Essay Questions

Who was Rodney King?

At the end of his preface, Luis mentioned Rodney King as being one of the reasons he wanted to write his memoire. Rodney King was a taxi driver who in 1991 lived and worked in Los Angeles. In that same year, Rodney King was attacked in a brutal way by the police force in Los Angeles. The whole incident was filmed by a bystander who then sent the video to a news channel. The police officers who beat Rodney were prosecuted but many still chose to protest about the events that took place. Many believed the police officers had a racial bias against Rodney and protested against them, citing other accounts of police brutality.

What does cholo mean?

Luis mentions the term cholo on numerous occasions in the novel. The term cholo is used both in Mexico and in America but there is a difference in meaning. In America, the term refers to gangsters, members of gangs or other dangerous groups and organizations. The cholos distinguish themselves through the outfit they wear and through he tattoos they have. Luis mentions that he adopted the cholo lifestyle and that he quickly also adopted the fashion style characterizing the cholos.

What was Luis’s way of getting high?

Luis admits that he started using drugs at the age of thirteen. In chapter 4, he mentions that he first started by inhaling gasoline, clear plastic or paint and that once he almost died as a result. After a few more years, Luis started experimenting with much more dangerous drugs such as pills, heroine, methamphetamine and PCP. He gave up drugs in the end when he realized that he could help his community by setting a good example.