Zoot Suit

Throughout the play, The Press and other agents of the media play a major role in stirring up fear of Henry and his fellow pachucos. What are some specific instances and how do they display bias? How does the media toe the line between interpretation and outright lying?

One element of the pachuco persona is machismo, or masculine pride. How would you describe the pachuco construction of masculinity, and how is it displayed in the play? How does this construction of masculinity help or hinder the characters?

When he wrote the play, Luis Valdez only changed the names of the original historical figures slightly. For instance, Henry Leyvas became Henry Reyna. Valdez changed Alice Greenfield’s name to Alice Bloomfield. What does this say about the way Valdez is using this history? How do El Pachuco’s references to the play contribute to this understanding?