Las Dos Caras del Patroncito

the two faces of the boss

Luis Valdez● 1955● Grape Strike Delano, California● 6,000 farm workers went on strike● Growers used intimidation techniques to scare the

farm workers back to the field

Two Faces

❖ Jealous of the farm worker’s life

❖ “I love my Mexicans”❖ “Hands on their

sombreros, hair flying in the wind, bouncing along as happy as babies”

❖ Condescending❖ Bragging of his

superior wealth❖ “You sure as hell

ain’t got my problems...Taxes, insurance, supporting all those bums on welfare”

Two sides to one story…

Two Faces: El Teatro Campesino

❖ Overcoming injustices❖ Vibrant Theater

movement portraying life, culture, heritage

❖ Breaking free from one dominant group

❖ Male-Centered: Constructed as life and times of Luis Valdez

❖ Dominance within movement

❖ “Great Man” (not community)

Two sides to one story…

The farmworkers’ theater was founded in 1965, when workers walked off farms demanding wages equal to the federal minimum wage.

Two Stories, two faces

Symbols of Power

What are modern materialistic symbols of power?

19P

Victorious Farm Worker

Understanding Boss

“You know that damn Cesar Chávez was right? You can’t do this work for less than two dollars an hour”