Read the excerpt from "Broken Chain." Alfonso studied the magazine pictures of rock stars for a hairstyle. He liked the way Prin
ce looked—and the bass player from Los Lobos. Alfonso thought he would look cool with his hair razored into a V in the back and streaked purple. But he knew his mother wouldn’t go for it. And his father, who was puro Mexicano, would sit in his chair after work, sullen as a toad, and call him "sissy.” Soto most likely includes a characterization of both Alfonso and his father in this passage to show that Alfonso wants his father’s approval. Alfonso often disobeys his father. they have similar personality traits. they are often at odds with each other.
Gary Soto's short story "Broken Chain" revolves around the character of Alfonso who doesn’t seem satisfied or confident about his appearance and would try to do anything to appear more handsome and cool. Set in California, the story delves into the theme of what beauty is and what it entails, despite many people looking for outward beauty.
In the given excerpt from the story, the narrator reveals Alfonso's interest in looking cool like Prince and other 'celebrities' and wanted his <em>"hair razored into a V in the back and streaked purple."</em> But deep inside, he knows his mother would disapprove it and so would his father who was a <em>"puro Mexicano"</em>. The father's statement of calling Alfonso "<em>a sissy</em>" also reveals the conflict they must have often got into with their differing interests and beliefs. <u>Soto most likely included the father-son duo characterization to show how often they are at odds with each other.
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Each genre has different elements that make it that genre, look for the elements of the story to find It's genre. (Fantasy= talking animals, Sci-Fi= flying cars, etc.)
