Los Angeles By Luis Rodriguez Summary

Mexican-American life in Los Angeles as described by Luis Rodriguez presented a harsh reality that frequently found conflict and contradiction in its narrative. When a teacher would tell young Rodriguez that he was full of intellectual potential, a sheriff would soon remind him that he was simply a vehicle for absent-minded violence. Each stereotype and identity suggested to him wound up as a shoe that did not fit. Rodriguez’ journey through gang culture, Mexican-American life, and a challenging American reality was inherently driven by the conflicting aspects of selfhood. Transitions between neighborhoods, gangs, schools, and individuals in his life created a constantly moving space in which Rodriguez struggled to find himself amidst a variety of stereotypes and expectations. Early in his story, Rodriguez identifies part of the motivation behind joining a gang as the result of a school life “poised against [him]: telling [him] what to be, what to say, how to …show more content…
Sanchez was referencing Mexican culture and Anglo-American culture. In Rodriguez’ experiences, he had to grapple with a multitude of different avenues that weaved and intertwined the experience of being Mexican-American. A lack of acceptance or willingness to engage on the part of Anglo-Americans limited Mexican youth’s ability to identify with their new home. Gang culture in Los Angeles inadvertently provided young Mexican men and women with a far more violent version of an extracurricular club. Violence allowed the youth to bond while also retaliating against institutions and peoples that pushed them away. Conflict between games like the Lomas and Sangra manifested from the geographic microcosm in Los Angeles. Action through protest, writing and speaking out was less accessible than using one’s