In literature there are really big ideas that are written in different types of styles.

In The play Zoot Suit there are various central conflicts and social issues that are being
shown, such as more obvious ones like Racism and injustices towards the Zoot Suiters.
There are many central conflicts that are shown, but the root of the social issue is that
people are fulfilling their stereotypes expected by the white majority.
The characters in the play Zoot Suit are all different, but a lot of them have heavy
stereotypes that they carry on their backs. The white majority, or in context of the play,
The Press and the authority figures have stereotypes in their mind and therefore they tie
them back to certain characters. For the protagonist, Henry, his stereotypes are tied
back to his Mexican American background. His Mexican American background has
many stereotypes to it.The white majority sees the mexican youth during these times as
rebellious Mexican Baby Gangsters or bad adolescents that are just always getting
into trouble and defying authority.
Occasionally these stereotypes are fulfilled. Henry gets into an argument with the
leader of The Downey Gang and he lets his stereotypes get the best of him and he
says, Just me and you, cabron. Thats my carnalillo you started pushing around, see?
And nobody chinga con mi familia without answering to me, ese! Hank Reyna! (HE pulls
out another switchblade) (46,). Henry fulfills the stereotype that he does not rationalize
like the the white majority and therefore he turns to violence to solve his issues with
others.
The majority of the Zoot Suiters fulfill the stereotypes that are laid upon them
even though they might not realize it. When Valdez produces the dialogue in Act 1

Scene 4. The Interrogation he shows how Henrys self affiliated stereotypes are being
shown to the authority figure.

HENRY: I aint your son, cop.

LT. EDWARDS: All right, Reyna, have it your way. (EDWARDS and Press exit.)
PACHUCO: You dont deserve it, ese, but youre going to get it anyway.
SGT. SMITH: All right, muchacho, its just me and you now. I hear tell you
Pachucos wear these monkey suits as a kind of armor. Is that right? Hows it
work? This is what you zooters need-- a little old-fashioned discipline.
HENRY: Screw you, flatfoot (32 ).

In this dialogue Henry is defying the authority by listening and being influenced by
Pachuco. By him defying the authority, the stereotype of the Zoot Suiters being
rebellious is shown through Henry and Henry might not notice but he is living up to the
stereotype that has been set up by the white majority.
On the day of the opening trial the Press says, Your Honor, there is testimony
we expect to develope that the 38th Street Gang are characterized by their style of
haircuts(53). When The Press says this he is basically telling the public how the
white majority classifies the Zoot Suiters.
In the Zoot Suit Riots a couple of sailors see Swabbie with the style that the 38th
street gang members have and they strip Swabbie of his garments. The stage directions
state, (They fight now to finish. El PACHUCO is overpowered and stripped as HENRY
watches helplessly from his position. The PRESS and SERVICEMEN exit with pieces of
EL PACHUCOS zoot suit. EL PACHUCO stands. The only item of clothing on his body

is a small loincloth. HE turns and looks at HENRY, with mystic intensity. HE opens his
arms as an Aztec conch blows, and HE slowly exits backward with powerful calm into
the shadows. Silence. HENRY comes downstage. HE absorbs the impact of what HE
has seen and falls to his knees at center stage, spent and exhausted. Lights down.)
(81).
The way that Swabbie acts with the sailors when they confront him and act
savagely is exactly what the white majority sees. They expect the Baby Gangster to
act up and let the people get to the them. They expect them to fight and act
unsophisticated and wild. By Swabbie acting up and Valdez having an Aztec conch
sound it shows how they act savagely and they are fulfilling what the white people see
them to be.
Fulfilling stereotypes that are put upon you can cause many conflicts. In the play
there are many examples in which characters have stereotypes and they fulfill them with
or without knowing or thinking about it. This conflict of the characters fulfilling their
stereotypes is a social issue because they are allowing the white majority to classify
them as a certain group that acts a certain way.

Works Cited

Valdez, Luis, and Edna Ochoa. Zoot Suit. Houston, TX: Arte Publico, 2004. Print.