It is almost as if Rico’s character was supposed to impress me significantly throughout the story. The way he is described makes me feel as if I too, should envy him. We begin the chapter by reading, “When I was growing up Rico Divina was the baddest Filipino I ever knew, and I knew them all” (page 18). But I suppose bad means something different to the narrator than it does me. Perhaps to the narrator to be the baddest is to be the best, whereas I am not sure I would ever dance a tune with that pink shirted fellow.
Rico reminds me of that super popular boy in high school who may be all that in one small town, but everyone knows in another town he has nothing and never ever will. To be envied and desired in society we don’t look to people who aren’t going to college and aren’t very bright. When you tell someone you are going to be doing some sort of petty line of work such as being a manager at a restaurant, their initial response will be that you didn’t go to college, and so you probably aren’t that bright. We had kids like Rico at my high school and now they are off in California living freely so we envy them, but not living with the same opportunities we have access to so we pity them. Rico is the difference between an accountant, and a man who flips burgers. We don’t tell people like Rico that they are nobodies, because I don’t think many of us understand them well.
Rico may not be joining the Marines because that is what makes him happy, but I think he is doing it because he is better at working than learning how to work. I don’t believe Rico would have the time, patience, or work ethic to go to college. I believe he is living life looking for that instant gratification as opposed to spending years preparing for it. I, myself, am afraid to be like Rico because I am afraid of trusting myself more than I do a diploma. I’m afraid of dropping everything that makes me worth something to society to live freely and be happy. I don’t want to fail anyone, so I am not in California and not headed there. I am instead in Oxford, a town I mostly hate, going to college at the Miami University, the supposed Harvard of the West.
The narrator said in the chapter, “But it was Rico’s show, and he was its dark star” (page 19). I think this is the best way to describe Rico, honestly. Rico is the dark star opposed to the light star, and Rico was living life as if it were a game or a simple tv show as opposed to it actually being as serious as life. Rico is the dark star on his own show because he is what represents the impureness in the world, the impractical, tainted, and sinful. Rico is the guy sleeping with as many girls as possible, not being a gentleman, fighting in rings, not going to college, and being too afraid to show emotion. Rico isn’t the person you want to represent your country or your family, because he isn’t a white star. He is the guy living his own life, unwilling to compromise it with the world.
Rico reminds me of like these T-Birds. The smoking, sexual gestures, skimpy/ revealing clothing, etc make them dark stars. Ps I really want to go buy the Grease movies now.
Oh and I know they are just movies, but for those of you who seem to believe Rico had no option of being more like Buddy consider these movies, because chances are just because they are only movies doesn't mean these situations have never been in existence.
Jessica: If you grew up in the 1980s like I did, you would know that "bad" is slang for "awesome." As in the Michael Jackson song, "Bad." More specifically, the word suggests a particular, tough-and-stoic kind of awesome.
ReplyDeleteSo "baddest" = "awesomest, toughest." :)
Hey Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading your blog. It seems that you really “dislike” Rico. I am guessing it is probably because you have some experience with people that have personalities like Rico. You look at Rico from a completely different viewpoint from me as well as how we viewed him in class. I guess it is also because you are a girl, and especially “white”, lol. Since I am not a girl and I am not white I guess I do not have much against Rico. I am not supporting the fact that he is a player that specially targets white girls. However, I see Rico as a good person. I think he is not all bad like you think he is. Certainly being a player is bad. Guys should not try to become players. Rico is also not very good at studying. He certainly does not enjoy studying either. He is better with physical work. However, I have a clear definition of a stupid person. Rico is not actually stupid because he knows he is not good at studying and his situation does not allow him to do so anyway. A stupid person is stupid but arrogant. He/she does not admit his/her fault. As we talked about in class, I think being “bad” is just a way for Rico to put on his “macho” mask. His good nature, however, is actually revealed in the end of the reading. He could not hide his feeling for his friends that the longer “buddy” stayed, the more awkward he would become. Therefore, I forced “buddy” to leave.
Hey Jessica,
ReplyDeleteIn your blog you state that “I believe he is living his life looking for that instant gratification as opposed to spending years preparing for it”. I disagree with you, I think that Rico is joining the Military because he feels as though he offers nothing of true value. Also, is states in the short story that school was not something that Rico succeeded at, and that the school overlooked him “He had other skills, other potentials, but by the time public school was through ignoring him, I’m sure he wasn’t sure what they were or even that they were” (p 20). In the society in which Rico was living in, he was overlooked, and thus felt trapped. Although Rico offered other skill sets he never had anyone tell him he could go somewhere with them. Also, it never clearly states what makes Rico happy, rather just what he excels at doing. Rico is a deep character, and I feel we as readers only see the to layers of his character. I am personally intrigued by Rico- I want to know more about him, his dreams, his desires, his thoughts (I wish the short story were in the perspective of Rico, or perhaps a third person omniscient narrator).
Also, in your blog you state that you are afraid of failing the people around you which is why you did not go to California. Could that not be a reason in which Rico decided to join the Military? Perhaps he was afraid of looking as though he was a failure to his family and friends, so he joined the Military in hopes of becoming something respectable.
On a side not if you want to go to California do it! My best friend moved there about two years ago. She dropped everything and just headed over there (and she’s doing great, and is very happy). I bet you could do it, honestly (for what that’s worth).
The world doesn't see you until you see the world. Rico could have been better at school but chose not to. I came from Kentucky where the schools weren't as tough as Ohio. My first year in Ohio I did awful, but I worked at it. I went from having a reading disability to excelling in literature courses.
ReplyDeleteI am not saying Rico didn't view himself as pathetic. I do believe part of his character is someone who dwells in self- pity and expects the whole world to feel sorry for him as if he had no other choice than to be some guy who couldn't do anything with his life. But aside from being depressed I also view Rico as a dreamer.
As for your side note- California is much too expensive. And besides, I'm not afraid of college. I'm here for many years to come, just like Rico could have been.
Also, why I am being very stubborn in my belief Rico could have been a college graduate pertains a lot to my personal history.
I grew up with an abusive alcoholic father, and as a child I had a huge aggressive anger problem. I would get angry over something small like because my crayon broke in half or I didn't color inside the lines good enough and I would start breaking everything I saw and getting violent with anyone who came into my path. Not one of my therapists believed I would ever grow out of this habit not matter how hard I tried, and not one of them really helped me stop being that way.
But now? Now I refrain from confrontation and am often told to "get a backbone." Is it sometimes hard to not lose my temper and spring out of control? Of course it is. I still get angry and feel like pounding my fist through the wall, but I work through it. Sometimes curling into a ball on my floor and rocking back and fourth calms me down. Sometimes I go driving off into the oblivion.
My point is, we chose who we are and define our destinies. No it's not always easy to be who we want to be. We are to become the people we wish to be. I'm sorry Rico seemed too depressed to have higher expectations for himself, but the ball was always in his court. Rico always had the choice, and I don't take self- pity as an excuse to not follow through with your dreams.