Ramiro Lucas-Mariano
WRIT 150
Which film/show are you writing about? Describe the character, and why you believe it’s an example of a problematic positive stereotype.
In the Netflix series, On My Block, we have a diverse group of friends who characterize the youth of the “hood” (low socioeconomic communities). Cesar is the big strong guy of the group who prioritizes his relationships with friends and family. He cares for his loved ones and is seen as a strong person for not involving his friends in what he believes can harm them. The main characters of this series are exposed to the dangers of gangs, drugs, and violence. Later in the series, Cesar falls into the dangerous fire pit as he joins a gang and becomes a “Cholo” ( Mexican gangster). Traditionally, gangsters in the Latino community have a strong involvement with drugs and violence and a bad reputation for Latino youth. The directors then begin to embrace more of the Masculine guy theme and show Cesar as more of a tough guy who is attractive to many, and in a way, admirable by his heroic actions and bravery. Ceasars gangster life was fantasized because of his attractive physical appearance and the false idea that he was a strong character who had no other option than to give in to the stereotypical Latino youth expectations.
This false reality harms the perception of what a hardworking Latino is. This series normalized the idea that Latino communities are limited to success because of our own decisions of being “lazy.”
The reading “Perceptions of Latinos” showed how many Latinos identify as honest and family-oriented. Cesar was portrayed as a Latino who “had no choice” but to join a gang when he could have made the more considerable effort to continue his education and escape the endless loop of generational poverty of his community.
Ramiro, you have an excellent point. Fantasizing the stereotypical gangster pathway often afforded to those of the Latino community is a dangerous slope. This character seems like a prime example of a character the show portrays as a positive stereotype that can actually do damage to its audiences perceptions. Would you mind expanding on your point about laziness though? It seems a little out of the blue.
ReplyDeleteAlso, my name is Kaelyn. Please comment on my blog! It was nice reading yours.
DeleteHi Ramiro! My name is Kyle and Cesar from "On My Block" does exhibit this stereotype and I think the writers of the show really carried out this representation to shed a light on exactly what you're talking about. What would you do to modify this stereotype? I have something similar with my character because she was in this situation where she was trapped in her own circle because of her circumstances. I would like to see a juxtaposition to an opposite character that climbed out of that circumstance. Ultimately, it was pretty much Cesar's choice to take over the gang after the second season. Maybe Cesar would second guess his decision. What do you think? Would this even cancel or balance out the stereotype?
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