Mexican Whiteboy Sparknotes

“He roamed the school halls with his head down like a ghost.” Danny Lopez has always felt lost. He is biracial, with a white mother and a Mexican father who left his family years ago. He used to attend a prestigious, mostly white private school. There, he felt as if he did not belong because of the color of his skin. He was an outsider. When his mom moves to San Francisco with her new boyfriend, Randy, Danny decides to go to National City and live with his uncle and cousin, Sofia for the summer. In National City, people do not look down on him because he is Mexican; most of the town’s population falls under the same category. Although Danny appears to fit in because of his Hispanic background, one thing separates him from the rest: his inability

to speak Spanish. Throughout the book, a theme of identity and defining what makes a person who they are is present while Danny continues to wonder whether he belongs in a white society, a Mexican society, or if he never truly will belong.

As the story begins to unfold, the theme does the same. The theme is first evident when Danny’s ethnicity is revealed to readers. “He feels pale. A full shade lighter. Albino almost. Less than” (de la Peña 2). This is an important part of the book where it is apparent that Danny feels inferior because of his appearance. The theme becomes more obvious during a scene in which Danny sees Sofia’s friends playing baseball and thinks back to his life at his old school. Readers are more aware of how lost Danny feels and how this lead him to completely give up on interacting with others when de la Peña writes, “Back in Leucadia, he made a pact with himself. No more words” (16).

The events that take place during the rising action and climax shape and refine the theme. Danny’s insecurities and self-doubts are related to his father’s absence, which after learning, makes the theme easier to grasp. This is shown on page 165 Mexican Whiteboy when Danny asks himself, “How can this older black man from Oxnard, a person he doesn’t even know , his best friend’s dad, how can he be the first person he’s ever met who understands that his heart is broken” (de la Peña 165)? Although Danny feels lost and unwanted, having a close friend helps him get through the tough times. Danny’s progress can be seen on page 175 when de la Peña writes, “Danny’s face lights up as he gives Uno daps”.

The recurring theme in the novel, Mexican Whiteboy, is the question of what makes someone who they are.

The conclusion of the book shapes and fully develops this theme. Towards the end of the book, signs point to Danny blaming himself for his father’s absence. This is unmistakable on page 224 when Sofia says, “You didn’t do anything wrong” and Danny replies, “I must have” (de la Peña). Danny had spent so much time thinking and worrying about his father, but when the chance finally arose for Danny to see him again, he was hesitant. “This is everything he’s ever wanted over the past few years. But does he want it anymore? Over the last couple of days, he’s decided that maybe he’s okay without his dad” (de la Peña 246). The conclusion of Mexican Whiteboy very well may be the most significant part. Danny finally realizes that his dad’s actions, personality, and presence in his own life do not define him; it is up to him to decide who he wants to

be.

The nonfiction text that correlates with Mexican Whiteboy most is The Nature vs.

Nurture Debate. The central idea of this text is that genetics and how a person is raised both contribute towards who they will grow to be. The text supports their claim that nurturing is a contributor by mentioning that native language is determined by environment. This is backed up by the fact that, “Studies show that children can learn any language with equal facility” (CommonLit 3). However, the claim that nature is a contributor is also verified in the text. For example, not all traits are genetically heritable. This is proven in the article in paragraph 6 when the CommonLit Staff writes, “Wealth and social status are two non-genetic factors that are generally passed down from family.” The text, Nature vs. Nurture Debate, and the novel, Mexican Whiteboy go side-by-side when it comes to their common themes. Both revolve around one’s identity and how it comes to be.

Among many other great examples, a quote by Doug Cooper portrays the central theme of the novel, Mexican Whiteboy. The central theme of both the novel and the quote is the question of what determines one’s identity. The quote touches base on the fact that there is a specific way that an identity is determined. This is shown when the author writes, “Identity cannot be found or fabricated but emerges from within when one has the courage to let go” (cooper). This is shown to be true when Danny begins to find and believe in himself once

he lets go of all of his emotions caused by his dad’s disappearance.

The novel, Mexican Whiteboy, the text, The Nature vs. Nurture Debate and the quote by Doug Cooper all share a common theme: what makes us who we are. The idea that one’s identity is decided by genetics and one’s environment, and that it cannot be found or fabricated are all proven to be true in the novel. Danny didn’t speak Spanish and his dad abandoned him: he had the odds stacked up against him. Despite this, he managed to learn about himself and decided what type of person that he wanted to be.