The 2009 film, Sin Nombre, written and directed by Cary Fukunaga is filled with conflict. The Major conflict in the film is when a Mexican gang leader from the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) is murdered by a member of his brotherhood. To understand the seriousness of this conflict one must understand the gang culture. Set in the ghetto of Tapachula, Mexico where poverty, death and violence is prevalent, the gang provides protection to its members. Many of the young people are abandoned by parents who have either died or migrated to the United States and are left to be raised by Grandparents or to fend for themselves. Protection and identity is found in the affiliation with a gang. In the film a division of Mara Salvatrucha rules Tapachula. Loyalty
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These thoughts come about as Casper takes the young Benito who is just about ten years old under has wings. Casper introduces Benito to the gang life. Benito’s grandmother tries to stop Benito for associating with Casper who she calls a criminal. She is trying to protect her grandson from the harsh reality of gang life but her efforts are wasted as Benito only desires to be a part of the gang and when the film introduces Benito it is suggested that he was stealing electronics as part of this orientation into MS-13. Benito after his initiation now El Smiley is required to kill somebody ideally from a rival gang to truly belong to MS-13 but he has not up to the time he enters the hide out for the first time. In a way it is evident that Casper is trying to protect Smiley as he himself travels down memory lane and remembers the horror of the life he lives now. Lil Mago makes Casper help Smiley with killing a member of a rival gang. Casper looks at young Smiley and at Lil Mago; it is clear that he does not want to do it but he knows he has to and he does so. Benito flinches when the trigger is pulled. However, Martha Marlene is the driving force for as she knows him, Willy. Willy’s love for Martha Marlene makes him forget/neglect his duties in the gang. Instead of going to the Bombilla, Willy visits Martha Marlene home to spend some
These thoughts come about as Casper takes the young Benito who is just about ten years old under has wings. Casper introduces Benito to the gang life. Benito’s grandmother tries to stop Benito for associating with Casper who she calls a criminal. She is trying to protect her grandson from the harsh reality of gang life but her efforts are wasted as Benito only desires to be a part of the gang and when the film introduces Benito it is suggested that he was stealing electronics as part of this orientation into MS-13. Benito after his initiation now El Smiley is required to kill somebody ideally from a rival gang to truly belong to MS-13 but he has not up to the time he enters the hide out for the first time. In a way it is evident that Casper is trying to protect Smiley as he himself travels down memory lane and remembers the horror of the life he lives now. Lil Mago makes Casper help Smiley with killing a member of a rival gang. Casper looks at young Smiley and at Lil Mago; it is clear that he does not want to do it but he knows he has to and he does so. Benito flinches when the trigger is pulled. However, Martha Marlene is the driving force for as she knows him, Willy. Willy’s love for Martha Marlene makes him forget/neglect his duties in the gang. Instead of going to the Bombilla, Willy visits Martha Marlene home to spend some