Overall, I favored this scene because the boys won the appeal, especially the way the play ended. It had me thinking like what really happened! But I did get confused when all the different conversations were going on at one time, all the drama between Della, Alice, Henry and Rudy. Other than that I liked this scene. I think with all the people backing them they didn't stand a change at loosing because they learned to fight in a "new way."
Alice: Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone you love is walk away. I choose this quote because it shows Alice as being the bigger person in the situation between Della and Henry. And it was best for her walk away so no one would get hurt and encounter animosity towards the other. Love can hurt and if one doesn't walk away when situations arise that are not worth hanging on to, its best to walk away.
Question 1: What were Henry's intentions on going outside when the cops were trying to arrest Joey?
Question 2: Why did Henry pause from striking his Enrique?
(Silent moment, HENRY stands up and offers to strike ENRIQUE, But something stops him. The realization that if HE strikes back or even if HE walks out the door, the family bond is irreparably broke.)page94
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Freedom! [ Scene 8 ]
Press: The Los Angeles Daily News. Wednesday, November 8, 1944. Headline: District Court of Appeals decides in Sleepy Lagoon murder case . . . boys in pachuco given . . .
People: FREEDOM!!!
This scene was entirely confusing to me, but I started to understand it gradually as I kept rereading it, realizing that this scene was a celebration of both the worlds freedom as well as the freedom of Henry and the boys. The Freedom and winnings of the Wars that were called out by the Marines; Rudy, Shore Patrol and the Press shows that the Media tries to make something possible, impossible of happening. Same goes for the Appeal and the boys getting out of jail and the justice they deserved, the media made it definitely seem to be impossible, when it was possible. So overall it shows that anything is possible if consistent in persuading what is needed. That the media may try to underestimate ones persistence, but if effort is put towards the issue at hand, which in this case was to be Free, then Freedom will be given just as it was shown through the writer Luis Valdez, portraying this aspect from the World and Prison point of view. How both the World and those in Prison wants freedom.
Question: How did the newspaper being torn to shreds, and later thrown as confetti tie into the winning of the war as well as the Freedom of the boys?
People: FREEDOM!!!
This scene was entirely confusing to me, but I started to understand it gradually as I kept rereading it, realizing that this scene was a celebration of both the worlds freedom as well as the freedom of Henry and the boys. The Freedom and winnings of the Wars that were called out by the Marines; Rudy, Shore Patrol and the Press shows that the Media tries to make something possible, impossible of happening. Same goes for the Appeal and the boys getting out of jail and the justice they deserved, the media made it definitely seem to be impossible, when it was possible. So overall it shows that anything is possible if consistent in persuading what is needed. That the media may try to underestimate ones persistence, but if effort is put towards the issue at hand, which in this case was to be Free, then Freedom will be given just as it was shown through the writer Luis Valdez, portraying this aspect from the World and Prison point of view. How both the World and those in Prison wants freedom.
Question: How did the newspaper being torn to shreds, and later thrown as confetti tie into the winning of the war as well as the Freedom of the boys?
Inner Beauty [ Scene 7 ]
Alice oh Alice! Honestly, I really did enjoy this scene. The compassion Alice has for Henry blows me away. How she manages to write Henry letters keeping him updated on the outside even though she never receives a response back from him. There argument just made the scene that much more exciting and intense. Alice had a case of worrying when it came to not receiving anything from Henry. It got to the point where she was blaming herself or questioning if she did anything to him, until she got information from Warden Duffy regarding the reason why Henry wasn't receiving or writing her back. What a relief for her.
Alice:(Forced to fight back, with characteristic passion) Stop It, Henry! Please stop it! T wont have you treat me this way. I never have been able to accept one person pushing another around . . . pushing me around! Cant you see that's why I'm here? Because I cant stand it happening to you. Because I'm a Jew, goddammit! I have been there . . . I have been there! If you lose, I lose (Pause. The emotional tension is immense. ALICE fights to hold back tears. SHE turns away.)
Henry: I'm sorry . . .
This section of the play (page 84) Alice shows her powerful attitude. Hows she's not this uptight white lady all about her job. She explains to Henry that she's there because she knows what it feels like to be pushed around and she doesn't want him to be taken advantage of. She reveals hows shes a Jew and how shes been ridiculed against her entire life. This just shows me how she had a deep heartfelt connection with Henry and very sincere in why she has and will keep doing what she has does for him, because of her deep feelings. She even states that if he looses then she will too. The whole just of this scene is to show Henry she is there for him and they are in this together and he needs to except it.
Question: What was it in Alice, that allowed her to muster up enough courage to tell Henry how she truly felt?
Alice:(Forced to fight back, with characteristic passion) Stop It, Henry! Please stop it! T wont have you treat me this way. I never have been able to accept one person pushing another around . . . pushing me around! Cant you see that's why I'm here? Because I cant stand it happening to you. Because I'm a Jew, goddammit! I have been there . . . I have been there! If you lose, I lose (Pause. The emotional tension is immense. ALICE fights to hold back tears. SHE turns away.)
Henry: I'm sorry . . .
This section of the play (page 84) Alice shows her powerful attitude. Hows she's not this uptight white lady all about her job. She explains to Henry that she's there because she knows what it feels like to be pushed around and she doesn't want him to be taken advantage of. She reveals hows shes a Jew and how shes been ridiculed against her entire life. This just shows me how she had a deep heartfelt connection with Henry and very sincere in why she has and will keep doing what she has does for him, because of her deep feelings. She even states that if he looses then she will too. The whole just of this scene is to show Henry she is there for him and they are in this together and he needs to except it.
Question: What was it in Alice, that allowed her to muster up enough courage to tell Henry how she truly felt?
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Racial Attitudes [ Scene 6 ]
Overall, Act 2 Scene 6 entitled Zoot Suit Riots was very confusing, yet active. After reading over it multiple times as well as watching the play I started to get the concept of the writers purpose, in which was to show racial attitudes, directed specifically towards the Mexicans, "Zoot Suiters."
Press: The Zoot Suiters, those gamin' dandies . . .
Pachuco: (Cutting them off.) Why don't you tell them what I really am, ese, or how you've been forbidden to use the very word . . .
Press: We are complying in the interest of the war.
Pachuco: How have you complied?
Press: We're using other terms.
Pachuco: Like "pachuco" and "zoot suiter?"
Press: What's wrong with that? The Zoot Suit Crime Wave is even beginning to push the war news off the front page.
Pachuco: The Press distorted the very meaning of the word "zoot suit." All it is for you guys is another way to say Mexican. (page 79-80)
In this scene Pachuco expresses to the character "Press" in which he was talking to, to tell those people of North and South America as well as all the ships at sea who and what he is considered and not what they consider him or call him more so to Latin Americans in general. The point of Pachuco cutting off the Press dialogue was to tell him not to sugar coded anything, due to the fact that character "Press"and society, during this time was being very racist towards the Latin Americans and the youths dressed in drape clothing.
The importance of this scene contributes to a possible theme as a whole because it shows how the name Zoot Suit came about, and the secretive meaning behind it, as well as the racial profiling towards Mexicans who wore the drapes, later resulting in the Zoot Suit Riots. On another level gave reason to defending the zoot suiters because the intentions of these "zoot suits" weren't meant to be taken as something cruel which Pachuco does well to justify.
Question: What was the point of the sailors stripping Pachuco?
Press: The Zoot Suiters, those gamin' dandies . . .
Pachuco: (Cutting them off.) Why don't you tell them what I really am, ese, or how you've been forbidden to use the very word . . .
Press: We are complying in the interest of the war.
Pachuco: How have you complied?
Press: We're using other terms.
Pachuco: Like "pachuco" and "zoot suiter?"
Press: What's wrong with that? The Zoot Suit Crime Wave is even beginning to push the war news off the front page.
Pachuco: The Press distorted the very meaning of the word "zoot suit." All it is for you guys is another way to say Mexican. (page 79-80)
In this scene Pachuco expresses to the character "Press" in which he was talking to, to tell those people of North and South America as well as all the ships at sea who and what he is considered and not what they consider him or call him more so to Latin Americans in general. The point of Pachuco cutting off the Press dialogue was to tell him not to sugar coded anything, due to the fact that character "Press"and society, during this time was being very racist towards the Latin Americans and the youths dressed in drape clothing.
The importance of this scene contributes to a possible theme as a whole because it shows how the name Zoot Suit came about, and the secretive meaning behind it, as well as the racial profiling towards Mexicans who wore the drapes, later resulting in the Zoot Suit Riots. On another level gave reason to defending the zoot suiters because the intentions of these "zoot suits" weren't meant to be taken as something cruel which Pachuco does well to justify.
Question: What was the point of the sailors stripping Pachuco?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Solitary [ Scene 5 ]
When it comes to the play Zoot Suit Act 2 Scene 5 overall it was very interesting, due to the fact that the character Henry showed us as readers a softer side to him that really wasn't showed throughout the play in itself. Whether or not he would ever get out of jail, as well as wondering why he was even in there in the first place. As well as wondering if seeing his family would ever happen again. Basically, Henry was on a level more in depth within himself while he had high hopes of getting out, eventually things would get better for him, but Pachuco's negative attitude made Henry second guess.
Pachuco:
Not to expect justice when it isn't there.
No court in the land's going to set you free.
Learn to protect your loves by binding them
in hate ese! Stop hanging on to false hopes.
The moment those hopes come crashing down,
you'll find yourself on the ground foaming at
he mouth. (page 78)
During Henry and Pachuco's conversation Pachuco says this to Henry telling him to stop holding on to these false hopes on getting out of jail. The fact of there being no justice, there is no use of expecting justice when in jail or even in the courts. Not only that but, to just protect your family by not talking to them, loose contact. Holding on to false hopes gets one no where. Furthermore holding on to hopes that are false, when it comes to the end where hoping is no more, these hopes start to fade and come crashing down bringing nothing but pain, tears and more. This quote is important because it shows how Henry develops sensitivity of his character. It allows me to connect with him on a more personal level being that he has another side to him.
Question: Do you think Henry's reaction to Pachuco at the end of the scene when he blew him off by saying "Don't tell me anymore. i don't need you to tell me what to do. Fuck Off! Fuck Off!" (Pg 78) made him realize that Pachuco could be right about the whole situation, and didn't want to admit it?
Pachuco:
Not to expect justice when it isn't there.
No court in the land's going to set you free.
Learn to protect your loves by binding them
in hate ese! Stop hanging on to false hopes.
The moment those hopes come crashing down,
you'll find yourself on the ground foaming at
he mouth. (page 78)
During Henry and Pachuco's conversation Pachuco says this to Henry telling him to stop holding on to these false hopes on getting out of jail. The fact of there being no justice, there is no use of expecting justice when in jail or even in the courts. Not only that but, to just protect your family by not talking to them, loose contact. Holding on to false hopes gets one no where. Furthermore holding on to hopes that are false, when it comes to the end where hoping is no more, these hopes start to fade and come crashing down bringing nothing but pain, tears and more. This quote is important because it shows how Henry develops sensitivity of his character. It allows me to connect with him on a more personal level being that he has another side to him.
Question: Do you think Henry's reaction to Pachuco at the end of the scene when he blew him off by saying "Don't tell me anymore. i don't need you to tell me what to do. Fuck Off! Fuck Off!" (Pg 78) made him realize that Pachuco could be right about the whole situation, and didn't want to admit it?
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