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
Along with the sound of explosions, triumphant music plays as servicemen march across the stage. One of them is Rudy, who quickly sees and embraces his parents, who are happy to see him return from the war. The characters then read headlines aloud, making it clear that the U.S. and its allies have had success in World War II. Among these headlines is another important piece of news: Los Angeles’s District Court of Appeals has ruled once again on the Sleepy Lagoon murder case, finding the members of the 38th Street Gang not guilty.
In a somewhat unexpected turn of events, the 38th Street Gang is let off the hook for the murder of José Williams. That this good fortune comes at the same time as news of the U.S.’s success in World War II is important to consider, since it once more aligns Henry and his friends with the country at large, ultimately tying their wellbeing to the nation’s. In turn, Valdez intimates that Henry’s detractors were wrong to suggest that their freedom would pose a threat to the country.
Themes
