The thesis of Zoot Suit was newspapers and corrupt public media often sways the public opinion more so than the truth. This is evident not only in the play or the actual Zoot Suit Riots which Valdez based the play on, but in every other Civil Rights issue. Citizens look to the daily papers as beacons of light in the jumbled, dark surrounding world. But people often forget that newspapers are written by people just like themselves, and not everything they see is true. Valdez's Chicano play brought light not only to the Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles in the 1940s, but also to misrepresented groups everywhere, always. The play represents how the press has full control over the meanings of simple words, like zoot, because "the Press distorted the very meaning of the word 'zoot suit'...[into just] another way to say Mexican" (Valdez 80). Americans have seen other garments loaded with the same distortion, like flapper dresses in the twenties, and certain styles of clothes nowadays for modern-day gangsters. The press will always have some control over public thought, but Valdez tells us that we must fight back for the truth.
Photo Sources (clockwise from top left)
Michael (captureslightning). "Zoot Suit" Photo. Flickr.com 8 Nov. 2009. 2 Dec. 2012.
"Zoot Suit" Poster. Krishna-krishna.tumblr.com. 2 Dec. 2012.
"Jitterbug" Poster. GrahameFowler.tumblr.com 3 Nov. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
"This Is the Style" Poster. ElGaroso.tumblr.com 18 Nov. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
Los Angeles Examiner Collections. "Philosophically" Photo. KCET.org 29 Aug. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
Shades of L.A. Collection. "Zoot Culture Fashion" Photo. KCET.org 29 Aug. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
Los Angeles Examiner Collections. "Zoot Suiter Being Questioned" Photo. KCET.org 29 Aug. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
Disney. "The Spirit of '43" Still. DFilms.tumblr.com 30 Nov. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
"Zoot Suit" Still. RaculFright13.tumblr.com 12 Aug. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
"Drapes" Photo. SecondLayer-US.tumblr.com 26 Oct. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
Michael (captureslightning). "Zoot Suit" Photo. Flickr.com 8 Nov. 2009. 2 Dec. 2012.
"Zoot Suit" Poster. Krishna-krishna.tumblr.com. 2 Dec. 2012.
"Jitterbug" Poster. GrahameFowler.tumblr.com 3 Nov. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
"This Is the Style" Poster. ElGaroso.tumblr.com 18 Nov. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
Los Angeles Examiner Collections. "Philosophically" Photo. KCET.org 29 Aug. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
Shades of L.A. Collection. "Zoot Culture Fashion" Photo. KCET.org 29 Aug. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
Los Angeles Examiner Collections. "Zoot Suiter Being Questioned" Photo. KCET.org 29 Aug. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
Disney. "The Spirit of '43" Still. DFilms.tumblr.com 30 Nov. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
"Zoot Suit" Still. RaculFright13.tumblr.com 12 Aug. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.
"Drapes" Photo. SecondLayer-US.tumblr.com 26 Oct. 2012. 2 Dec. 2012.