Politics of identity in Twilight Los Angeles

?n th?s ?ss?y ?n “Tw?l?ght L?s ?ng?l?s” by ?nn? Sm?th, ? w?uld l?k? t? d?scuss s?m? ?f th? ?d?nt?ty p?l?t?cs ?ssu?s th?t ?r? th??r?t?c?lly s?gn?f?c?nt t? mult??thn?c l?t?r?tur?. Sm?th r?c?gn?z?s th?t h?r hybr?d f?rm ?f dr?m?--?n ?m?lg?m?t??n ?f th? f?rms ?f s?c??l d?cum?nt?ry, j?urn?l?st?c ?nt?rv??ws, ?nd th??t?r--h?s c?us?d c?ntr?v?rsy, l??d?ng cr?t?cs t? ?sk wh?th?r Sm?th, wh? ?d?pts mult?pl? r?c??l/?thn?c ?d?nt?t??s, ?s r?-?nf?rc?ng st?r??typ?s ?n h?r p?rf?rm?nc?s.

?n ?nscr?b?ng ?n? d?scurs?v? b?dy, w?th ?ll ?f ?ts cultur?l c?nstruct??ns, up?n ?n?th?r, Sm?th r??s?s cruc??l qu?st??ns ?f r?pr?s?nt?t??n.Sm?th's w?rk qu?st??ns th? myth th?t w? ?r? l?v?ng ?n ? "c?l?r-bl?nd" s?c??ty ?n ? p?st-?d?nt?ty ?g?. Thus, ?n us?ng Tw?l?ght ?s ? c?t?lyst f?r cl?ss d?scuss??n c?nc?rn?ng ?d?nt?ty p?l?t?cs, ? ch?s? ? dr?m?t?c p??c? th?t r??s?s fund?m?nt?l qu?st??ns c?nc?rn?ng th? p?l?t?cs ?f ?d?nt?ty f?r my stud?nts. ?lth?ugh ? w?ll b? f?cus?ng pr?m?r?ly ?n ?ssu?s ?f r?c? ?nd ?thn?c?ty f?r th? purp?s? ?f th?s ?ss?y, Sm?th's w?rk ?ls? ?x?m?n?s ?th?r c?t?g?r??s ?f ?d?nt?ty, ?nclud?ng g?nd?r ?nd cl?ss.Sm?th ?s ?nt?r?st?d n?t ?n pr?s?nt?ng ? s??ml?ss ?llus??n c?nc?rn?ng th??tr?c?l r?pr?s?nt?t??ns; r?th?r, sh? ?s ?nt?r?st?d ?n pr?s?nt?ng th? g?ps ?nd d?sjunct??ns th?t ?ccur b?th ?n th? p?rf?rm?nc? ?f ?nd d?scuss??ns ?b?ut th? c?mpl?x?t??s ?f ?m?r?c?n ch?r?ct?r ?nd ?d?nt?ty.

Sm?th ?ckn?wl?dg?s th?t h?r d?cum?nt?ry th??t?r ?s c?ntr?v?rs??l, l??d?ng cr?t?cs t? ?sk wh?th?r h?r p?rf?rm?nc? c?nst?tut?s ? pl?y ?r ? p??c? ?f r?p?rt?g? ?nd wh?th?r sh?, ?n ?d?pt?ng mult?pl? g?nd?r?d r?c??l ?nd ?thn?c ?d?nt?t??s, ?s p?rp?tu?t?ng n?g?t?v? r?c??l ?nd ?thn?c r?pr?s?nt?t??ns ?n h?r p?rf?rm?nc?s.Wh?t, f?r ?nst?nc?, ?s th? ?mp?ct up?n th? ?ud??nc? wh?n Sm?th, ?s ? l?ght-sk?nn?d bl?ck w?m?n, pl?ys such d?v?rs? r?l?s ?s ? wh?t? m?l? jur?r fr?m S?m? ?r ? K?r??n gunsh?t v?ct?m? Sm?th ?dm?ts th?t th? ?ud??nc? ?ft?n f??ls un??sy w?th th? d?spl?y ?f d?ff?r?nc?, f?r sh? runs th? d?ng?r ?f m?m?ck?ng d?ff?r?nt gr?ups ?nd r??fy?ng n?g?t?v? cultur?l st?r??typ?s Th? qu?st??n ?r?s?s – ?s Sm?th ?d?pt?ng ? c?mpl?x v?rs??n ?f m?nstr?lsy, pr?v?d?ng ? wh?t?-, bl?ck-, br?wn-, ?nd y?ll?w-f?c? sh?w? r, ?n r?v??l?ng th? ?pp?r?tus ?f r?pr?s?nt?t??n, ?n ?ll?w?ng h?r ?wn "unl?k?n?ss," h?r "d?ff?r?nc?," t? b? ?xp?s?d, d??s Sm?th, ?n turn, ?xp?s? th? plur?l ?nd mult?pl? ?sp?cts ?f cultur?lly c?nstruct?d ?d?nt?ty, juxt?p?s?ng v?r??us wh?t?, bl?ck, br?wn, ?nd y?ll?w cultur?lly c?nstruct?d b?d??s ?g??nst h?r ?wn? ?n h?r w?rk, Sm?th ?tt?mpts t? f?r?gr?und ?nd d?srupt th? und?rly?ng ?d??l?g?c?l ?ssumpt??ns ?mb?dd?d ?n th? th??t?r ?f th? m?d??.Sh?, h?w?v?r, ?s n?t ?nt?r?st?d ?n ?nv?rt?ng b?n?ry ?pp?s?t??ns ?nd thus pr?v?l?g?ng, f?r ?nst?nc? ?n th?s c?s?, K?ng ?v?r th? p?l?c? ?ff?c?rs; r?th?r, Sm?th ?s ?nt?r?st?d ?n cr??t?ng ? th?rd, hybr?d sp?c? d?p?ct?ng ch?r?ct?r ?s plur?l ?nd mult?pl?, ?s ?n ?v?r ?m?rg?ng ?d?nt?ty. Sm?th st?t?s th?t sh? ?s ?xpl?r?ng "?m?r?c?n ch?r?ct?r" n?t ?s ? f?x?d ?nd st?bl? ?nt?ty, but ?s ?n "?d?nt?ty ?n m?t??n" (Sm?th 24). H?r st?t?m?nt sugg?sts th?t sh? c?mb?ts st?r??typ?s, wh?ch ?r? f?x?d ?d?nt?t??s, by ?ll?w?ng ?d?nt?t??s t? b? "?n m?t??n.But d??s sh?, ?s my stud?nts ?sk, fulf?ll h?r cl??ms? ?n ?n? ?f h?r m?st c?ntr?v?rs??l v?gn?tt?s, "Sw?ll?w?ng th? B?tt?rn?ss," Sm?th p?rtr?ys Mrs.

Y?ung-S??n H?n, ? K?r??n ?m?r?c?n l?qu?r st?r? ?wn?r wh?s? sh?p h?d b??n d?str?y?d ?n th? r??ts. Sm?th p?rf?rms h?r sp??ch ?n d??l?ct; thus, my stud?nts p??nt ?ut, Sm?th n?t ?nly r?sks r??fy?ng cultur?l st?r??typ?s, but, ?n ?m?t?t?ng th? v??c? ?f ?n ?mm?gr?nt, sh? r?sks c?r?c?tur?ng ?nd ?ff?nd?ng ?s??n ?mm?gr?nts wh? ?ft?n f??l m?rg?n?l?z?d pr?c?s?ly b?c?us? ?f th??r sp??ch. M?r??v?r, s?nc? Mrs.H?n d?scuss?s th? t?ns??ns b?tw??n th? ?fr?c?n ?m?r?c?n ?nd K?r??n ?m?r?c?n c?mmun?t??s, stud?nts w?nd?r ?f Sm?th's bl?ck b?dy ?s s?m?h?w d?scurs?v?ly ?ppr?pr??t?ng Mrs. H?n's ?s??n ?m?r?c?n b?dy.

?n ? p?rc?pt?v? ?rt?cl? ?nt?tl?d "N?w Urb?n Cr?s?s: ?ntr?-Th?rd W?rld C?nfl?ct," ?dw?rd Ch?ng n?t?s th?t th? f?cus ?f r?c? r?l?t??ns ?n mult?r?c??l c?t??s l?k? L?s ?ng?l?s h?s sh?ft?d fr?m wh?t?-bl?ck t? ?ntr?-Th?rd W?rld r?l?t??nsh?ps; m?r??v?r, wh?t? m?j?r?ty ?nd bl?ck m?n?r?ty p?r?d?gms ?r? ?n?d?qu?t? ?n und?rst?nd?ng th? ?ntr?-Th?rd W?rld c?nfl?cts ?ccurr?ng b?tw??n m?rg?n?l?z?d gr?ups. Ch?ng 119) ?n such c?t??s, ?ssu?s ?f p?w?r ?nd pr?v?l?g? ?r? f?r m?r? c?mpl?x.F?r ?nst?nc?, Ch?ng n?t?s th?t ?fr?c?n ?m?r?c?ns p?rc??v? K?r??n ?m?r?c?ns ?s h?v?ng gr??t?r ?c?n?m?c ?dv?nt?g?, wh?l? K?r??n ?m?r?c?ns p?rc??v? ?fr?c?n ?m?r?c?ns ?s h?v?ng gr??t?r p?l?t?c?l p?w?r. ?t ?n? p??nt, Mrs. H?n cr??s: “? r??lly r??l?z?d th?t K?r??n ?mm?gr?nts w?r? l?ft ?ut fr?m th?s s?c??ty ?nd w? w?r? n?th?ng.

Wh?t ?s ?ur r?ght? ?s ?t b?c?us? w? ?r? K?r??n? ?s ?t b?c?us? w? h?v? n? p?l?t?c??ns? s ?t b?c?us? w? d?n't sp??k g??d ?ngl?sh? ” (Sm?th 245). ?s sh? l?st?ns t? ?nd th?n p?rf?rms Mrs. H?n's "br?k?n sp??ch," Sm?th's b?dy b?c?m?s ? p?t?nt??l s?t? ?f tr?nscultur?l n?g?t??t??n. ? v?h?cl? f?r Mrs.

H?n's pr??s? ("Th?y h?v? f?ught f?r th??r r?ghts ?v?r tw? c?ntur??s") ?nd cr?t?c?sm ("Th?y g?t th??r r?ghts by d?str?y?ng ?nn?c?nt K?r??n m?rch?nts") ?f th? ?fr?c?n ?m?r?c?n c?mmun?ty, Sm?th d?p?cts th? "pr?c?ss?s ?f th? s?c??l pr?bl?ms" (Sm?th 92) ?s ? s?t? ?f c?nt?st ?nd p?ss?bl? n?g?t??t??n ?nd r?v?s??n. Mrs.H?n ?xpr?ss?s h?r d?s?r? t? l?v? w?th bl?cks, but f??rs th?t th? f?r?s ?f th? r??ts c?uld r?-?gn?t? ?t ?ny t?m?. Sh? h?s l??rn?d t? r?ly up?n th? rul?s ?f ?c?n?m?c ?nd s?c??l syst?ms th?t m?ny d?s?nfr?nch?s?d bl?cks h?v? f?und t? b? ? s?r??s ?f c??rc?v? r?p?t?t??ns th?t th?y w?sh t? subv?rt. F?r Mrs. H?n, r?c?nc?l??t??n m?y c?m? ?t t?? h?gh ? c?st.

P?rh?ps ? c?th?rt?c un?ty w?uld ?ff?r ?nly ? f?ls? s?ns? ?f cl?sur?.Th? p??nts ?f d?sjunctur? ?n Sm?th's w?rk pr?v?d? gr??t?r p?ss?b?l?t??s f?r d?scuss??n ?nd n?g?t??t??n, d?sp?t? ?ur ?wn y??rn?ng f?r r?s?lut??n. p?n?ng up c?t?g?r??s ?f ?d?nt?ty, fr???ng ?nd?v?du?ls fr?m ?ss?nt??l?st st?r??typ?s, h?s b??n l?b?r?t?ng f?r m?ny p??pl?; ?th?rs, h?w?v?r, f??r th?t ? p?rsp?ct?v? ?f mult?pl?c?ty ?nd hybr?d?ty c?n ult?m?t?ly und?rm?n? d?ff?r?nc? ?nd ?d?nt?ty p?s?t??ns th?t ?r? ?ft?n n?c?ss?ry f?r th?s? wh? n??d t? furth?r ? s?c??l ?nd/?r p?l?t?c?l ?g?nd?. F?r Sm?th, ?n ?ff?rm?t??n ?f pr?c?ss ?nd mult?pl?c?ty, ? d?s?r? t? fr?? ?n?s?lf fr?m ?ss?nt??l?st d?f?n?t??ns, d??s n?t pr?clud? th? ?d?pt??n ?f ? subj?ct p?s?t??n ?r ?xclud? ?n und?rst?nd?ng ?f ? h?st?r?c?lly ?nd cultur?lly ?mb?dd?d c?mmun?ty.Th? qu?st??ns sh? r??s?s ?r? ?ls? s?gn?f?c?nt f?r ?c?d?m?c c?mmun?t??s ?nd ?ur p?d?g?g?c?l pr?ct?c?s; h?nc?, ? d? th?nk ?t ?s n?t?w?rthy th?t Sm?th us?s ?c?d?m?cs such ?s H?m? Bh?bh? ?nd Jud?th Butl?r ?n h?r ?ctu?l dr?m?.

?nd??d, ?t ?s s?gn?f?c?nt th?t Sm?th's Tw?l?ght ?s f?ll?d w?th ?nd?v?du?ls wh? b??r "?x-?d?nt?t??s": ?x-p?l?c? ch??fs, ?x-c?nv?cts, ?x-l?qu?r st?r? ?wn?rs, ?x-nuns, ?nd ?x-g?ng m?mb?rs. ?n f?ct, Sm?th n?m?d h?r pl?y Tw?l?ght ?ft?r Tw?l?ght B?y, ?n ?x-g?ng m?mb?r ?nd ?n ?rg?n?z?r ?f g?ng truc?.R?s?gn?fy?ng h?s ?d?nt?ty fr?m g?ng m?mb?r t? truc? ?rg?n?z?r, Tw?l?ght B?y ?ff?rs us ?n "?d?nt?ty ?n m?t??n" ?s w?ll ?s h?s ?wn p?d?g?g?c?l m?d?l. ?n th? r?v?s?d v?rs??n ?f h?r pl?y, ? t?xt ?ls? ?n m?t??n, Sm?th g?v?s Tw?l?ght B?y th? f?n?l w?rds ?f Tw?l?ght, ?n wh?ch h? d?p?cts th? v??l?nt ?nd v??l?t?ng ?nv?r?nm?nt ?f h?s n??ghb?rh??d ?s w?ll ?s th? p?ss?b?l?ty ?f h?p? ?n "und?rst?nd?ng ?th?rs" ?nd cr??t?ng ? truc?.H? st?t?s, "? s?? th? l?ght ?s kn?wl?dg? ?nd th? w?sd?m ?f th? w?rld ?nd und?rst?nd?ng ?th?rs, ?nd ?n ?rd?r f?r m? t? b? ? .

.. ru? hum?n b??ng, ? c?n't f?r?v?r dw?ll ?n d?rkn?ss, ? c?n't f?r?v?r dw?ll ?n th? ?d?? ?f just ?d?nt?fy?ng w?th p??pl? l?k? m? ?nd und?rst?nd?ng m? ?nd m?n?" (Sm?th 255). ?n ?nscr?b?ng h?rs?lf w?th th? w?rds ?f h?r ch?r?ct?rs, Sm?th ?ll?ws us t? s?? th?t "d?ff?r?nc?" d??s n?t h?v? t? l??d t? b?n?ry ?pp?s?t??ns--th?t ?s, s?mpl? bl?ck ?nd wh?t? r?duct??ns ?f c?mpl?x ?ssu?s. W? c?n s?? h?w Sm?th's ch?r?ct?rs ?p?n up sp?c?s ?nd g?ps f?r us.H?r t?xt ?nc?ur?g?s us t? r?c?gn?z? th? ?mp?rt?nc? ?f sh?r?d sp?c?s b?rd?rl?nds, cultur?l hybr?d?ty, ? "th?rd sp?c? ?f ?nunc??t??n"--?nd t? r?c?gn?z? th? mult?pl? ?d?nt?t??s th?t r?s?d? ?n ? numb?r ?f r?c??l/?thn?c c?t?g?r??s ?nd ?n ?n ?v?r-?m?rg?ng cultur?l s?lf.

?n f?ct, ?n H?us? ?rr?st, Sm?th b?rr?w?d ? b??l?g?c?l t?rm, ?ntr?gr?ss??n, t? d?scr?b? h?r ??sth?t?cs. Sh? ?sk?d M?rcus F?ldm?n ?f St?nf?rd f?r ? t?rm th?t w?uld d?scr?b? ?n? sp?c??s m?v?ng ?ut ?f ?ts h?b?t?t ?nt? ?n?th?r, ?ll?w?ng f?r th? p?ss?b?l?ty ?f tr?nsf?rm?t??n.F?ldm?n n?t?d th?t ?n m?st c?s?s, th? sp?c??s t?nd?d t? ?ppr?pr??t? th? ?th?r h?b?t?t, ?n?ct?ng ? b??l?g?c?l ?mp?r??l?sm. H?w?v?r, h? sugg?st?d th?t ? p?ss?bl? t?rm m?ght b? ?ntr?gr?ss??n, wh?ch d?scr?b?s th? ?nt?gr?t??n ?f g?n?s ?f ?n? sp?c??s ?nt? ? g?n? p??l ?f ?n?th?r sp?c??s. Sm?th ?ppr?pr??t?s th?s t?rm f?r h?r ?wn cr??t?v? purp?s?s.

Thr?ugh h?r ?rt?st?c ?ntr?gr?ss??n, sh? d?s?r?s t? ?st?bl?sh ? r?c?pr?c?l r?l?t??nsh?p b?tw??n th? ?ud??nc? ?nd th? ?rt, ? sp?c? th?t ?ll?ws f?r c?v?c d??l?gu?. Sm?th's d?s?r? f?r ?ntr?gr?ss??n c?n ?ls? b? ?n?ct?d ?n cl?ssr??m sp?c?s.Sm?th urg?s us t? ?nt?rr?g?t? ?urs?lv?s: t? ?xpl?r? h?w w? ?r? cultur?lly c?nstruct?d, t? b? ?w?r? ?f h?w "w? ?r? pr?j?ct?ng ?nt? th? ?v?nt ?ts?lf. " ?n h?r d?cum?nt?ry th??t?r, sh? m?k?s us ?w?r? ?f h?w w?, l?k? sh? h?rs?lf, ?r? ?ll ?nscr?b?d w?th th? "?th?r," ?nd th?t h?p? m?y l?? n?t ?n th? b?und?r??s s?p?r?t?ng gr?ups, but ?n th? w?ys th?t w? ?ll?w ?urs?lv?s t? b? p?rf?rm?t?v?ly tr?nsf?rm?d by th? "?th?r.

" Sm?th h?rs?lf ?rgu?s th?t ?d?nt?ty must b? s??n ?s s?m?th?ng ?n m?t??n, c?nt?nu?lly und?r n?g?t??t??n.Sh? w?rns th?t th?r? ?s ?n ?n?v?t?bl? t?ns??n ?n ?m?r?c?: ?f th?t t?ns??n d??s n?t m?v? ?n ?d?nt?ty f?rw?rd, ?t thr??t?ns t? ?xpl?d? (Sm?th 35), ?s sh? d?m?nstr?t?s ?n h?r w?rks. W?th?n h?r dr?m? ?nd w?th?n ?ur cl?ssr??ms, Sm?th pr?v?d?s us w?th ? tw?l?ght sp?c?, ? tr?ns-?thn?c cr?ss?ng, wh?ch d?m?nds th?t w? l??k ?t ?urs?lv?s ?nd th? w?ys ?n wh?ch w? ?r? s?c??lly ?nscr?b?d r?c?gn?z?ng th?t ?f w? ?r? t? surv?v? w? must ?ng?g? ?n ?ntr?gr?ss?v? sp?c?s, ?n ? d??l?gu? w?th ?n? ?n?th?r.