Pocho by Jose Antonio Villarreal

¶ … Pocho by Jose Antonio Villarreal and the film "My Family" directed by Gregory Nava. Specifically it will discuss the process of assimilation into American life the protagonist in the book undergoes and compare it with the character of "Paco" (the narrator) in the film. Both of these characters are second generation Mexican-Americans. Their parents came to this country to get away from problems in Mexico, or to create better lives for themselves and their families. They have much in common, but they are different, too.

Paco, the narrator in "My Family" is perhaps the most assimilated of his family. Not only does he embrace much of American culture, he joins the Navy to serve his country. In the end, Richard joins the service too, but his future is left hanging, while Paco's is assured. They are both very strong men who could be family leaders in their own right, and they are both very intelligent and interested in learning. Paco seems more mature somehow, but that is because he ages more in the film, while Richard only matures enough to join the service and leave home. Paco seems more at peace with his life, while Richard still has questions and insecurities because of his age and his background.

Perhaps the most important commonality between the two characters is their love of learning and writing. Paco wants to become a writer throughout the film; and the story is actually his voice, and his writing coming to life. Richard also wants to be a writer and he loves learning and reading. Many of these learning opportunities would not be available to either of the characters had they grown up in Mexico, so they assimilated quickly to the American culture and learned to love schools, books, and the opportunities learning would open up for them.

In addition, these two men are both very intelligent. Richard begins to question the world around him and God at a young age, and Paco has great insight into his family that he shares through the film's narration. These two men are intelligent, not just from their schooling, but because they have quick, energetic minds and they question the world around them. It is another quality that is important for their success in life and the continuation of their culture as they assimilate into American society.

Both characters come from families who also assimilate to America but in varying degrees. Paco's family lives in a house they own, but they still decorate it in the colors and style of Mexico, while they fill it with collectibles and other Americanized items. They still celebrate holidays and other important occasions with the traditional Mexican dances and music. At one point, Chucho complains about the mariachi music, and is show with other young Hispanics at a dance featuring rock-and-roll sung by a white singing group. The next generation of both families simply assimilates into most aspects of American culture without even thinking about it, while the first generation makes an attempt to hold on to Mexican customs and ideas, to preserve their culture in a new country. For example, Juan Rubio tells his wife, "You are thinking yourself an American woman - well, you are not one and you should know your place'" (Villarreal 117). In fact, all she wanted to do was sit at the table with the rest of the family while they were eating, rather than serving them and eating later.

Thus, the first generation of transplants wants to remain essentially Mexican, while the next generation wants to become more Americanized and "normal." Both the characters illustrate this, because they admire their heritage but want to be more than simple immigrants, they want to be Americans. Richard puts this eloquently when he thinks to himself, "And he knew that he could never again be wholly Mexican, and furthermore he could never use the right he had as a male to tell his mother that she was wrong" (Villarreal 121). Richard shows that the next generation of Mexican-Americans did not want to emulate their parents; they wanted to assimilate into American culture and expand the best parts of the culture as their own.

Both of the men see themselves as Americans, too. They grew up at a time when there were major race issues in the country, but they are both somewhat sheltered from those issues. Thus, they do not see themselves as different, they are simply Americans. Richard tells the fight promoter, "I'm an American" (Villarreal 135). The promoter replies, "All right, you know what I mean. Mexicans don't get too much chance to amount to much'" (Villarreal 135). Neither one sees themselves as Mexican so much as they see themselves as Americans, and that is extremely important in the assimilation process.

However, Richard begins to see things change in his family and does not approve of the assimilation, while Paco does not. Paco does not find it unusual that his family is becoming more Americanized, while it makes Richard sad and a bit confused. He thinks, "The heretofore gradual assimilation of this new culture was becoming more pronounced" (Villarreal 169). He also becomes fascinated with the pachucos, and tries to learn more about them and their fierce attention to what they see as Mexican culture. He is by learning the culture of his people, while everyone else around him is giving up that culture and becoming more American. His family even splits up and his father asks for a divorce, which is a truly American way to deal with unhappy married life. In many ways, his family has become more Americanized than Richard himself, and at times this is difficult for him to deal with. Paco does not seem to struggle as much with these issues, because his family is content with there acculturation. Paco does not reflect on that as much as Richard, and does not long for the old culture as much as Richard does, either.

Paco seems to have led a more sedate life than Richard has. Paco does not explore the pachuco subculture; in fact, he remains removed from the gangs and violence that eventually kill his brother. He avoids jail and does not seem to encounter some of the prejudice Richard encounters, although there is certainly prejudice in the film. The prejudice others face in the book is more graphic than in the film, and it is interesting that Richard experiences prejudice toward Mexicans, but also sees it toward the Japanese and Italians. Anyone who is "different" is a good candidate for prejudice, and Richard seems to take more from these experiences. He has a new feeling about people and how they treat each other. Paco has an awareness of this too, but it does not seem so pronounced and so important to him.