cunrree rou Lucha Corpi and the Politics of Detective Fiction Tin Librets ‘cone moment in Wale Maly eectve ove A Red Death, Easy Rinne idea Hy piesa evden, ist of names in a envelope ‘vith tent thon lar or 0, Hell, "lth mney bat ‘cote it with, Sometimes words ae wort or than son ‘speci if oar ari om ina(08) tm dan (os le te i hi momen so sgnies Rains’ elle excation rom te | Fosruretity of he apait marketplace, privileging tbe qs fot | ttt, elie aod Homage over capital gun. As such i signs \ ‘suo Moneys bit to anyon tatoo dete Htion fouls \ ‘which cries wana eat a inked with and underweting | | | Cpt enon ral. with the exception of Stephen Sots, ‘who sogucr that "Attian Aivercan dteive wes sigity ‘ements of th ective neo ovm ends such 5 "esting Isis of lick natoslon and race pride enw was" 3. Ino ‘wie achat Cheer Hines in is Gaseigae ones aod Cotin El | Tovel, land Hijo Primers in Cre, Janes Welt The India ayer, Shera Ale nn ier, Wale Mosley tte ay Ravine myst and Lista Cm in Esl or Brown Ange nd Cactus Bods tae fe aos nd works—have ak. __ ppd the ppl gre of detection n eer subj to $Etgue dominant cull ab lgalit conapins of ce and suse, di, folios ngtice aa ta foewar ae conceptions nfomed hy a8 sta _ponnecie of thera exgerence mine US. \. “nsatin crmosin thse novels the detectives of color inviahly_/ 0, (iL i Gnd thamales asi bee the ed nd ste of lnc7 Ti Libre rund dcp social eames a way of nove ‘the larger staal and isto pater of injtce perpetrated agin pope of color. As Lach Cop's barat Gora Dano Sips Eulogy fore Brown Ange wn fe pple a ile ina 1970, Chicano using In LA. and their die re raised ono lb for autopies, "ntme pep somo woul ditt th rete of ht happened th a. But perp we aed ke the mane iat insidon disease dt ha land tee, perhaps fur, more ves that Inte August atemoon" 2). The nove atopy Cony perms, ‘vious is one heats the disease a racism oping the eepoitve and pressive racial onder of US. society and poll conan. The system ise asd thse who eadorc, ema, and Undervte it are the real eiminal Has Franco Mort ares, ‘ditionally detective eon has restored social order by ining “oividas guilty that aot can dca Half noe, Cop von incites sty Hult with! messy until iting indus wha com aime: Rather, her iston develo 2 imich more complex relation feten the nvidia sity. Tesognaing the materi and discursive wc cts that pode ‘riminals tthe score of rimiaiy el. Yet at we wil se, an overling prion of the copes of Titerary ie of te detcineFction gee repeats the Conservative ale ofthe genre andthe resistance of the generic Tormula to sovation and to deplysien foe poli ad that hulloges the dian soil ore, Ths, he pposona ae of ‘otctiveGcton by US. wees of color rege some then, ‘which his say wi uadeake A age argument of this sy wil also be tat hese writes ave coscously tured tthe dtecive Tico genre x op form nto ning eet lt the coc at ‘ater tics plc sae ied whi and by popular ola ‘movemeitThey chon th poplar form ofthe detve mel over to reach Bonde aes, nded to each the public who ‘cul preps in tbexe movement While so mish the nlc tend mula! ec ho een o lepine and arg for the ‘rary vale of multe rate lation othe dyeing canon od the sada of rary valve tat urin tht era ano, te spas bein he tm the popular fr pei ‘epithe lary sar wih ten remove eray practice from th processes of everyday ie a rom fhe materia sn a stgels of plicl fone well aro adopt an ations Lucha Corp and the Politics of Detective Picton or ance tard th ett (and as standards fhe dian care ‘The question tht ees toe explore, weve, bow andi sta ‘othe popular can function radially and i oppo to he rca ita er Tn cuying rough hese argument and explains, wil oes schematialy on hey fess of Licha Cop's Cactus Blood and {Exog for Brow Angel and make sre of pment wh opt tothe ways in wich Corp's Chana pial pnpectve tks ius o rina and nie. Eloy ora Brown Angel opens othhe murder a seal ei aig ce eiogy pega to the 1970 Los Angeles Chicano Mach ln ihe posse detection, “however, he novel zealy becomes eng and ages of te ‘movement fm a contemporary perspective. Gla Dams ‘noing on sling the crime egcen years er and is Being 10 Pisce together te rte ae pat ofan interetosleesporte Pat compan acs ofthe lobe from Germany te Bra augeating {hate asst om Chinn the United Stes bx up with imps nggresionlowanteThnd World peoples global And ods, the murder of the sil while again an event secminaly Peripheral tothe evens of the movement, Hecomes itty [rnbvsted in he asst on the movement, As Danae sys nthe mer of 1970 everyhieg anyone of us did ha wo be considered ‘Scoring opin impact om te Chine common (62-1 is (his sentiment ht Fels Corp's reiki af iminaliy” an i Darul ofthe ay in whieh se defines the diffe sk Toe he ‘ter of clo ning te eine ficton pene, Hist people of ole has Ben rnin nh inte Sse, th wi of clr “ust aegotte carefully between reinforcing this stereotypical -tininaltion, expecially nh ae wc envi murder ‘tthe editor a the eae of mdr ease reduced 1029 Individual act—ie in fat Chicano, and seth iumiali ‘dg lense, Damas spp "he snoriten ral hat Feral ‘Cheam to go pblie on any Hie at could Be sed Uo Justify Cinetmination aginst wn some ways 1 eied cur movement frail equity tn sel dterminsion as 9 fleet om oes liste ier pare of te wor But we were people wit ation ‘ur bhuvion we costa er srt, cu cals rlentesy Undesige (68). Toop er detection, Damas gas fobs the Investigation ofthe crime, whdcrtunding the ere less a the dial ston othe Chan si of by Europe comomort ” Tm tbr ‘oe wr that pat fe Ingest pope of ‘aloe though the mechanisms eles and intemal ens, ‘Wt Dao finaly coves hs ay lagi i ity ‘cial oppresion.and what she deeper ete eof es” (initiation, colonization, dseinistion, ee) which were those mechanisms. Before moving ito dscstion ofthe novel however, we ned Yo Took athe racial moun that te detective velit of olor neds to ascend in esting the geste sales of "he eed formulas of dative fon. (CHANGING NARRATIVE ENDINGS, EXPOSING HISTORY: ‘THE DIALECTICS OF DETECTION iil satis of detective ton have goer hid the gene “inte ofthe frmalic native sie and pices wich ts _wotk seem continually to repeduce a which neal soln ad Scns conservative ideo This conserva, he ry goes the nana! ideology of the detective Seton formu themes nd is stubbornly resistant 1 innovation prectely teense itis 30 Combed rset, nthe Zamal ets of he pene Inde ' Fei meson fas noted in his coneptulzton ger nhs scasson othe desenyof fom, ‘msg er fee at rm many dey seg in ison i When cm ergo and ‘eae i qt dee! soci onl cul coe hs farm. The logy of frm ts lim peso Sige Casean 18,1) Such seems o be the case with detective fon, at le as etal ‘isesments ofthe gee hve stented f0 ste te ee, Fran Moret for example, declares delete ton “be wi genes ‘oan of contemporary capita” and “syn oclr's sercive bites” ascii the pnt whales with neonate ‘ignation ited nly in perpetuating th exiting oe, whi i {cha Corp and he Poe of Detective Psion “ ko elimate st of af, fund om testo of he rea father and ranctoned by the fly te, which moderates and seitialzes nividalegist"(35, 140,148). Sal, Denaie Poser ages, ses tml tt te elo of he detective ‘ition fo sere coset nd vals nisin valor because "popular ition iby dion = farm of ata that docs ‘ot affend delat an values ofits mate aon” such that ‘novels has ogo out of sway to sl eelsion and conic hit onde” and mst “lays lhe sry ft well creed wer", 219). Be the Marsa erie Ernest Mande eget to coniee the ‘oppositional posses of deectve fiction, asetng hat “ihe common ideology of th egal and csi detective ory in Brite United Stas and the coun of he European content remains qimesseatlly bourgeois” Bosse, fo Mandl "nda onli ae "sed a geeried sabe for confit betwen Sexi groups and layers "ie classmate of heat, proper tnd justice eins comply baceed(215). "This declopeal selene, cies ape, persists and asters ul even ia works f dove ton ht atmo appropiate the on forest llenge socials nw, Kathleen Grego luis, fr example in erste ofthe woman eect, argc that fundamen coazaton pis fetween te detective fon genre ‘nd feminist sender scope, rating a manent pacha ology to dete Seb ona eau he work othe detest nth psu of xe ter rr, and astral the Son social rer as ben sacl pica Sho agus a, he eine wo eres oder ce wl by nesting mar may bes se, oa te sce sty be feroml tao public Comeqny, he feminist Sete wis vp sprig he xsi sem ns opens Aer Kaineevilen, J wsos tu Fareer “fontereas eulka* 66 Tim iret a of hese ceedings fe dette fin Ferma adits inane ideology homer, se pomied on paar {Stumpins abot tesco ore in whith eft [olued a owe i reponse tesons and Sut {he eamposton ofthe ficton’s aden Por’ ape oe ‘xa reared ab ee te "deen ols Soni Seot pea edo” schon aprathwoaes toviluminate moce telly the gene's Ball"on the poplar imagination") sated sore, ht of etc fis ris steaing comin snd cont in hss ad tie des n Fonerswew "by creating s mk at embodies inks arte ‘log! presoporons hat ae iy toll he aes ‘ogtin ad apron "hse sce, ea of 2 ‘ed of dete ton “ts depen on alos of empl Tetween am stor and tar invoving th selwledgmat ef Shred cmriiy vals wa sed baate nm) ‘Buc Fore’ foun zn on eae scoala ‘coco of ly nd ctalyhmepnnus erp fine Secruliedconsiostess conforms or though steed ‘coding othe dominet US at's goon sei rls and tales is tery of dleine fon ignocs the fame and “eaten he vos ad varable ctl chin, and ‘isan wich chrctri done th cred ea and ‘Sci iat te US aon nd wich deployed nh ci and nee erring ad runing ene ed tela of Woducton Specialy, Pre’ eerste pach te oan pov conception of hooped vex, 'eologie, an cates. The apes thot nly rnd Ba aos, tb agus ta eve ov ae capes oto les an ofr a alms oi aoe a wr and a sl aoe dt ctr qa 2, itutng the prodicon of dative fiction tthe spect condoned rc eer of te US. soil stem and pale Sonam, weve Parte's ated sme seed ech {erolematt he foming his sara of US aon faatonas on of ese clninon sd congo, Unies fciie popatons te Unit Sts tively coat ‘loi eh ese nos, nel Tid Wa win the US. saint, we most st atte xpeicee of Matonbond a nla te colar mys and ira of he aay Lica Corp and he Poles of Detective ition o colonized national populations wil differ dramatically, even ‘amet, fom ths the dint nd coonisng US, tonal alu Corp's week registers both this national and cata ‘ieresnon ofthe Chicano population fom and within the US, ‘tons and dominant culture whe er curate Gloria Damo Sats in Eulogy fora Brown Angel, “Bat we were a poole win & ‘ation. Our beavion was costly under sretiny our culture ‘elles unr siege” Ths, thet ovals” of he “mae ‘odnce ofthe Ciao satire for whom Corp mit by large be ring Wl ily elon conrait howe ae “les of the mis aniene iafooned. by and alias with te Igor bli vals. ates of th US. dominant cute. A 2 society fissre by tcl antago and funded aad minined SS eoigh al opresioe nd ashy shy os casted bya SS sof ihe mn wales Ihe dec novel mst avays «SS ‘i he stay os cles word the arate comepioe a SS Welbordred woe for 2 Third Wold readership would ot be te ‘inst of aia it oF wa, fhe racially oppresaive watts 7 quo. Serving justice forthe Third Wold render does not mean Stpporiag the exsing sytem but rather enpging in 9 foal ‘unsformtion of the racist U.S. society and te capa and Ingest pliteal economy tat motivates rca oppression std cploton, Indeed, a Sherman Alex's character Thomas Bulls their says to the judge who asks If "we can go about the ‘aniston of jusice” ring bist osc be on wal for the history frac ne cries by Nave Ameian paint European ‘and wt American sels and colonies, shat el ase oie ‘ests (100, "The pat tht he comma thoy of etetve ton aan inherently conservative genre fal o ecgnie ht I ie baed sumptions sbow ie demosaphiscompstion of a eaderhip a) {beideloia eres of hat ede thai andes in sierent esta and demographic content the detective fon” Fonmota could as easily serve a politically radical and social 707 i tsusformatve fonction, Thus, tis aces thatthe ats, £2 clo ‘sch ar Mande’ thew the adl pais of detcie BON pyr ce bot ater hat they tend o Toews on ied umber of deectve novels eoesituive of what one might term, somewhat ienically, (OULD Caria eectve ton, Thay, hse sis es on thing, ot- Tin Libres the basis Limied number of works the patie, ater tan he feemal posites, of dott ien Indeed, de mpl of detective ston to explain and inn sce ‘shea ps events gga it could ke deploy et cary {orm par ecelence for undertaking an historical mates ‘otesoption so ertigue of dominant social farms and woe ad Ie for hllenging What mean hastened inser teen Meologe paradigms which contain wit hs los a peter ‘dig, Cannot wits appepithe fom with is ten mer acai yet change tho ending or le invest that form wth aie content? As Barbra Haslow har noted of Third Woed writers ‘eteraing with western Utes forms, "The we by Tied Wort ‘essace were of te novel frm aI has developed win the ‘ssn Iary triton oth sppopies and calenges este tnd hiseriing presuppositions, ie nave concn, implied within the west tion std ie devslopment'(), Following Harlow’ ola, wold seem pas hatte ge fm of tn dectve novel could be deployed tenet reristance a damian Social fons and idols by seling diferent sere cnigs rom. ‘hose cootined within the tadtonal or consemonsdeslogia "erry padi Indeed if we vdestnd ot ary geo nak ‘us sol a ieal forms passed dowe o nhertl though some Bloenaon of rary raion ht somehow expt ro shove mati story but ae iaseal condoned by spc hss situations and development, hs we muss se fern hss ning as already pan ginal ployment fm in Harlow's words, “contained within the ntratve an onstaction of the condos and problematic of the stare Ssiution sel") Alene’ sey “The Tr of Thoma Bue Fite." for example, Builth Fie'steimony In his own desea involves reaping the hstary of vnlene against clonzation f ave Ameren. sch hat he conception of jie on tht tos Airey oat fhe str! and elt perpetve whi lenges the foundational mythos of “American” naonhood, Wile Meet gus th in detctive ton, a i aw isles mpeg only as violation and such, st be oimaelyrerense038) on rps detective ition, as Aleie's sty, hry Ts exposed ows he eal proses and hog hes of detonate tolvinge ‘Lich Corp and the Pols of Detective Fiction o FALLING INTO HISTORY, RECOVERING POLITICAL INNOCENCE, A extended foray ito Cap soon detective novel Cactes Blood, Iesied spans Mort's ital pronouncements oa te operation and social onto of dete fton, wil tate my pi or ‘More the detective formula is lfcmed by a Freudian maxes ‘tative propelled by the death istic the dese otto the ‘beaning toa err sae of things A such, be agus, dete ‘ove at inherently aninoveic tty lk ative and as not encode rent history or istic deeepment Thy ase id reste soso, fining the sas gua by expling he gly clement frre allen worl. Hewes Spee ey eas sainsingrratcsecten SERS Acces nian feecpereretieeepreiear ae SovS Tacha scans pay Seo taonse ss eee enn antc Scesacmes rea io iicteewerneees Mort's thcrztion ofthe Redan fl of and of he resting proves cnered ty, dete Fito sn tht eaves itl oom ot ‘esing detective fiction awl fom fo afl itary pssice” Tim tre eared toward chlleaping aed asso oman sil elton, Yel in Cori’ detective icin, while we 386th many of More's thmati deticaons equ site ad sigh, we also vee that these themes of anoenes and sta yee le Prominent, ar developed i sacha wn ao fre th exloration of istry andra roses and te mative piel mamemeat and etvim hat has grown sat, To borrow How's oat, Cop- ‘oaows te rave but ange the ending Ia Ctr Blood, for ‘example, Gla Damaso i ivetping th sone ofthe exh of et frend ad ogtine Chicano svat Sonny. Pood rape, he ft which Chicanos historically have boycotted Benue of he pesticides ‘ed which poison and il th farmer who pik the se fund in his reget, and on his vdeo rcerer aap le piping of = Chicano farmworkers suike fom 1973 in which Seon pst. Cop's marion of Danaco's covery ofthe see proves hey insight it the U.S. Third Word writers raring the geese ‘mula of detective Ft. She writes "os rae arm insie Sonny’ apm bt ya fl sand ened, Suey my econ wa he fot the ems gre by So's deh an B's i lig tonsil, hat someting ee wa at wc ai A Dist ‘lie pled at my he anand elo meson of A= hd grown pote nse. Lae Tw align itn, wishing tat hagy mete way hey lo en he Incl, elit wa osha et pene Teas passage registers Damasc'splicalyenonscius dese or nin! to gen fo a “ater sate OF Wines” tins of pole Fnmocece, we ee het th siete tte anecenc of pole ah Lucha Car andthe otis of Detective Fiction ” “oe mhich Damasco pees wanes otal one were ‘emotive by the Fen eson ofthe deth tin Rater the nostalgic yaring wo recaptre the hited moment when one aperinced one's mos intone sense of pole commitment i orayed eres a oust the motat of the ete bith of 2 Polite or Eros inthe Cicaala nto pital sojet, and ‘vin a Freudian acyeanti famew ts Es, the pone the dat istic, which rhe foe hat ntfs dsrbanees at the process of lia” and works asin the death isin’ ending “ganic ie back int an aint sited 46,38), Thos, wil Cop's marae ie nferme osoe extent bythe detective novels tetionl deep stacare or artive grammar of asta tthe ‘egioing is retum othe hepisng.oscence, mane not the represion f a liste! wolton but rhe tthe scion foemerng istry and asaing an tie sl the hse age: sovatonecftetchmge. Inthe above pasape, Damisco's ss-consionness already exposes he politely ereive—andpuycholgially epee mpl tend the wasting tin hing nce th way thy aed ben the at sities and eu Seventies” She engines the dango and ‘istrkzng poten of metal o fig the past rece In ‘lenis terms and vecogies at "it wa ols to kng Toth mot ‘presive and reeessive ines we, a Chicanos, ad exetenad Instead, ther hogy. wha she longs for ito respi the est he poi nas aed cent the ps msde 0 revi and reiet the Chicago movement. This imocence Cor figures 6a key ease of plea! walty which sacenay to ase te hrrowing expences and storia! viltons tata the present Coop's dtetne ton th gies the tational thematic: and form ofthe geste ad temp tough hs lbs ‘naive proces of sinifiion the retreats of sng ho heal and e-eneaz the Chicano pic! pyc rage by the tsa violations anderson ofthe rca opesson and ris rer of US. sce. While Cars pues landmark event tie {Chicano Movement ich ae he 1970 Moros mach and the 1973 ‘Unt Fem Worker” ke, acing the lse af naneese he ‘typical detective fon formula of roessinghisory and rst canadetons trough te retraton of imeecce i eves a Insoey-and the individ’ sity 6 parce cllsctvely in the making of histery trough revotonry seal asfarmaton—--n “Tn Labret ‘tly and ioncly recover ugh th restaation of acess Indeed, Corp's naive method of exploring and rethinking the vii od legacy ofthe Chicano Movement hear ote of what Frei Jmestn fas eed snl or the reset, let He eos a6 a pedomigat charac ofa pooder teste "he mesmerising se atthe ode self emerged sean elsboraed Syeptom ofthe waning of history, of olive potato of tparicning istry i some ative way” and demonstrate "the ‘noumiy ofa stanton in whieh we som inressinglyInapble of fashioning representations of or own expience” Jameson 191 21) Us preciely in response to this “waning of istry” and the Ae o rpesnng a arent compet expec Ic woul seem hat Cap tun the ete icon gees. a Ssease, returns tothe see of the ei to detect snd eee the ital history ad pas afte 1960s and ety 1970 RECOVERING CHICANO POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS, SOLVING CRIMES OF HISTORY Inde in Eulogy for Brown Angel lori Damato's qt sve the marr of young shila fhe 1970 Chicano Maia chin st Los Angle contines foreign years, sige, nse, that ne cannot ave done wih istry ant wil eon rp ‘and inform the present sich tht he polital male the pst Aloveloped to anderand experience and resist the condo of eistence defining tat experience most noe he fogoten. Suh. A ty araive of detetion des ws aly not pres ise, calls tenon écensircet0 and cont ells up hist. The detection process nt only i tad, ‘ropes and keeps alive nis conciostst nt th reset but so pes Danae foro ack it th pst th ey claiztion lit, ry of Coat Sanayi as he of Sy ‘which motivates the arte fr ou otto be murder ha an Acids if ota ace sch date “sins” Kl which Damas {seeks toate tugboat the noel ins oto Be a eine, Wh ‘simporn inthe marae, he, nt so musk teens or ve it Solution asthe process of detction el and the exploration and Interpretation of lve Because af the psycho histones heap recovery and analyst which echirses abet msl In Gactar Mood, for example, te ental ts in solving th putsiedenthof Sonny i nding he character Cros Nava wh aca Corps and the Poe of Detective Peon ” ‘had been sen leaving is apartment. Yel he seach for Cala wh ‘as hing od with Sony's ule igurinaly sig the seach ‘and veal encounter with the Chicano htrel pst aswell s- ‘wh the polialexigeces persistently defining the reser. Ax ‘egal immigrnt and undocumented wks who is raped by the hasband of te family for which she works as a domestic and is eixoned when in fg cn he family she rus tough a pesticide Miten ld, Co teeomes the embodiment of the Chicana history ‘fran ppesion and alma, nr super expen, ‘nd seaualvoete wibia the ail patrcha ls ctr. What Damas redscoves in oeaing Caron and ean er istry a al of te istues ta safomed Chicano political eonrciousest and ‘ety ad motivated the Chicano Civil Rigs movement othe 190s and 1970. She feabon a he ving voce and repay oF Ansogl nema. pt Com andtns a Dams nde Coa story on tape made ty er decent frend Lin ho had eon ‘rend in inervowing Cans for a reject ene “Te Chins Experience," which war to docume! the Chicano Civil Rights Movement om the pengetve of Chicas. In paral Carts registers te tation of Chino protest and rettance 1 the contons of naional oppcsion oir onze whle alo mapniying and questioning te waning of {Chicanalo activism and pola commitment the wake of the ‘movements eyday and nthe face ofthese pesiting contons ‘Woe driving with Carta trough Sonoma a one moment inthe story, or example, Damanco recounts sexing te howe of Gora ‘Mariano Vallejo a is beter Salvador Vallejo and engages io a0 Iistre eestion whic wil qute at nth frit stuns is, is demonstrating Cm nerporaton of stra dames ‘socal conscounes nt the plo of dtstion and, soon. rating within he pl the seting a cont tht hls Casio's eihtena an Damass'siminahing pla sensithe view is ee ae Arata ab thy same time ” Tim Laren ‘bat and he BF Rev Mont The manent a ee ‘cpa y the Hear Fg el ter te Mn Ay ed ‘Geel Valo hid down hams Att tine nce Vale's ‘aren, Cars US ty vey elgg ‘ito en.) Damato's nie nation here fhe pesto of Sonoma reveling wis Desa ituncovers he pchaps ifn vend oF ‘epee htry ofthe conan of the aliens by "Anglo Seters bat an bean ofthe tral ome an whi this tame a hisral documentary s ise note native. The ease ee sings ike x pend between th "Ang" denna US cates fn historieal perspec andthe Chicanfo on, For example Damasco fst desctos Sonoma in tems of porte fam 38 scons perpetve of consumption, nes of what ths ad 9 Incas wii te capitis economy of comme postion ae eat of he wine county” deserigton hat taste oats (7 of coamediy ftshism. The perspective te quickly cootere, weve: by unsco's ulin irom a Chicana permet ts Sonoma othe ite of historical events that ebangod the fate of Mexia i Calon ever” Siy, Danas sion moves ftom the Mean monument of he miso of San Pane Solna the monument mevialtng tbe cooquest and colonization of Cals the Bear Bag Revo Monument, reps the hist of Cultural tif nd land spas between indigenous Moses sd Invading "Anglo sears in Calter But wie the patage sal effectively alls up that histor onsen and even sey and esneically reveal al Stragele and the proces ofthe commoifction and comedy fein of he land ht reed in the repre of th Chica Noa pepectve i the faze ofthe intuit of eit Coltoraland economic inertvs, ana nartive representation = Damasco's oncoues it seems sification th extent o> ‘ech she aang Hetween thee tela reese ic Lucha Corpand he Plo Detective leon * resnkthat she has ler and commited understanding of US History om the Chicano pepe of tra esenztio, ut hi Understanding est app only toe vent ofthe ps abl ot {nfo her decoding fhe preset. er geting th urgent sons ‘hat ad rote us th Vay of Moon ert abo the hisrcl esearch se did (fr salting he rine in Eloy fora Brown “Angel exemplifies ths section of a al present in Dana's tind, Bren the language she aes hare mark cular Sli 25 She peas of Sonoma, pat from her cory of Carma history from a Chicano ptspectve, athe “Vay af th Moon,” eal op ‘tm alot ack Londonesiue elt guration of Sonoma, ats: feta realize tht solving nes nthe preset oie ndersnding them both series wt a hry anda rime of story Indeed, Comp implicitly diagnoses her detecive's awed investigative tecniqus as atrial. Damssco mat comest pst nd presen. tox connection which for Damaico, a the esting loge a this ome novel danas, re om ene he et pail ‘Wiha che coset ofthe pla, this pssge trash Sonoma eas oa cameron Stora Damasco and Calta in whieh Dams's ‘ deplicization ofthe pst and, by extension, the dminton of er plc commitment inte present come central ses, Can ‘eft to Sonoma a la cane de tain he erale of teson, ‘pking the ollowing interchange betwen he wo: eng ha Carts comme! nd oetng no ho ne yu Pan cf iat bl, Lot oe Sh wk ‘and dank tin rg roi. "Wal se md "a Valo suri wea? mn so ced er ‘Berard “And eed Clo pot inte ete4 hindi for ab ten Gitane(a % Tim Libre alts final comment bere reece the fat that the same ‘Chicanos moh ore than avail” en. One dente oneself 1 Chieanalo inorder inet oe poliealafiiton wh ed ammiment the Movement. As Reet Linda Fro a Asi Cara point out, te term “signed bos the timation of oa ‘srking hs an indigenous xg, ad the reject of simon, ‘ecultraton, andthe myth fhe Amerian melting pot. np in th term Chicano was a seat elton ao eratey of auge wich theatzed the Chicago comity and cle or sail vl od ‘efom’(205), Ths, fr Danco wcll eel Hane weld en tony teins he resistance pies ofthe Cisano Move ut sso eauying Beall with be dominant U.S cit nd ion {tof the melas pot nto wc, in reality, Chica a te ‘aca miosis in the U.S Rave orally not en alowed to el arate bl realy a be ef pola hy responding, “You're ahsoluely sight melt ave heen tiking that ta roving polly spate and que sels". And when thi Is ‘vers Tow Thuve od lt of mew adeno oasheping just don't tink 'm ready to-do anything about my pola ‘lacency inthe mie ofthis mss(17479, Buti esl in th idle hs men at Damaco, base of Calta, I freed todo that “housekespig” train bet ommitneat othe pips ofthe Movement At ons point when Cri and Damasco are escaping a tight sot rshing tough Mexia restsant, fr eam, iron ses 4 woman eating pe, ‘notches the bunt rom he da estes then with He shoe ‘hile Ting questions atte woman: "Dow't you care that fn Seeker ate poisoned and deo cancer every yee? Tha babs ae te with ih dees? Tt people go eazy from the pesticides sed fon those grapes? Don't you Bow tha you hold) bye ale tapss?“(17). When Damasco urges Carla t keep moving, Crt lass, “simran people know (=) wot sll bapcting tapes and way"078). Damaco i ose 0 ges find sell Feveig to er activi mode ofthe 196Dr nd 17D, vain soa tha thy il rrr othe restan abd spk ote manager if ttyl no ess, pani pckt ite: While om ane eel base omens igh read idl intros in th det le, they actually consti the return ofthe hissy cereseo. he Insenuption oe persistent emergence of the plo of sory wc Iocomes at inient to Te pat ha rater the cen pot sl, ‘achaCorp and he Plies of Detective Pion ” lesonstaing Ramin Salva sass tat history cannot be anceived as the mee “ackeound” oe “cniext” of (Chica ‘erat; albert us at ob te deve dtr of the {enn ad content of he ert"). DETECTION AS DEREIFTCATION: THE SCENE OF LABOR ASTHE SCENE OF CRIME. The detection process, in psychaterpewtcally recovering the repessod hist of Chicas sugges ak opression and ‘tas exploitation, perforation of escort ing bok charsters and reader ack othe coe of ako tt reso ‘od andthe motor his. The uesons Carlota ases andthe soy ef racial and sox! eppression and aber exploitation abe tities an undocumented worker an “egal aie” in er On feleized land, re oes tht he forms: plato detective ition Seuned by Moret aad hers anna make spent, Idee. Comp ‘wcunivel rings he lot bck tothe see of ab ae en ce the ove Damaco' road Visi, «psc, dapnoses Care's lesa cased by pmo pesca: Tv ed oper in media journal abot he fet of psd and ies om man beg, atl people sil a's oblem only fr he farm worker slays ll ma hres aman peo ep forthe unblemished fople of grape. But tha's wit we coneimers demand «The eovebial poisoned ale. Amizing, n't H7(114). Trough te Srcketration of earn and plot Cap invokes «perspective of rodaction and xcs the dominotperspevive of consumption {nforming US. capita clear wach fonction on Marxist terms the fifa of conciousness aad the ftsism of te omy that effectively msties ad elininaes abo fom the purview of US soil ison Thu, wile Moret argues tat "Money prwer and wages which ir the te sre of social wealth” and Eondenne deectve fit sprfeming "coll ftshsn135, 152), Comp’ deve ston overt these conveadons by making the sluion of the vine the discovery of story isl of the fenctoning of the rial pare captive system a 3 Bae Isionclly and i de presen shaped acl and clus style and timiall npctdtndvdal ives ach as Calo a well the” Tm tibet ‘lev tives of worker and pope of clar general Ind, wile Mandel ones the "rele desta he he fhe xis sHory"(210), fering to dhe process by which death becomes a8 ‘sled initio experene dived om scl ceunstances ‘or problems, Crp indies the semi srt ofall cpl ‘nds pout lates which consign peopl of caer the wast, and oiled ally werk condones, (Corps thus reworks the (ical detective tion formula by slain the portance of tind xa wt beens fs the later source of emily: the socal sete HslfoNO~ Soceoe a in Moe's naa, ve ested Ia fas as thee ogress: it uncovers nly more guilt and more evsenceof the fale ‘nd of the socal nt ath scene above when te dator ‘Victor, speaking ofthe poisonos gprs, invokes the woe ofthe fal from innocence. Damion and her Chicanaslos of the pos ‘Movement, pos-Lspsnran pial envionment have foram this condition recalling Adora’s statement Lo Bejanin Uhl "every felcaon ia frpetine Uy 29) and need obs reminded of tis fallen coaition to eity tir poll Commitment the els of the Movement Indeed, as Crp statues the nae, he fe Is ot evealed af he esinning the nase bat rater covered at elution of to arte eime nthe novel fer o siguientes tecaseitserver moro moate the lt than o conse 3 cen renin the pl The murder isthe novel, a aeady mentioned, isnt that of commited by Calta fend Jone Baldomar who, by her blesson, ‘ecientlly murdered er Anglo hshand beans she knew he a en planing eve he fr ater woman Shs ha en tending to murder him and wih thse itntony had been a work cet the ‘Srcumstancer tat wo allo hr i ane a ld Chana ac, ‘val for Calta’ ffesion, Dring farmers trike i 1973, tha eigivings deciding woul! be plicallycouterpreductve 0 ‘heends fhe sik, ad terse o persuade Ranoa nto execu ‘is pln. Who he di At an Sony. a momen of ambiance, {etled pina i rng fest fhe Maven tgp htt Lucha Corps and the Polis of Detective Picton ” sense of ambivalence never diminishes and they contin harbor ult foc having tetrajed comrade. Aware of tee event, sie Ieaes postoned grape inthe relists of At and Sonny, seals Some slsificant pogaps ofthese hanging om A's wl ta Tcaes aatesnke in A's yard to mate them Glow that Rama Seeking fevenge upon thom, er loge being tha iven ch ‘iteumstnes she wl be able frase Ramon fr any murder she "Whilst pails ofthe complexities of he lb should make appre ht the acl mdr Josie ort frclovant in compart othe chin of events ie att to ene Remon nigger: Dunas fit is eer een atmo solve the ‘nude of leri's hand bt rater the desth of Sona, which she Istkeny lees to have ren a mn, ut one's action tae the coma elements of he pot. the carves’ mediatons on the lial ats dt examination ofthe stength a persistence of ‘hc poll commie inthe pea. At fo example, mt ome to grips wih his having tested gust Ranon. And Sonny si ‘peculted,commied sce iter ssing the ape depicting een from sitesn gers ago beste of a ses of otal fare oden, te search forthe ising patogrps fm ARs walle which ocument past Chiao staple smb this urgency to recover the pees othe pst and eases one's prose postion and he at ofthe Movereat welling of hat histry. This pet ofthe Plot and is relative discon fom Josie’ mdr of ber shuns fecome cle nthe clic see net th end which tke place "Nave Americana te. AU his po Ar sil suspect tht Ramon Caballo is behind Sony's death and the cer event nd oes this alminaton afore of sts on te oom of the Move Te sys,“ fel aia eee ta stated tack in 19TS i coming o 3 ‘loses ope thse oe end with my we dee For the eye to end Uke began, tous of us who were invalved ia de feton of see yt agp ld ave fo be here the se tie Are'teycles ppd work tht wy?) Bot th ple dss nt eet nots Mort haere he ‘Sho wih ating changed nd oiglearted. Toh he ned poco of ection. the acter ak tah he dat poll "tons ofthe t,he confit etwoen Renon and A i ese hd Dams at well us er pel commen ested Je, ho0 Tim Libre ‘cult the pat an the Movement, ought (0 took ad the ies of possibilty fra Tid Wend working ls aay oe renewed The questo’ and saenst ral by Cart ea acid or overshadowed by Js’ ing hot oases fr the novel recast cones f jain and ris in mc oder ‘ems, The esate of plical alr a thereon has Damstco srs eal aly ora own Angel, we were ‘ope within nation” sigs at clot renewed begining whichis wot a retin othe beginning but a recognition that the Sains of intra colonization persia nth 19s ad that the ‘Thi Word Movers of he 1960s at arty 197s prove ruil ‘ol of essa nthe er in whch he sve eines juice. 8 the end of rial class and sexual oppression sad exploiatn. We aust fe justice i jst bepanins.Appebending the eininl means ‘vehaling soci nd como th i rma ou nde In Bog fora Brown Angel, Darasco iil tying to the salve the tie of 1971 eighcen Years Tater. Althogh the individ ‘orets, 4 Chicano Vietam veter who a tend aginst the Movement had bznapresade in 1971, Dara uncover 989 he eonptcy wit whch he Was inks, a tuliaonl corporation, signing the coniunon of sparing capitals ints wt Mandel has eed “ate capitis,” In sh she sones nt Jott “we were a people within anton” but tht Chinas ad ‘te aia mires sl re peoples within he US. nation ad that ‘nant-colnial nasal poles muse stl conse the eming onde fiery cic ed polis esisace, Yt we hve seen, Cop's novels aes the US. Thiel Worl naonal ences ‘arm otening theses ad aes, apport the Tied Word Polka status quo which els for he revlionmy rasan of the rail an economic Works crrED ‘Alsi Semin, The one Rage ond ono Fifi in Heaven New Yr pats, 185 ‘ache Cor andthe ots of Das on ” — cc Ratt Pre 188, ed Sg. The vn New Yar: WM, Neon, 1980. rnin o the Catal Loi of te Capon. uta Date UF. 5 iy Main, Marzi nd Tol, ery Univesity of Cia res 16, in, Kno Geary. The Wana Date: Gener and Gee, Ub: Utes of ons Pe, 188, Mendel, Ema “A Marit Ineetatin ofthe Cline Sty “Dene ‘ton: A Cleon of Cita Ey BR W. Wik, Vroot The Cann Pe 98021328 rei; rn Sigs Tato Wane x in he Siig rary sey, War Rd Dnt New Yok: Sion Ses 18 Pore, Deis The Para of Crime Anolon Dee ison, Now ve: Yl UP, 18 Sais, Ramon. Chee Martie he Ds of Dirence. Main Une of Wicoia Ps 150, Sots Sepben. The Bes Dect ily of fica Aron De