Through contemporary analysis, Jose Antonio Villarreal’s book Pocho can be explored as a modern depiction of racial stigma and overall conflicting identities held by Latinos during the early 20th century.
The novel begins by describing the life of Juan Rubio, a man who fought in the Mexican Revolution during the early 1900s and later fled to the United States. Juan’s description in the first chapter allows the audience to create a certain perception of Mexico’s crumbling foundation at the time. The Mexican Revolution’s failure caused a massive outcry by the citizens of Mexico and later led to the largest Mexican migration in history. With over 1 million Mexican citizens fleeing the country in search of a better life, the United States’ patience …show more content…
These Mexican immigrants would be referred to as “The Mexican Problem” and essentially blamed for any critical event that tarnished the overall reputation of the United States. Villarreal’s portrayal of racial tensions caused by The Mexican Revolution can be seen when Juan states, “In all of Mexico, you will not find two men who are truly friends”(25), this expresses that in a place expected to be home, even the citizens of Mexico didn’t feel a sense of community amongst each other. However, a large factor in maintaining the Mexican culture was the patriotism carried by Mexican citizens that migrated to the United States. Their pride was not only maintained but also strengthened after continuously being disparaged by the American people for being considered a problem. The racial stigma produced by the United States to discriminate Mexican Immigrants was maintained through a level of circular …show more content…
This mindset hindered the success of many Latinos in the United States and stripped them of their individuality. This profiling of Latinos in the U.S. forced groups of people to acclimate to harsh treatment, poor hygiene and overcrowded housing. Yet, these discriminatory actions were not the only issue. These citizens were being forced to lose their individuality and conform to societal expectations. They were born with these factors they could not control and as Villarreal calls it “Richard’s generic
The novel begins by describing the life of Juan Rubio, a man who fought in the Mexican Revolution during the early 1900s and later fled to the United States. Juan’s description in the first chapter allows the audience to create a certain perception of Mexico’s crumbling foundation at the time. The Mexican Revolution’s failure caused a massive outcry by the citizens of Mexico and later led to the largest Mexican migration in history. With over 1 million Mexican citizens fleeing the country in search of a better life, the United States’ patience …show more content…
These Mexican immigrants would be referred to as “The Mexican Problem” and essentially blamed for any critical event that tarnished the overall reputation of the United States. Villarreal’s portrayal of racial tensions caused by The Mexican Revolution can be seen when Juan states, “In all of Mexico, you will not find two men who are truly friends”(25), this expresses that in a place expected to be home, even the citizens of Mexico didn’t feel a sense of community amongst each other. However, a large factor in maintaining the Mexican culture was the patriotism carried by Mexican citizens that migrated to the United States. Their pride was not only maintained but also strengthened after continuously being disparaged by the American people for being considered a problem. The racial stigma produced by the United States to discriminate Mexican Immigrants was maintained through a level of circular …show more content…
This mindset hindered the success of many Latinos in the United States and stripped them of their individuality. This profiling of Latinos in the U.S. forced groups of people to acclimate to harsh treatment, poor hygiene and overcrowded housing. Yet, these discriminatory actions were not the only issue. These citizens were being forced to lose their individuality and conform to societal expectations. They were born with these factors they could not control and as Villarreal calls it “Richard’s generic