The Jailed Zoot Suit

When you look at a person what do you see? Do you perhaps see a woman as a wife or a mother. Maybe when you see a man, you may think he is the father and the breadwinner of the family. When we see people, we instantly start to make assumptions about them. Many factors go into these assumptions, such as how someone is dressed, the color of their hair, and even how they smell, which can lead you to judge them. However, over the last several centuries, one characteristic has been judged more than any other: Race. Until recent years, race was the biggest factor in people's place in society.

In the play Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez, the main character, Henry Reyna, is profiled by his race. As the son of immigrants, Henry was raised in Latin traditions in Los Angeles. This identity struggle of wanting to be part of something greater while holding the values of his people left him caught in a fight with himself. So when he is being charged with the murder of a man, the look of his Zoot Suit makes him the perfect target of a racist judge. In the first court scene, Henry's friend's attorney tries to argue that the men should be allowed to groom and receive clean clothes, but the judge forces them to keep their hair long and their dirty Zoot Suits on. Making them seem dirty and untrustworthy.

The Zoot Suit is a signature style that was picked up by Latin Americans. Unfortunately, this colorful outfit just made them a target of white society. Racism is apparent when looked for. Henry Renya's story shows how it can affect a person's mind and how they must navigate the situation.