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Latin X Literature (Race (Identity Crisis (Down These Mean Streets (I…

- - - - I smiled and said, “I’m a Porty Rican.” “Ah only sees another Negro in fron’ of me,” said Brew.
        
        Often forgotten in LatinX literature are LatinX members who may suffer from colorism. While the majority of the attention goes to racism, colorism is also an important part of LatinX history. Black LatinX members are even more likely to be oppressed in some manner than white LatinX members. Piri Thomas struggled with the issue of his identity as others classified him in manners he did not necessarily want.
    - - "With four girls so close in age, she couldn’t indulge identities and hunt down a red cowboy shirt when the third daughter turned tomboy or a Mexican peasant blouse when the oldest discovered her Hispanic roots."
        
        The fact that the mother "could not indulge identities" makes me wonder whether or not this would have been the case had the children been boys instead of girls. This feels like the suppression of the female identity, common in LatinX literature. Instead of promoting their individuality, the mother implies that they should have none by not indulging their identities, regardless of the circumstances revolving her decision.
  - - - "Is this government to fall because a small group of men and women have demanded an end to the racist system in the schools?"
    - - "I suspect heterosexual Chicano men will have the world to learn from their gay brothers...Because they are deemed 'inferior' for not fulfilling the traditional role of men, they are marginalized from mainstream heterosexual society."
        
        Overlooked due to the oppression the Chicanos were fighting is the oppression that the Chicanos supported. The Chicanos supported the oppression of women and the LGBTQ community, marginalizing them at almost every turn. They were indeed considered "inferior" compared to straight chicano men. Even though the Chicanos were fighting one form of oppression, they were promoting a different kind of oppression against their own brothers and sisters.
- - - - “I don’t need to know your name, querido.” Suki loosens her bathrobe and permits the waiter a glimpse of her breasts. He looks stricken, frozen to the spot. She takes his wrist and guides his hand past the terry-cloth lapel.
        
        Women are often sexualized by men and treated only as sexual objects. Suki's control and free will over how she uses her own body and expresses her sexuality is a refreshing take as opposed to seeing women being taken advantage of. Her assertiveness is also untypical, and provides a feminist leader. It's important to notice the word: "permit". Permit implies consent by both parties to commit the act they are about to perform. Words like these are not oftentimes found in LatinX culture, as we get these types off scenes from a man's point of view.
    - - "It is not normal that a girl teaches her boy, but I am only showing him what I want, what plays on the insides of my eyelids as I fall asleep."
        
        This is an example of a woman taking charge of her own body and sexuality. This isa reversal of typical Latin X literature in which the man tells the woman what he wants. In this case, "the girl" is not only asserting her equal position in the relationship through sexual interactions, she's letting him know that she is on his level in the relationship.
        
        The Education of Hopey Glass
        
        Like Suki, Hopey is also in total control of her sexuality. She is not conformed by society's expectations of her, much like a Lady Matador does not conform to societal expectations. She flirts with the woman and sets a date, showing a reversal from men courting and also a depiction of LatinX LGBTW members.
    - - Autobiography of a Nuoyorican
        
        "Gathering weapons into her being...with each breath that filled her... Growing Stronger...Determined to beat the odds."
        
        This character had to fight the odds in order to succeed. Not only was she a woman, but a person of color as well. Statistically, she will face sexism, racism, and an overall attempt to limit her success individually and professionally. She needs to be strong and determined in order to beat the odds that befell her.
    - - "The Culture and men insist that women are subservient to males."
        
        Indeed, women have been subservient to men in the context of the church. However, the author uses this quote as an example of how outdated and ridiculous this notion is. She exposes the blatant hypocrisy that is associated with men expecting women to show greater commitment to a system that MEN, not women, invented. Women are mistreated in the system and are expected to be compliant. Anzaluda exposing them is an important step towards equality.
  - - - I haven’t thought of her as a sexual object since the age of twelve when I tried to French kiss her.
        
        Zeta says this as if it is something to be proud of. It is almost as if he is saying: "It's been years since I treated a woman as a sexual object, I'm a great man." Instead, this quote reinforces the sexist, machismo culture that dominated the Chicano movement. This was the norm among Chicano men at this time. Women were not individuals or sisters of the movement, but rather sexual objects. Quotes like these were meant to normalize this culture of misogyny and oppression against women.
    - - "I don't trust anything that can be incorporeal and isn't dead."
        
        This line is the variation of the sexist line: "I don't trust anything that bleeds for 7 days and doesn't''t die." Both lines are meant to put down women and portray them as otherworldly, untrustworthy creatures. It's meant to put women down on the societal chain. These mechanisms are commonly used to make sure women are always portrayed as lesser than men.
- - - - You know the thing with her, right? Her dad used to f*ck her until she was twelve. Can you believe that?
        
        Speculative Fiction allows the authors to talk about complex, real world problems through a fictional story that, at times, represents real life experiences. This quote deals with very serious issues regarding childhood rape. These sorts of detail are often placed in there when they relate to the author and indeed, Junto Diaz suffered from childhood rape. Speculative Fiction allows an author to talk about social issues in a different world than ours.
  - - - "One of us black bastards. Was that me?"
        
        Memoirs allow readers to come into intimate contact with the life of an individual. In this case, we get a close look at the life Piri Thomas had to deal with during a time when being black was bad, and being a black Latino may have been just as bad if not worse. He is clearly struggling with his identity as a Latino and a member of the black community. Due to him not belonging to one particular organization, he suffers a crisis that we, the readers, are able to follow.
    - - "I am the self-appointed marshal of the parade. I bark out my orders like a fired-up captain. Except for a couple of seasons with the Safety Patrol in Riverbank Grammar School and a short stint in the Boy Scouts, I have never been a drill sergeant."
        
        A memoir provides a point of view that is not otherwise seen. In particular, Zeta's insight gives readers an inside look at the inner working of the Chicano movement, especially with regards to Zeta's involvement. As such, we are able to attain information a normal novel concerning the movement would not contain.
- - - - "All died...waiting for the garden of eden...to open up again.. under a new management...all died... dreaming of America..."
        
        The Garden of Eden is a biblical allusion that portrays America as paradise. In this quote, however, paradise has cruel management, which can be taken to refer to the American government that has instituted institutional racism. Yet, they all died dreaming of a better America that never came.
    - - "but the symbol suffered... one hundred years of decay..."
        
        The Statue of Liberty has long stood as a symbol of freedom for immigrants in the United States. It was a reminder of the freedom and opportunities that America offers. However the "last ten years" likely refers to the rampant racism that occurred against groups like African Americans, the Irish, Latinos, .e.t.c. These incidents decayed the American dream and cast a dark shadow on the worldwide image of America.
  - - - "The American orders a Bloody Mary and everyone follows suit. It’s no wonder these officers commit the atrocities they do. Not a single one has a mind of his own."
        
        American worldwide influence was built on the suffering and the destruction of many third world countries, particularly third world .Latin American countries.In order to do so, Americans had to commit atrocities that were done in the name of their country. This quote implies that the reason why Americans are able to do so is because they are all singleminded individuals who just follow orders. This would be consistent with the way the American military is structured.
    - - "Just as Latinos first slaved under Spain and the yanquis, Black people, Indians and Asian slaved to build the wealth of this country. For 400 years they have fought for freedom and dignity against racist Babylon, Third World people have led the fight for freedom. All the colored and oppressed peoples of the world are nation under oppression."
        
        While many movements focus exclusively on the members of the movement, the 13 Point Program made sure to mention that all oppressed people deserve to be free. This is a deviation from other LatinX movements that were prejudiced against people of other races and skin colors. Movements like the Young Lords' are uncommon, which is a true travesty. Third world people have led the fight for freedom because the fight was brought to them by colonizers who exploited these countries. As such, these people deserve to live freely and without oppression or injustice from colonizining countries.