Drama- Los Vendidos ( Luis Valdez) - Essay Example

Drama- Los Vendidos (Luis Valdez) The play Los Vendidos by Luis Valdez is well written and addresses issues, which are relatable for most people. Los Vendidos is a satirical play with a lot of humor. The play tells of a female customer looking to buy a Mexican model on behalf of the government, but upon its selection, the model comes to life and scares the woman out of the store and steals her money. The storyline is engulfed with lots of twists, for instance, towards the end; the audience realizes that the Mexican store’s salesman was the model while the models were all real.

Los Vendidos is assertive of social injustices such as the oppression of Chicanos during the 20th century, in the US. This oppression entails racial prejudice and inequality faced by Chicanos while trying to achieve their American dream. However, Valdez uses satirical humor to depict these injustices and deliver the message to the audience. A good example of such humor occurs when Sancho responds to a customer’s concerns regarding finding a Mexican with the capacity to work for the government.

The play is also impressive as it uses locations such as East of Los Angeles, which is suitable for the historical American setting because Chicanos lived in the region in the 20th century. In addition, Los Vendidos encompasses the use of stereotypes in dialogue to convey the author’s intended message. For instance, the dialogue between Sancho and a customer with regard to the maintenance of the Mexican models is implicit of a stereotype regarding Chicanos’ traditional foods, as well as their conventional work ethic.

Los Vendidos’ use of both English and Spanish creates an uneven storyline that requires the audience to find translations to keep up with the story’s pace. Work CitedValdez, L. Luis Valdez Early Works. Texas: Arte Publico Press, 1990. Print.