Place To Stand Themes

Who justifies the role of a father? From the standards of the United States, the ideal father is the person who is a profound factor in a child’s development. The development includes the biological, psychological, and emotional state. However, it is more than a factor in a child’s development, but a factor as the caretaker for the family. A Place to Stand, written by Jimmy Santiago Baca, is a memoir of the author’s childhood in the 1970s, leading up to his time spent in a maximum-security prison. Baca had a rough start is life, being that his father was a drunkard and was absent in his early trouble years. Mi Familia, is a film about the journey of Mexican immigrants that spans to three generations from the 1940s to the 1970s. The father

Throughout the memoir, we learn about Baca’s father through the memories he would share. Baca does not degrade his father, even though his father was not there for him. The lack of a father only gave Baca a greater determination to become a loving father for his family and to live life the best he can (Baca, 6, 2001). As a young child, Baca was afraid of his father’s temperament, but Baca still yearned his father’s love “I want to go to him and hug him but I’m afraid.” (Baca, 144, 2001). Baca’s father was a strong factor that affected Baca’s life. In the sense that, Baca could have not been abandoned by his parents if his father would have not become a drunkard. However, Baca’s father did not completely stray away from his family. When Baca was living with his grandparents, Baca mentions of his father’s visits. Baca’s father would bring new shoes to his grandma “My father sits at the table, holding yet another pair of new shoes for grandma.” (Baca, 143, 2001). In that same scene, the readers are able to see a bonding moment between Baca and his father. They playfully spar each other because Baca knows his father likes boxing. This scene showcases the father figure of Baca’s father, because for a brief moment, Baca felt joy and attention from his

José begins his one-year foot journey from Mexico to Los Angeles. After settling down he begins his new life in Los Angeles with his growing family. The film depicts José as a strong father figure who values his family. With his growing family, he does his best to take interest in his children’s life, even though he had to work hard. In addition, José was a man of pride, but he also had a son who had a strong pride, however for opposite reasons. Chucho, the troublemaker of the family gets involved in selling drugs, and gets into a big argument with his father. José reminds Chucho that selling drugs is not the way of living life, and evoke Chucho the hardship his mother had to endure with Chucho after she was illegally deported back to Mexico. Despite that argument, José forgave Chucho and through the film, José is in tears for Chucho. Even though Chucho did something against his father’s values, José forgave Chucho. This scene clearly showcases José’s value for his family. The film ends with the scene of José looking at Chucho’s photo and looking up to the clouds and exhaling the feeling that God has been good to his family and him. Regardless of how they viewed and treated their children, they did overlap in some aspect. A feature they both shared was their love for their wife. Baca’s father never loved anyone else, and was always looking for her after she left. Base on the memoir, Baca’s father