A Comparison Of Gualinto And Zoot Suit

A Deliberation on Borders
External and internal limitations surround us at every moment in our lives; hence, borders such as the color of our skin, geographical borders, and culture are hard to escape from. It is solely up to an individual to establish how they intend to deal with their borders, if at all. This was no different for both Gualinto, from George Washington Gomez, and Henry, from Zoot Suit. They both struggled with, a psychological border, the awareness that they came from two distinct cultures and therefore found themselves caught in the middle and being judged upon. Due to their Mexican legacy, culture, and the geographical area in which they lived, both Gualinto and Henry encountered some form of discrimination and mental anguish …show more content…
He was born with his destiny already planned out and his name was chosen to represent hope for his people; thus, Gualinto unknowingly entered a world that had put borders on his identity from the start. He, at one point, realized that he was a Mexican-American silently, “Hating the Gringo one moment with an unreasoning hatred, admiring his literature, his music, his material goods the next. Loving the Mexican with a blind fierceness, then almost despising him for his slow progress in the world.” (Paredes 150) It is evident that Gualinto couldn’t’ escape the border of being caught between the influences of the white culture and his desire to avenge his people by realizing his family’s desires. As a young child, Gualinto had realized the reality of discrimination against Mexicans when he entered elementary. The border that he had to overcome was the stereotype that society had placed on him for having Mexican blood. He was relentlessly mistreated and ridiculed by his teacher, Ms. Cornelia, as a punishment for his diversity, until he could not take it any more. Moreover, he strived to get noble grades, to show them what he was capable of, and as a defense mechanism and demonstration of protest, for the unjust behavior, he “butt her …show more content…
Starting at an early age his borders, his background and skin color, became a torment for him. He constantly faced racial profiling by the hands of the law. An example of this is a conversation at the police station, “Come on, Hank, you know why you’re here. Yeah. I’m a Mexican…” which ultimately resulted in feelings of anguish due to the social injustice that himself and other minorities unceasingly suffered. (Valdez 31) Henry came to the realization that this discriminatory action, among others, represented the reality that some members of society would never accept him or his people and that in order to avoid future tribulations they needed to succumb completely to the Anglo ways of life. His pride, at this point, became a border for Henry. He questioned how could he give up on his heritage and individuality for the chance to live without persecution. It is evident that Henry’s internal conflicts cultivated as he struggled with wanting to belong as well as staying true to himself. Being thrown in jail proved to be what Henry needed to realize that no matter what he did he would always be limited due to his culture and his peculiar choice to be a Zoot Suit. His instinct to defy the social norms, was like adding fuel to the fire; this internal border had a domino effect on his present, past, and future life. As evidence to this are the multiple possible endings where