Los Angeles and Hollywood: cultural and geographic overview

Los Angeles Literature

Working in Los Angeles Literature

Many people are drawn to Los Angeles to work. Many people dream of becoming famous as an actor or writer in Hollywood. Others find themselves in Los Angeles because of the many opportunities a large city has, though many of these are fleeting or not available to them. Still others more simply wish to establish themselves as Americans and work in any job that they can to support their families. All of these kinds of people exist in Los Angeles at any time. Some are working, while others are looking for work.

The literature included here depicts a variety of individuals, whose work and life experiences are varied depending on their race, origin, social class, sex, and even sexuality. Despite these differences, all of the people in these stories must eat and survive somehow. Their livelihoods may be what they chose and pursued or just what they can get at the moment. Yet, like many of their choices, the work that they do defines them as characters. Additionally, how each of the characters understands their own and other characters' work and responsibilities also identifies their nature to the reader.

These factors also define Los Angeles. Because the characters represented are so different, looking at them in terms of the work that they do gives the reader a sense of the inner workings of Los Angeles as a city. Since many of the characters have difficulty finding work, there is a recognizable trend concerning what people are willing to do to survive in the city. It becomes clear that many of the jobs are not ideal, and much of the work done is not so much a calling or a dream job as it is a way to get by. We see Los Angeles and its people in these stories, for what they can and are willing to do.

She had been a fairly prominent actress in the days of silent films, but sound made it impossible for her to get work. Instead of becoming an extra or a bit player like many other old starts, she had shown excellent business sense and had opened a callhouse. She wasn't vicious. Far from it. She ran her business just as other women run lending libraries, shrewdly and with taste." Day of the Locust by Nathenael West, page 19

In this passage Claude is giving Tod a background on Mrs. Jennings, who they are on their way to see.

The passage is particularly telling in terms of Hollywood culture and occupation choice. West depicts characters who find it perfectly reasonable that a woman who was formerly successful in Hollywood could turn to organizing a prostitution business without letting go of her class. Though this is obviously not what Mrs. Jennings originally hoped to do in Hollywood, we see her eking out a suitable living and maintaining her social status against what many people would think likely. As the only text included here that looks primarily at Hollywood, Day of the Locust (and this passage in particular) shows us the strange, almost warped views that can develop in the high pressure world of entertainment.

Do you have a job?' she said. 'I'm a writer,' I said. 'Look, I'll show you.' I opened my suitcase and got out a copy. 'I wrote that,' I told her. I was eager in those days, very proud. 'I'll give you a copy.' I said. 'I'll autograph it for you.' " Ask the Dust (P.S.) by John Fante, page 48

In this passage the narrator, Arturo, looks back at his arrival to California, particularly his attempt to let a cheap room at the Alta Loma Hotel. He has come to California to be a writer and attempts to share his ambition with the woman at the hotel desk, in the response to her question about a job. Like West's look at Hollywood and the harsh options available to some people, we see that the hotel woman is not at all impressed with the young author's publication. It is telling that Arturo comments that he "was eager in those days, very proud," as if he is no longer eager nor proud from where he currently looks back.

She got to the question: What type of work desired? - she hesitated. What type of work did she desire? Any work that would pay her something, but obviously she couldn't say that. She wrote: Receptionist. As in the case of Dietician, she wasn't quite sure what it meant, but it had caught her ear these last few weeks, and at least it had an authoritative sound to it." Mildred Pierce by James Cain, page 260.

In this passage, Mildred is registering at an employment agency in an attempt to find any kind of work. Unlike West's set designer or Fante's writer, Mildred Pierce shows us someone whose position is forcing them to consider positions they have no desire for or experience in. Cain captures Mildred's indecision using a sort of internal monologue where she weighs the sounds of positions that she has no knowledge of. Her situation is also clearly outlined in her own admittance that she desired, "Any work that would pay her something."

The brother's gonna work. Work like all the celestials before him. Put down rail ties. Pick oranges. Wash shirts. Sew garments. Stir-fry chop suey. This li'l celestial here, there's no plan. She just came sooner. Bobby's thinking what kinds plan he had when he was her age. When he stepped off the plane. It wasn't any plan either. Just gonna survive was all." Tropic of Orange by Karen Tei Yama*****a, page 203

In this passage, immigrant Bobby has talked to Xiayue and her brother and is thinking about how they will fit into work and life in America once they cross the border. Bobby is obviously concerned that, while the brother will have no problem filling the need for cheap untrained labor, Xiayue is too young and has no plans for survival. It is clear from this that work equals survival for Los Angeles' immigrant population. Far removed from West's characters, Yama*****a implies that immigrants do not care about the class of their position and are willing to do nearly anything. This willingness is reminiscent of Mildred's choices to take any work in Cain's novel.

Obediently, it washes, shaves, brushes its hair, for it accepts its responsibilities to the others. It is even glad it has a place among them. It knows what is expected of it. It knows its name. It is called George." A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood, page 11

Having just woken up and feeling inhuman, George refers to himself as "it" before establishing that he does know his name and his place and the necessity of work and going out into the world. This text is different from the other texts in that the protagonist feels very little for his position in his job and in the world in general. Still, like the characters of all of the other stories, he continues to work and go through with his everyday routine because he has no other option.

I want to work. You think I like Berta at the preschool while I sit around the house! I'm telling you, ese, I've been a foundry worker for a long time, and so far I've been unemployed for most of the last five years. Sure, I may be a pocho to the Mexicans... But I was born here. I speak Spanish and English. I should be working, not the tijuaneros." The Republic of East L.A.: Stories by Luis J. Rodriguez, page 170

In this passage from the story Pigeons Monte is explaining to Miguel why he feels that he deserves a job more than more recent Mexican immigrant Americans. Rodriguez uses these characters to show the tension that builds up even between those who are in similar situations. Because he feels the family pressure of not having a job -- this is apparent by his mention of Berta working at the preschool -- he finds blame with the new Mexican immigrants who he insultingly refers to as tiguanaros. The reader can easily associate those tijuaneros with the immigrants of Yami*****a's Tropic of Orange.