Los Vendidos by Louis Valdez - Book Report/Review Example

How Louis Valdes interweaves socio-political issues of the young urban Chicanos and responds to their innermost conflicts involving their identity, with satire and humor' Some welcome breaks in life and career spring forth new opportunities for a creative mind. In 1967 the Teatro Campesino separated from the UFWOC to shift to a new location in Del Rey, California. This new company opened the vistas of new dramatic possibilities. New themes, characters and plots relating to the changing lifestyles were developed.

Los Vendidos highlights how the company accepted this challenge. The first performance at Elysian Park was accepted by the public enthusiastically. The inner conflicts of the people were openly criticized and the audience liked this frankness of approach. The cultural affirmation depicted in a satirical tone, impressed them. Educate through entertainment, seems to be the objective of Louis Valdez and this is the right approach. Moral sermons delivered from the high pedestal bores the audience and no one takes such lectures seriously.

Any change in the people should be from within and one should accept such change willingly. The playwright has twin responsibilities. His script needs to be the tool of change, at the same time, popularity of the work at the grassroots level must be achieved. Valdez uses comic elements and irony and his method of education is entertainment. He provokes changes through the brain-teaser dialogues of his characters. How intelligently Valdez chisels the character of salesman Honest Sancho. He sells machines.

According to Sancho, his machines are the best and give sterling performances. As for his capacity to sell, perhaps he can sell refrigerators to the Eskimos! He is in absolute control of the psychology of the customer, and almost puts the machine in customer's pocket. His parting 'kick' to the customer is very interesting and that seals the deal. : "Just snap your fingers. He'll do anything you want" (actos of, Valdez, 605). In the end of the acto, it is clear that the audience has been tricked.

Many such Honest Sanchos--the Mexicans-- must be sitting in the audience, and they enjoy seeing the reflection of the style of their business dealings. How they outsmart the gullible customers! Another interesting character is created by Valdez in Mexican Miss Jimenez. Her buying choice reveals her ego and inner confusion. She has come to Sancho's shop to buy "a Mexican type" (actos of, Valdez 602), the model ought to look Mexican, but must basically behave "Americanized." To quote her, "We need a brown face in the crowd," (actos of, Valdez 605) .

Her loyalty for the products made in America is total, when she insists that she will not accept a model made in Mexico. She "can't buy anything but American-made products. (actos of, Valdez 604) Finally she settles to buy the Mexican-American; she is even wiling to pay more, because he is party American. The ethnic bias in the American society is clearly shown through this business transaction. The third instance of