Wolves, sheep and "vatos locos" : reflections of gang activity in Chicano literature

Abstract

The difficult social and economical reality of many barrios in the city of Los Angeles, and the outgrowing anger provoked by this situation in many Chicano youngsters, has resulted in the emergence of a strong gang activity. Violence, crime and a deep sense of frustration lead the lives of the members of these groups, who, in an attempt to fight a system that does not count on them, choose to live the dark side of life. The gang, albeit its highly hierarchical system of organization, becomes the safe haven in which these angry young Chicanos seek for shelter and protection, in an often self-destructive way. Always Running (1993) by Luis J. Rodriguez and Locas (1997), by Yxta Maya Murray, expose the extreme and harsh existence of Chicano gangs, its internal and external fights for power, and the subsequent fatal consequences that these often provoke upon its members. The different visions of gang life, symbolized by their male and female protagonists, respectively, offer a rough, though extremely human vision of the dark side of the barrio.