Zoot Suit Riots

This scene is one of my favorite scenes due to the fact that EL PACHUCO stands up to THE PRESS in a profound way. He exposes the tactic they use to mask the whole purpose of the zoot suit, which was to make a style of their own in which they could feel good about themselves. EL PACHUCO doesn't come at THE PRESS in a violent way. Instead, he uses a demanding voice that makes me as the reader feel empowered. Because of this, I actually root for EL PACHUCO this once. Although he does get attacked lines later, in my eyes EL PACHUCO wasn't the one that looked like a fool at all. The way he stood up to THE PRESS, MATE, SAILOR, and SWABBIE gave him my respect. Conclusively, as the Aztec conch blows, EL PACHUCO still has his pride and dignity.


The most important lines in this scene are the lines EL PACHUCO recites on page 80 as he speaks to THE PRESS. he says,
              "The Press distorted the very meaning of the word "zoot suit". All it is for you...is another way to say Mexican. But the ideal of the original chuco was to look like a diamond...sharp hip bonaroo finding a style of urban survival...".
I find it important for the reader to know what the zoot suit was really suppose to represent and what America made it seem. The intentions of the zoot suiters weren't to cause chaos and riots, but to find themselves in a nation that was so distorted. These lines finally give us a concrete reason to defend the zoot suiters because we acknowledge that their initial intention with the zoot suits weren't cruel. Instead, they were like every other person trying to identify with themselves. EL PACHUCO does well in justifying himself.


QUESTION: What would have been your initial reaction in this situation: to defend yourself verbally, or violently?