Throughout this course we have learned about various essential concepts that are demonstrated in the books that we have read. One of them being community. In Down These Mean Streets by Piri Thomas and With His Pistol In His Hand by Americo Paredes, we see this word and its meaning exemplified throughout both texts. A community is formed by those who have a sense of connection and belonging with each other. It is created through a sense of fellowship and people having commonalities with one another.

The first text that I will analyze will be the one by Paredes. In his text Paredes takes a corrido dedicated to Gregorio Cortez a Mexican American who shot a sheriff and defended and fought for his right with his pistol in his hand. This corrido dedicated to this hero brings a sense of identity and connection to the people of the Rio Grande. This sense of being able to relate to a figure such as Gregorio Cortez, as he has suffered and witnessed injustices and ill-treatments due to his race is a way of forming a community. These people are able to use a corrido which is sung throughout history to bring them together and remember figures that are known for their strength and perseverance and with which they are able to identify with. These corridos and the idols that make them, create a sense of community where people can come together and remember figures that represent something for them.

In Down These Mean Streets, we encounter Piri Thomas, who is in search of his community. Piri is looking for a place where he belongs. After moving to various areas such as the Italian neighbourhood in New York, Long Island, and the South Piri starts finding comfort with himself and identifies the place where he feels at home the most, which is Spanish Harlem. Throughout his moves to different areas in New York and in the country and later on in jail, we find a Piri who is always longing for his return to the place where he feels at home and comfortable. For Piri, his community is this neighbourhood. As it is explained in the book, he feels a sense of comfort and identification with the people, sights, smells, and sounds of Spanish Harlem. For Piri, the search for his identity and belonging somehow always brings him back to this neighbourhood, the place where he grew up in and from then on has always played a role in who he is.

One concept that is central to the three books we studied is the concept of law. I would like to talk about a concept that is omnipresent in Marxist literature (for example in Gramsci’s philosophy), namely law as an element representing the social hierarchies. More than this previous aspect, according to the Marxist current, law is the instrument of the dominant social class and can only represent and pursue the interest of this dominant class.

In the books The Squatter and the Don, the author precisely describes a series of laws that cause the social downfall of Mexican families such as the Alamar families. Indeed, the law is profoundly illiberal in the sense that it favours squatters, who are Anglo-American, against the inhabitants of the southwestern territories, who are mainly of Mexican origin. The laws represent social hierarchy in that they are an expression of the political and numerical domination of Anglo-Americans over Mexican-Americans. More interestingly, the law is the instrument of a perpetuation of political inequalities that are rooted in historical events, principally Mexico’s defeat in the American-Mexican War and the subsequent Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The law, by questioning the validity of the propriety titles of that population and allowing de facto and de jure settlers to take the occupied lands according to the concept of Terra Nullius, is a crucial variable that explain the social downfall of the Mexican Families. More importantly, these laws are the first step in creating a pattern of economic inequality. Therefore, the laws perpetuate this domination by giving Anglo-Americans the instrument that allows them to consolidate their position in the expanse of Mexican America. Political inequalities are transformed into social inequalities which then perpetuate themselves.

In the Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, the Law is not criticized per se, but the unjust application of the Law represents an extension of the deeply illiberal character of the Law. In fact, the law, although expressed in general and non-discriminatory terms, does not appear to be applied in the same way to Anglo-Americans and Mexican Americans. For the former, the presumption of innocence seems to be respected, while for the latter, a presumption of guilt seems to be applied. Moreover, throughout the legal process, we can see how the application of the law is ambiguous and depends on the bias of the juries and the court. Moreover, not all the actors are not subjected to the Law. In fact, paradoxically, the executor of these laws, the Rangers, carries out extrajudicial killings against peaceful citizens for the sole reason that they are Mexican. This shows that the law empowers one class of citizens against another, perpetuating a pattern of discrimination. Social inequalities are thus the mere consequences of political and legal inequalities.

Last but not least, in Down These Means Street, the treatment of the law is subtle. In fact, it is not the application of the law against Piri that is criticized because he is a criminal who is punished fairly for these offences. Rather, the book narrates the social consequences of these legal discrimination. In fact, one point of critics is the tolerance of discriminatory and racially motivated actions and behaviour. Indeed, for example, when Piri is denied a job simply because he is black, this situation is quite unbearable. The application of the law in this context is flawed, as there is no mechanism to prevent this type of discrimination, which is at the root of the perpetuation of socio-economic inequalities.

Aurélien

The most interesting aspect of two of the books that we have gone through so far is the incorporation of the role of memory in them. We see both in “With His Pistol in His Hand” and “Down These Mean Streets” the impact, of not just personal but also communal memory, holds.

We are taken back to different times as we are told about the lives of Gregorio Cortez and Piri Thomas. Paredes goes through the history and legacy that Gregorio Cortez has left behind in a community unique to the border of Mexico, having their own culture. His memory does not just die with him but lives on as people admired the way he lived his life. He has served and continues to serve as a hope to those people who are like him because it shows how ordinary people are able to stand for themselves. He symbolizes the hope that it can be done and anyone can do it. The corrido is passed on to commemorate him and to keep a sense of pride for the people who are like Gregorio Cortez.

Piri’s telling of his past and his story of “redemption” have had different effects on everyone in our class but I think that is another manifestation of the power of memory. Similar to what we have mentioned in class, our background and context affects the way we look at Piri’s life and the circumstances he had to endure. Both had committed crimes to defend themselves. Cortez might have been seen as a symbol of hope throughout his narratives but one can argue that Piri did not have that “role model” image for the most of this particular biography. However, it shows in a greater depth that anyone can redeem themselves through acceptance of others and themselves.

Even though we were not there, we are fortunate enough to have been transported back to the past through the power of words and the memories of the writer, may that be the person himself or countless witnesses to these stories. The way I would contrast these two is that Paredes’ account of Gregorio Cortez’s life has impacted generations of the “border culture” whereas Thomas’ biography has affected even us who are just in a classroom of students studying Latino/Chicano literature on a level that even we had to explain it to understand each other better. Some were sad, some were broken-hearted, and some were inspired. These books have been able to inspire simply just by recounting memories that are out of our present context and gives us a more in depth understanding of history and the “sad” reality of what people had to go through back then and even until now.

I’d like to focus on territory and as a subset, boundaries. We see this as a theme in all three books. In The Squatter and The Don we see the disruption of territory as the Squatters move on the Don’s land, in Gregorio Cortez we see the emphasis on the physical border between Texas and Mexico, and in Down These Mean Streets we see territorial boundaries between different neighbourhoods and the northern and southern states. It is interesting to see how these territorial lines play a role in the motivations and behaviours presented in the books. In many ways, none of these books could have happened if not for these boundaries, and the trespassing of these boundaries.

In The Squatter and The Don, for example, the story is centred around how the squatters unrightfully – or rightfully, in technical terms – claimed territory that was already owned by the Don. If it wasn’t for this action, this trespassing, then none of the subsequent events would have been possible; the Don would have kept his land and cattle, Clarence would not have met Mercedes, they would not have travelled across the US nor gotten married, there would not have been a collision between the Anglos and Californios, etc. It is interesting to think that so many events could be centered around what seems to be a simple, and somewhat trivial, part of the book. It almost seems too simple…

In Down These Mean Streets, on the other hand, we could argue that the territories in which Piri lived drove his behaviours throughout the autobiography. In the barrio, for example, he strived to be macho and fit in with the other barrio kids. Upon moving out to Long Island (I think it was?) he was forced to realize he did not fit in there, causing his out lash and subsequent desire to go to the South. When in the Southern territory, we see him adopt the black man’s mentality, driving him to execute actions that he may have not done otherwise, such as take advantage of a women in order to feed his pride. When in jail, we see him go through a transformation. I argue the jail is another territory; a territory and boundary that separates people from freedom, one that separates the old Piri from the new. But I also believe that Down These Mean Streets holds another layer of boundaries; the physical to mental, the territory of the inner mind vs. the territory of action. We discussed this last week, in how Piri seemed to go through life almost on autopilot – he acted like he thought he was expected to act, did things because of who people told him he was and not who he thought he was. He acted in the physical space and the “territory of action”, so to speak. But in jail, we see him venture into his mind; he explores the territory of his thoughts, his feelings, the psychology of his mind. Perhaps this is a stretch for some people, but I believe that these territories, these boundaries, that Piri explores throughout the book are fundamental to his self discovery. I’m curious to know what you guys think!

The books we have read in 322 really have reinforced by belief that language, no matter how subtle, can reach the very core of a reader. Especially in the two texts With His Pistol In His Hand and Down These Mean Streets, the use of language invokes a strong feeling of pride or heartbreak. In With His Pistol In His Hand, the transition of language in the Corrido de Gregorio Cortez and the common use of the imperfect show how guitarreros can create a vivid lyrical story that allows the listener to become immersed in the story and feel represented in Cortez himself. On the other hand, Down These Mean Streets often uses slang to immerse the reader in 1950’s New York, effectively communicates Brew’s southern drawl to allow the reader to understand his history, and implements Spanish words to express terms of endearment or ideas that have a profound meaning behind them. No matter the book, language has the potential to immerse the reader in a story and make them feel as if they are living the life of the characters that are described.

The analysis of El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez by Paredes doesn’t simply gloss over the corrido’s history and compare it to historical events, but it offers insight as to how language can create realistic imagery and creating a story that seemingly unfolds before one’s very eyes. Though the transformation of the corrido is interesting, the use of language in all variants hyperbolizes the events of Cortez and through this exaggeration of events shows Cortez as an everyday Mexican-American on the border that fights for his right and is a model for how the average man should live his life. The imagery would not be complete without the subtle yet impactful use of the imperfect tense which gives the listener the feeling that the legend of Cortez is unravelling right there in that cantina or bar. The use of the imperfect doesn’t simply list events that have happened in the past (like the preterite tense would do), but creates a feeling of continuous action in the past that keeps the listener on the edge of their seat. Through the hyperbolization of the life of Gregorio Cortez and the clever use of the imperfect tense, El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez has lived in the hearts of border Mexican-Americans because they felt as if the respectable, honourable man represented what they, as individuals and as a community, believed in and strived to become.

The feeling of being submersed into a story continues as Down These Means Streets talks about the hardships of growing up in the Spanish Harlem and beautifully does this by using slang, exemplifying accents, and using Spanish words and phrases. The use of words like “heart”, “cop” and “paddies” tell of a different time (post WWII) and makes the reader feel as though they are in 1950’s Harlem. The progressive use of this slang doesn’t deter the reader, but actually makes the reading experience more rewarding as the gradual teaching of the slang makes the reader feel like they belong in this story and can almost decode this dated language. The use of slang is impactful, but the depiction of Brew’s accent, through sounding out his southern drawl, allows the reader to understand Brew’s history and where he comes from. Though Brew has very cynical ideas about race and inequality, the phonics of Brew’s speech reinforces that he is from Mobile, Alabama constantly, relaying a message that the reader cannot forget; Brew has these pessimistic views about society because he has come from a place that doesn’t treat him like an equal or even a decent person. The importance of Brew’s message could be easily lost without the phonetic interpretation of Brew’s accent, as it constantly shows Brew’s history of racial discrimination. Lastly, Down These Mean Streets uses Spanish words and phrases to demonstrate endearing terms or ideas that carry profound significance with them. The words “hombre”, “barrio”, and “negrito” all carry very personal and very heartfelt meanings with them. With these words, Thomas transcends from simply telling his story to a passionate, intimate memoir that displays the reality and pride of his Puerto Rican heritage. Also, the use of the Spanish language creates a feeling of exclusivity with those that do not know Spanish, or heartwarming community with those that do.

Through both texts, With His Pistol in His Hand and Down These Mean Streets, clever and powerful application of language is used. Whether hyperbolization, imperfect tense, slang, phonics, or use of Spanish, these two works resonate with readers across the globe because they could captivate audiences by their beautiful demonstration of language.

-Curtis HR

In this blog post I want to focus on the theme of the “law” in relation to “The Squatter and the Don” and “Down These Mean Streets”.  While the law is evident in both texts, it certainly is highlighted in different ways in each.  If we think about the law, we think about rules, regulations and their enforcement; yet we also think about it as something that citizens respect, value and use to guide their behaviour, because if the rules are not abided by, there are consequences. In “The Squatter and the Don”, the law as a theme is very evident, especially in terms of land possession, but also in the form of unwritten social rules. Interestingly, in “Down These Mean Streets”, the law isn’t necessarily as big as a theme as it is in “The Squatter and the Don”.  Of course when Piri goes to prison, he goes because he was finally caught disobeying the law, but even before this, Piri engages in activity that is also seen as disobeying the law.  Piri tends to get himself in a lot of trouble, both at school and in his neighbourhood; however, the law or the fear of breaking rules doesn’t necessarily stop Piri from engaging in “risky” behaviour, until he goes to prison.  In fact, he chooses whether or not to fight people based on their level of heart.  After Piri gets released from prison, the law stays close with him, but it is invisible.  It’s as if he has taken what he has learned and experienced in prison, and held it in his heart.  The “Squatter and the Don” was set long before “Down These Mean Streets”, and it’s interesting to compare the role of the law in the two texts.  In the “Squatter and the Don”, the law does not protect and doesn’t even work the way the law is supposed to; in fact, it reproduces and upholds systemic inequalities.  There is lots of bribery and corruption; for example with the Monopolists and judge Lawlack, who will do whatever he is told.  The following two quotes are simple examples from the text that expose the the “kinks” of the law: “When they go sticking their noses into people’s business, they do so casually” (225) and “If San Diego had been permitted to grow, to have a population, her administration of laws would have been in other hands, and outrages like breaking into the Mechlin house could not have occurred” (337).  The most interesting part about how the law works in “The Squatter and the Don” is that even if the system of justice was working, it would still be bad for the population, even the entire United States.  There are numerous lawyers and endless appeals, yet no progress is ever made.  Something like the law, that should be straightforward, strict and essentially set in stone, is the exact opposite in this novel.  The law is supposed to work, but doesn’t, and because of this, we see the law not being able to protect against monopoly capitalism, as the main culprit in this novel.  There is a kind of feud between the Squatters and the Don, because of the very one thing that should have prevented a feud like this in the first place: the law.