Alejandro Morales The Rag Doll Plagues

Alejandro Morales’ novel, The Rag Doll Plagues, consists of three books, each depicting different periods of history with three men belonging to the same family. The connecting stories tackle numerous issues such as ethics, culture, and social inequality. Morales focuses frequently on discrimination and how it has the ability to affect all people regardless of the time. Like in this quote: “It severely criticized the disrespectful attire of the people that came from Orange County’s Hispanic community. ‘How can anyone enjoy a devious play sitting next to someone dressed like a hood?’ asked the Register’s review. Later that week several letters to the editor expressed their concern and dismay as to ‘the disrespect the Hispanic community …show more content…
The language is quite negative towards the Hispanic community of Orange County. They are “severely criticized” in regards to how they look from their “disrespectful attire” and supposed “absurd and defiant” nature. The phrase “How can anyone enjoy a devious play sitting next to someone dressed like a hood?” suggests that one cannot enjoy an activity if the people around them dress poorly. This form of discrimination suggests a person cannot enjoy something considered dignified if they are surrounded by others they deem insignificant or unworthy of enjoying it along side of them. The text’s language puts labels upon the Mexican people as “gangsters” and “barrio homeboys” which can sway the reader to the authors point of view. Morales provides contrasting ideas between “the disrespect the Hispanic community had towards the Theater” which expresses the opinion the people in the community have about the Mexican people and “the architectural dignity of the Center” which expresses the decadence of the Theater. These contrasting phrases show how the community members feel the Mexicans are unfit to be in such a place. The notion that “they should not have attended” on the opinion that they were only there “to see one performing actress” creates a sense of exclusivity and …show more content…
The Don Gregorio from the past is trying to persuade himself that he will not show fear of the native Indian people of Mexico whom are aiding his safe travels to the city. The language in this quote is, again, negative towards the Mexican people. In describing the people as “savages”, the text is degrading the peoples worth and by indicating that they “could not possibly have souls”, portrays them as inhuman and unworthy of being treated fairly. Using the word “possibly” strengthens the idea that people deemed unworthy, the people being discriminated against, could never get a soul in any circumstance. Morales seems to want the reader to feel sympathy for the native Indian people who are being judged quite unfairly by the main character which further represents feeling sympathy for those who are discriminated against. The author does this well by understanding that a reader is more than likely aware of what racial discrimination is, what it looks like, and are able to associate it as atrocious. He encourages this feeling of sympathy by making the reader face the negative act head on through the main