“The emphasis [of Luis Valdez’s Teatro Campesino lies on] (…) communication to the oppressed, not about them” (Bagby, Valdez 70). This statement of Bagby’s underpins the necessity for literary scholars to pay special analytical attention to the comedic elements in Valdez’s dramas. Indeed, it is the relationship between the playwright and his audience of Chicano workers that especially takes its effectiveness from the techniques and elements of comedy, especially satire.
Many critics underline Valdez’s importance both because he denounces the discrimination and exploitation of Chicanos in the United States and his direct address to oppressed Mexican-Americans, e.g., striking campesinos. The communication to his fellow-countrymen has always been essential for Valdez as a political writer. It has been this successful and mass-mobilising (for example in the 1965 Delano Grape Strike) as his actos (short plays dramatizing the oppression of the fieldworkers) are based on comedic and satiric elements. These techniques have been used since archaic or Plato’s times by critical authors to mobilise the hearts and minds of human beings against a political system or to remedy an abuse. The thesis that Valdez’s play Los Vendidos consists of various comedic patterns to enable a thrilling, entertaining and effective communication between the author and his Chicano audience to sustainably deliver Valdez’s political messages can be seen when analyzing his probably most famous acto and the types of comedy he uses. Los Vendidos can be assigned to classifications like low, realistic or satiric comedy. This, indeed, shows how strongly Valdez relies on comedic-satiric techniques to politically communicate with and mobilise his Chicano fellow countrymen.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Comedic Elements in Luis Valdez's Acto Los Vendidos
- Elements of Low Comedy in Luis Valdez's Acto Los Vendidos
- Elements of Realistic Comedy in Luis Valdez's Acto Los Vendidos
- The Critical Purpose of Valdez's Satirical Comedy
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This thesis analyzes the comedic elements in Luis Valdez's play "Los Vendidos" to understand their role in effectively communicating with and mobilizing a Chicano audience. The main goal is to demonstrate how Valdez utilizes humor to deliver his political message and engage his intended audience. The analysis focuses on the following key themes:- The use of comedy as a tool for political communication
- The significance of Chicano identity and the Chicano Movement
- The role of satire in social critique
- The interplay of low and realistic comedy in "Los Vendidos"
- The use of stereotypes and their impact on the audience
Chapter Summaries
The introductory chapter establishes the importance of comedy in Valdez's work, especially in relation to his Chicano audience. It highlights Valdez's aim to communicate with and mobilize the oppressed, emphasizing the effectiveness of his satirical techniques. The chapter also introduces the concept of "actos" as short plays utilizing comedic elements to address the exploitation of Chicano fieldworkers. The second chapter delves into the specific comedic elements employed in "Los Vendidos." It explores the categories of low comedy and realistic comedy, examining how Valdez utilizes both approaches to generate humor and engage his audience. The chapter focuses on the interplay of situation comedy, farce, and slapstick elements within the play's narrative.Keywords
The keywords that best encapsulate the main focus of this thesis include: Chicano Movement, Luis Valdez, "Los Vendidos," comedy, satire, social criticism, political communication, Chicano identity, fieldworkers, low comedy, realistic comedy, situation comedy, farce, slapstick. These terms highlight the core concepts explored in the analysis of "Los Vendidos" and its significance within the context of Chicano literature and political activism.- Quote paper
- Jörg Vogelmann (Author), 2006, Elements of Comedy in Luis Valdez’s Acto Los Vendidos as Techniques for Communication and Mobilisation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/114504
