistance in plays, poems, and prose. After an introduction explaining key concepts, terms, and the historical context, each chapter is dedicated to one of the three figures mentioned in the title. It is obvious after examining the texts included in this project that resistance is a key aspect of the Mexican-American experience. Chapter one explores the figure of the Bandit. After an introduction to the concept of social banditry, the chapter explores the role of the border bandit as a social rebel as he is represented in the corridos. This discussion focuses on how the bandits are constructed as heroes and how the corridos themselves promote resistance. The bandit of the corridos is compared to the bandit as he is represented in 'Bandido!' by Luis Valdez. This section explores issues of stereotypes and historical revision. These issues are developed further in chapter two, which examines the Pachuco. Most of the discussion is based on 'Zoot Suit,' the hit play by Luis Valdez. Along with stereotypes and revision, assimilation is another key issue discussed in the context of this play. Chapter three investigates two texts that represent the farrnworker, ...y no se Io trag� la tierra by Tom�s Rivera and 'Las dos caras del patroncito' by Valdez. Both texts strongly challenge common stereotypes of the farmworker. The texts will also be discussed with respect to James C. Scott's arguments about peasant resistance from Weapons of the Weak.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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