Within the book of Joaquin Murieta the ethnic groups of Americans, Chinese, and Mexicans are all portrayed in very different fashions. Most of the differences in the portrayals has to do with the ideals of the cultures and how people saw these different ethnic groups at the time. The Chinese are portrayed as hard working people, but outcasts and lower then everyone else. Which allows for Joaquin to do as he wishes with the Chinese because the Americans do not care what happens to them. The main portrayal of ethnicity's comes from the portrayal of the Mexicans and Americans thou. The Mexicans throughout the story are referred to as savage and very rough people. A couple of examples of this are how three fingered jack and the second husband of one women are described. Three fingered jack is described throughout the story as a blood thirsty man that will kill anyone just because he likes to. There is one point in the story where he says that he just likes the smell of Chinese blood. The second husband is said to be a grizzly of a man. This portrayal of the Mexicans in this way has to deal with some Americans thing that Mexicans were savage people and not as civilized as themselves. Throughout the story the Americans are portrayed as fine and graceful. All of the people that are working for the American law are portrayed as stand up men, and very righteous people. These people are very worth of the American ideals. The American women are also shown as very fine people. Rosalie is described as a beauty. Overall the Mexicans are portrayed as very savage people, which is how some Americans viewed them at the time. The Americans are shown in a very good light even though they did terrible things to Joaquin.
Joaquin is different in the portrayal sense. He is described as a fair skinned Mexican and is said to be a very noble person. I think the difference in his portrayal is due to Joaquin trying to emulate the American ideals. He tried right from the get go to fit into all the American ideals, but was forced by the Americans to become a "savage." He is shown as a noble character because he tried to be American, whereas his fellow Mexicans are only in America as bandits.
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The Americans at the beginning--the ones who destroy Joaquin's life as it was--are bad enough to color Joaquin's perspective. Not all the Americans are good, although some are brave.
ReplyDeleteI think the portrayal of Joaquin as an attractive, pale-skinned Mexican is interesting, as I assumed that he was described this way to be more attractive to a white audience. Especially interesting given that Yellow Birt wasn't white at all.
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