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Act 2, Scene 2: The Letters
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Zoot Suit, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Racism, Nationalism, and Scapegoating
Self-Presentation and Cultural Identity
Public Perception and the Press
Advocates vs. Saviors
Summary
Analysis
In a letter to Alice, Henry asks her to arrange for a private visit with him the next time she comes to the prison. When Alice comes, she draws close to him and asks what she can do for him, but El Pachuco encroaches upon them, so Henry claims that he doesn’t need anything. Going on, he says that he’s going to withdraw from the appeal process. Astounded, Alice asks Henry why he would do this, pointing out that this will ruin his friends’ chances, too. She also reminds Henry that she has been working tirelessly for him, but he responds by saying that he never asked for her—or anybody else’s—support. Alice asks why Henry never expressed this sentiment before, and Henry says that she never asked in the first place.
During this exchange, Alice fails to keep in mind that the decision to go through with the appeal ultimately falls to Henry. Although she wants to support him and help him do whatever will benefit him the most, she can’t actually make decisions for him. After all, her main role as an ally is to make it easier for Henry to do what he wants, and though it’s true that dropping out of the appeal will result in a lifetime in prison, it is ultimately up to him whether or not he wants to do this. Alice, however, refuses to accept this.
Themes
Henry tells Alice that he doesn’t need her to take care of him, asserting that it’s his choice whether or not he wants to fight his prison sentence. Distraught, Alice says that she has poured herself into this cause, adding, “My boys have been everything to me.” This comment irks Henry, who dislikes Alice’s possessive tone, pointing out that she’s making it sound like she owns him and his friends. Going on, Henry accuses Alice of using the Chicano community to “play politics.” Alice takes offense to this, but Henry forges on, sardonically asking her if she’s going to help “the Colored People” next. In response, Alice says that she has already done this.
In this moment, Alice acts as something of a white savior, making it seem as if Henry should be unquestioningly grateful to her because she has made sacrifices to help him. However, he never even asked for her help, and Alice’s patronizing tendency to take control of Henry’s life suggests that she doesn’t think he’s capable of taking care of himself. Furthermore, when Alice claims to have already helped “the Colored People,” she fails to see that Henry is making fun of her for being self-important in her attempts to support minority groups.
Themes
Incensed that Henry plans to accept injustice, Alice talks about how difficult it has been to work on helping the 38th Street Gang. She says that nobody takes her seriously, saying that she’s too “sentimental and emotional.” She also says that everyone distrusts her because she’s a Jewish communist. After this outburst, Alice and Henry stare at one another for a moment before smiling, and Henry comments that this is the first time Alice has ever sounded like she’s truly invested in what she’s saying. Because of this, he agrees to continue with the appeal, saying that he knows she and George are just trying to help him and that he’s appreciative of this. Henry then asks if he and Alice can write private letters to each other. Agreeing to do this, Alice puts her hands on Henry’s shoulders and says she thinks they’re going to become good friends.
Although Alice sometimes loses sight of the fact that she’s only supposed to support Henry (not actually make decisions for him), she ultimately shows him that she’s genuinely invested in his wellbeing. This becomes evident when she loses her sense of calm, effectively demonstrating the extent to which she has committed herself to the cause. What’s more, it becomes clear that Alice is somewhat familiar with what it feels like to experience prejudice, since people criticize her for being “sentimental and emotional,” two words people sometimes misogynistically wield against women to discount their passion and commitment. In addition, Alice is Jewish and has faced antisemitism, a fact that leads Henry to believe that she is perhaps more familiar with his predicament than he might have expected.
Themes
