JE #1A

When I was younger, Speedy Gonzalez was just another average cartoon character that I saw on TV during Saturday morning cartoons. He was entertaining to watch and that seemed to be the end of it. But being a Chicana/o Studies major, I now realize that Speedy Gonzalez was not just a source of laughter for children. One might say that Speedy serves as a negative representation of the Mexican culture because he embodies certain stereotypes that many associate with being Mexican (i.e. his attire and heavy accent). I might even argue this to be true, but if you step back and look at the bigger picture, Speedy is a heroic and smart character that defies socially constructed notions of Mexicans. He outsmarts most of his villains and is quick on his feet (hence the name "Speedy Gonzalez). This is a big deal because most media outlets would typically depict Mexicans as dumb, dirty and poor. Even to this day, if a certain lead character was described as handsome, rich, intelligent, etc. a Mexican or Latino would not be the first choice to play that role. So having Speedy display such great qualities in a sense shows that Mexicans are capable of doing great things despite what typical American culture says. As I read more into the history behind this cartoon character, I found that Speedy had lost popularity but regained it in the 90's. I believe this tells America that no matter how much anti-Mexican sentiment lives in society, we are here to stay and characters such as Speedy Gonzalez serve as positive role models for children who dream of accomplishing great things in life.