Martinez, Victor. (1997). Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. 216pp.

Grade Range: 10-12

Genre: contemporary fiction

Summary and Critique

Martinez's novel explores the familial and social hardships of barrio life for Mexican-Americans in California. He addresses the struggles of alcoholism, spousal abuse, teenage pregnancy, racial discrimination, and gang violence through the eyes of young Manuel Hernandez as he survives the difficulties and attempts to forge a sense of identity out of the materials around him. Martinez narrates his story through a series of discontinuous events in Manny's life, and these events provide many contexts for his struggles: home, the projects, school, work, and his Caucasian boss's home. The novel culminates in Manny's decision to accept or reject his place in a local gang.

This novel will stimulate whole class discussion because of the importance of its themes and accessibility of its style. Manny may speak with great detail, but his voice remains adolescent. Some may have reservations about whole-class instruction because of the mature themes, but even in the potentially controversial scenes, the novel handles the issues beautifully by refraining from graphic depictions without shying away from the topic. Latino/a students may identify more closely with the novel, but the nature of Manny's struggles with family and society are universal.

Awards

1996 National Book Award for Young People's Literature

1996 America's Award for Children and Young Adult Literature

1997 Pura Belpre Award for Children's Literature

1997 Books for the Teen Age (New York Public Library)

Themes/Topics

Families

Friends and Enemies

Generations

Race, Ethnicity, and Culture

Challenges and Triumphs

The Individual vs. Society

Author Information

Victor Martinez is a native of Fresno, California. He grew up in a large family and has occupied himself in a wide variety of jobs, from field laborer to secretary. Having received degrees form California State University and Stanford University, he is now a poet, essayist, and novelist. His works have been published in journals such as Aztlan, The Bloomsbury Review, and The High Plains Literary Review. Martinez also writes poetry.

For more information on Victor Martinez:

http://www.harpercollins.com/catalog/author_xml.asp?authorid=12450 Biographical information.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/november96/martinez_11-7.html Transcript of interview with Martinez about Parrot in the Oven.

Media Connections

Movies

Boyz N the Hood (1991) Problems of growing up as African-Americans in South Central L.A., gang violence, and family issues.

Born in East L.A. (1987) Humorous look at discrimination against Mexican-Americans and immigration policies.

Dancer, TX Pop. 81 (1998) Story of four small town Anglo-American boys growing up and facing conflicts with parents and issues of independence.

City Slickers (1991) A particular clip in this movie would be useful to the class's understanding of Manny's family problems: as the three friends drive cattle, Bruno Kirby's character describes the best and worst day, a time when he stood up to his unfaithful father for the good of his family.

Online Resources

http://www.csun.edu/~hcchs006/table.html An Urban Ethnography of a Latino Street. This extensive Web site offers everything from broad definitions of gangs to specific identifying clothing of various gangs in Latino neighborhoods. Includes analysis of motives for joining.

http://www.neta.com/~1stbooks/index.html Good quick references to important contributions made by Hispanics in American history, including contributions in numerous fields, from sports to law.

http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/index.htm This Web site takes an academic look at problems that plague families, from bedwetting to alcoholism to sexual abuse. These definitions may bring Manny's specific problems into a more general realm and create connections to students'family problems.

Related Texts

Ortego, Phillip. (1975)."Between Two Cultures." Chicano Voices. Ed. Carlota Cardenas de Dwyer. Dallas: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 19-25. This essay describes the migration of Mexicans into America from earlier time periods and discusses the conflicts between Mexican-Americans, particularly focusing on political movements.

Rodriquez, Joseph. (1998). East Side Stories: Gang Life in East L.A. New York: Powerhouse Books. 186 pp. While the time period may be different than the setting of the novel, these photographs of gang members portray the real horror of everyday violence and poverty.

Hernandez, Arturo. (1998). Peace in the Streets: Breaking the Cycle of Gang Violence. Washington, D.C.: Child Welfare League of America. 197 pp. This book also depicts the common struggles faced by those who live near gangs, but points to positive signs of improvement and encourages such progress.

Rodriquez, Art. (1999). East Side Dreams. Coyote, CA: Dream Press House. 267 pp. This personal account of a former gang member tells of his past mistakes and present reformed lifestyle. His development parallels Manny's, and comparisons may be made between the two.

Gordon, Mary. (1994)."The Neighborhood." Coming of Age in America. Ed. Mary Frosch. New York: The New Press. pp. 7-16. This story explores the neighborhood of an Irish-American girl, whose family develops an unspoken understanding with a neighboring family because of similar hardships. Parent-child relationships also enter this story.

Schwartz, Adam. (1994)."Where is it Written." Coming of Age in America. Ed. Mary Frosch. New York: The New Press. pp. 82-89. This story focuses on the relationship of an upper-class Jewish-American boy to his somewhat psychotic mother. The disputes provide an interesting comparison to Manny's opinions of and encounters with his parents.

Gloria, Eugene. (2001)."Assimilation." Asian-American Literature. McGraw-Hill. pp. 260-261. This poem describes a young Filipino's loss of ethnic identity when at school he hides the lunch his mother prepares for him.

Teaching Ideas

(1) "Guns in the Household" Chapters 4 and 6 both address the presence of guns around children. News articles on accidental deaths related to children and guns may spark discussion about the place of guns in the household or of violence in our culture. Students could be divided into two groups to argue for and against gun control.

(2) "Illegal Immigrants" In chapter 1, Manny is in the picking fields alongside illegal immigrants. Film clips from Born in East L.A., along with serious texts about farm exploitation (e.g. The Plum Pickers) could be used to broach the topic of migrant labor and illegal immigration and their roles in our society. Students might be asked to assimilate this information and interpret how they think many felt about benefiting from the plight of the rounded-up illegal aliens. John F. Kennedy's A Nation of Immigrants may also be fitting in providing a historical perspective on the role of foreigners.

(3) "Hazing" Chapter 10 describes the hazing of Manny. Information from the Urban Ethnography Web site can be used to examine other hazing rituals (as well as news reports on fraternities, military, and athletic teams). Students should be asked to examine the psychological reactions of an imaginary hazer or haze. What qualities does an initiate show by undergoing the process? What does a potential initiate gain from the process? After examining the roles of both parties, students should be asked to discuss or write about their own opinion of such hazing rites.

(Review written by Brian Hudson and edited by Jennifer E. Moore)