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Zoot Suit Quotes

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Unveiling Resistance in the play “Zoot Suit” Luis Valdez presents a compelling story of identity, discrimination, and justice in his famous play Zoot Suit, set in the lively streets of 1940s Los Angeles, where jazz music blends with racial tension. The play "Zoot Suit" delves into the challenges faced by Mexican-American youth during World War II and the Zoot Suit Riots, as they try to navigate a society riddled with discrimination and injustice. Luis Valdez, the creator of Zoot Suit, illuminates the intricacies of cultural identity, the widespread presence of injustice, and the importance of resistance in the pursuit of justice by exploring the personas of Henry Reyna, the Pachuco, and Alice, and examining the events surrounding the Zoot Suit …show more content…

Henry's fight to balance his Mexican heritage with the pressures to fit in with mainstream American culture is a good example of the larger problem that Mexican-American teens in Los Angeles in the 1940s had to deal with. As Henry says in the book, "We ain’t getting any justice in this courtroom. It’s all a set-up! ", In this quote, Henry is upset with the legal system because he believes it is biased against Mexican Americans, and this quote shows his displeasure with it. It emphasizes the themes of injustice and the structural obstacles that excluded the groups must overcome. The trial of the "zoot suiters" and how the events were portrayed in the play are two examples of how the play explores the racial tensions and discrimination faced by Mexican-Americans. Another quote from Henry about this thesis is "They can’t send me to jail for something I didn’t do. They just can’t!" Henry, in spite of discrimination, maintains his innocence, demonstrating his faith in the justice system. The subject of individual rights and the fight for justice in an oppressive society are emphasized in this

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What is amazing about this play is that it validates on political and historical events that the audience can have knowledge and a perspective of how people were treated. The play uses Chicano culture. A zoot suit is high waisted zoot suits. The characters in the play were mainly focused on Henry Reyna his family, George Shearer who is a Lawyer and Alice Bloomfield who is an active, a secretary of the defense committee and who Henry Reyna has a romance with. Zoot suit by Luis Valdez brings historical facts, such as the term Pachuco which is a reference to a Mexican

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“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” This quote from Elie Wiesel, who is the author of the best selling book Night and who himself survived the greatest injustice, the holocaust (Bio. Com), addresses an effective method to fighting injustice, protesting, which is found in both the readings on Socrates and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter From Birmingham Jail. But what causes injustice so that “there may be times when we are powerless to prevent” it? From my desire to address the primary cause of injustice, resulted my thesis that ignorance anywhere is injustice everywhere.

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In Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez, the role of the actor, Demian Bichir, who plays El Pachuco was played really well and really embodied the character of El Pachuco. El Pachuco is Henry Reyna’s alter ego and symbolizes pride and what it means to be “cool” for Latino teenagers back in the day. The zoot suit that El Pachuco wears really assisted Mr. Bichir in embodying the El Pachuco because the zoot suit was a symbol of the culture. Mr. Bichir does an excellent job of creating his character and developing it as the play progresses. The El Pachuco is molded into a character of defiance and resistance.

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Zoot Suitted Soul Many say you can’t judge a book by the cover, but sure don’t go around saying you can’t judge a Latino by their suit. The play, Zoot Suit, was written by Luis Valdez and is about the struggle Mexican-Americans had within our country during WWII, talking about another war occurring within this nation. The ideal sense of pride in Pachugo is expressed through Henry’s encounters with certain situations and characters, from the guidance of Pachugo, and his pride ends up doing more harm than good. The Pachugo's masculinity and pride are shown through Henry’s interactions with characters and handling of serious situations.

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From the genocides of different ethics, to freedom is taken away in minority nations. Angela Davis expresses her views on political aspects of hard punishment upon human beings Americas’ society. She composed many books supporting her idea on political activism. In chapter 9, “Freedom Is A Constant Struggle,” opens different viewpoints, as a results of a transition in today’s society, starting from the 1960’s to the age of Obama. In addition to the few minority groups, as she relates in this book, the similar of a constant struggle for freedom with in the different ethics groups.

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As presented in the film “Zoot Suit Riot,” the young Zoot Suits disclosed a division between two youth groups: the gangs of African Americans, and Mexican youths who created a portion of the zoot-suit subculture, and the white sailors and Marine servicemen stationed along the Pacific coast. The riots had racial and social differences but the primary issue seems to have been patriotism and attitudes towards the war. Nonetheless, the white servicemen abused their power and through that riot, they shred light on racial discrimination and that what the art work at the Great Wall represents. The boots standing above the person of color demonstrates the power and authority of the law, it has the power to strip away the little that a person has, and cares less if they hurt or cause damage. The Zoot Suit just like the rest of the Chicanos were struggling to represent themselves in this racist society whether it was through fashion as a way of political

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"Tapping the Roots of Power" and "An Active Technique of Struggle" are two chapters where Gene Sharp, analyzes how power is continuously interchangeable amongst the oppressed which are usually minorities and their oppressors which usually are symbolized by people of power. In both chapters, Sharp in great detail gives the reader many scenarios in which oppressed groups through civil disobedience fight against their oppressors, usually leading to victory which resembles freedom and liberation. Although oppressed groups have a great deal to loose, their constant struggling motivates them to fight against the oppressor and regain their liberty and rights back. Once minorities start to challenge authority, their obedience is lost. Once this happens,

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The remarkable “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written in 1963 by the activist of Civil Right Movement, Martin Luther King. It was a response to the criticism made to him by eight clergymen and at the same time a defense for the means which he and his followers had chosen to fight against racism. It has had a huge impact on the history of United States of America and still to this day, 54 years after it was written, society can absorb valuable lessons from it. Human rights are a serious issue, but even in modern times there exists a space for conflict due to the neglect of their importance, an event encountered in Albania. Though justice and injustice are abstract terms, it would be really meaningful for everyone to try to understand them

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The play explores race, race relations, racism, discrimination, hate crimes, racial slurs, and racial tension in urban America. The play includes black, white, and Hispanic characters and the director used set and costume choices to give clear information about the differences in the social and economic status of those characters. The character of Walter is seen in his run down apartment almost exclusively wearing a tank top, pajama pants, and a bathrobe. Another black character is seen wearing a hat, baggy shorts, and a tank top to show his many tattoos. Walter’s son wears nice shirts but they are very loose fitting to match his baggy pants and he also wears a hat.

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I enjoyed this story very much which made this paper fun to do. As soon as I started reading, the first thing that came to mind was that Henry is lonely and sad and I felt bad for him because no one should be lonely and sad; everyone should have a chance to interact with others, unless they don’t want to. Another thing that came into my head is that the Henry dreams of a diverse nation being in such a boring and un-diverse world, it kind of reminded me of Martin Luther King and his wanting to be diverse in a none diverse society. I feel that the book conveys a thought that no one wants to be diverse in such a diverse world: a world full of hatred and thought of superiority over other cultures. Reading this type of book brought me

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511 Words | 3 Pages

The play Zoot Suit represents more than an entertaining time, a good literature, or a bad guy, good guy moral. The play itself represents a metaphor of racial prejudice. This racial prejudice is seen through events in the play, the ending, and comparison with modern day events. Zoot Suit symbolizes a problem in society. Critical events in the play help demonstrate the metaphor and some unfair realities still in modern day.

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1028 Words | 5 Pages

June Jordan’s poem, “Poem about my rights” is about a woman who is describing her experiences and the unremittent concern for basic human rights for males and females. It is a personal and emotional poem about her view of the world and how change is needed. Although majority of the poem is written about how Jordan’s basic rights were not given, the poem also includes sections at which the reader sees the need for equal basic rights for both male and female is needed. This essay will comprise of my response to the poem, both as a poem and an oral performance. Throughout the poem Jordan uses repetition and in the oral performance uses her voice to enhance her message and feelings.

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2330 Words | 10 Pages

It is easy to connect to the protagonists and the audience develops strong feelings of sympathy and support for them in a very early stage of the story. However, on a deeper level the film shows abuses of human rights that can be observed in reality. While Human Rights and Human Security are complex and broad concepts that are not easily explained or defined, their various elements can easily be portrayed with the help of artistic means and therefore reach a broader audience than they otherwise would. The film makes abstract ideas of human rights and security concrete and accessible to young adults and opens up the door to discussions on human rights issues in the real world. Obviously the portrayal of human rights abuses in the film are to a certain extend exaggerated, but they clearly mirror the reality that a lot of people, especially in the Third World, face on a daily basis.

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726 Words | 3 Pages

Following the account of how man should seek “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” (The Declaration of Independence) the writer lets the people know that everyone has the right to overthrow a government if the human rights are unfair and unjust. And

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There comes a time in history where injustice in being upheld in places of the world that target a certain race, gender, social class, or religion. The situation can only be brought to justice when an individual being targeted speaks up and builds a vision to get their team justice. Leaders change the world as they set their team in the direction to a fulfilling settlement by organizing a group of individuals who are in need of justice or equal rights. Leaders change the world not just for themselves but for the greater good of humanity, and to protect the people they love and care for. Before making the choice the individual has the option to take a stand against injustice, to stay enslaved or aside.

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