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Zoot Suit

       Zoot Suit is a play written by Luis Valdez. Valdez was born in 1940. He has written, produced, and directed twenty dramas. Valdez directed the film Zoot Suit in 1982, and La Bamba in 1987. Zoot Suit is a play which the principal characters are Los Pachucos. According to Wikipedia, Pachucos were young Mexicans Americans who wore colorful suits and had their own subculture in the 1930s and 1940s (1). Henry Reyna, the son of a poor working class immigrant family, decided to go out one night with his brother Rudy and his sister Lupe. Enrique was Henry’s father. Enrique was always on Henry’s side. Henry was the older son, and his father was very proud of him. Henry’s mother was Dolores. She always complained about how her sons dressed, and she said that they looked like idiots. She worried that something bad would happen to her sons because they were out dancing with their friends late at night. Something bad happened one night. After Henry and his friends were ready to return home, they noticed that there was a fight on the other side of the road. Unfortunately, a member of the other gang of Pachucos was killed. The police arrested the Pachucos and put them in jail. Henry was accused of murder. Henry had a friend named Pachuco. Pachuco wore a black suit, red shirt, and a big necklace with a gold cross. Pachuco was always with Henry. Sometimes Pachuco gave Henry good advice, and sometimes he gave him bad advice. The judge found Henry guilty of murder and sent him to jail for many years. Henry’s lawyer appealed his case, and after some years, the police found the real murderer. Henry was freed. Pachuco, never existed. He was Henry’s conscience. He was Henrys’ sides: the dark one and the good one. Henry and Pachuco were the same person.