John Sayles Lone Star: A Character Analysis

During a scene in John Sayles’ Lone Star, a character named Otis Payne is having a long awaited conversation with his distant son, Colonel Delmar Payne, about Delmar’s current position as Colonel and Otis’ current position as the “Mayor of Darktown.” The “Mayor of Darktown” is a phrase used to show the influence Otis has on the black people of Fontera. After some discussion concering Delmar’s return to Fontera, the place Delmar likes to run away from, he said, “The Army hands you a command, you go wherever it is” (1). Delmar is preaching that it is necessary to allow the Army, or in most cases, an authoritative figure, to have a vast influence on what one chooses to with one’s life. It is easier to oblige to any authoritative figure, because …show more content…
The more sacrifices one makes, the harder it is to discard of one’s newly profound lifestyle. Hard work shouldn’t be wasted, as to why Mercedes hides her Mexican culture. Her earnings are becoming difficult to maintain as she starts to rethink her own choices of how she obtained her success. When the truth found in the Buddy Deeds case resurfaces, Mercedes is met again with the unethical actions that led her to success. She told her employees that one will either “get one welfare” or “become criminals” in constant signs of hypocrisy, she is a prime example of both. Her notorious affair with Buddy Deeds is a sign of opportunity and is a way to receive money to score a head start in her restaurant and success. The hardships that she went through is too much to be just thrown away and all the sacrifices and downfalls are the reasons of why she is so successful. Mercedes is reasonably the “borderline” that Otis is talking about, she is stuck in the middle and if she decides to give it all up the success she will be stuck being displeased with both staying in America and hiding her heritage or by running back to Mexico and being unsuccessful. A fresh start is almost always seen to be beneficial, but in reality, starting a new life is just as difficult when trying to maintain one’s old life. For example, in America, standing out in a place where one is not wanted may cause unwanted negative attention and it …show more content…
There is disgust and hatred towards Mexicans to enhance her own superiority. She differentiates herself from all the racists, but only towards an extreme power. She is not afraid to adjust Mexicans to hide their true lifestyle to conform to an Americanized lifestyle. Sayles’ point of this extensive topic is to clarify that one does need to hide one’s true identity in order to feel secure in society. There will always be people that do not be fond of who or what we are, but the decision to hide one’s identity and feel ashamed for the comfort of another person should not be relevant. However, limiting one’s sharing of true identity is used to blend in with society and is used to draw away any troubles that may come in one’s way. The resolution of the film includes the parallel episode with Enrique and his fiancé to allow Mercedes to glance back and recognize how much she has to adjust in order to live peacefully in America and all the struggles used to participate in the American