Zoot Suit Lesson Plan

What do we learn about Alice from her short initial interaction with Lt. Edwards and the Press in Scene 5?

Though Alice’s initial scene is quite brief, we can learn a lot about her from it nevertheless. We learn that Alice is tough—she is a female reporter existing in a man’s world and likely has learned to protect and stand up for herself. For example, when the Cub Reporter makes a move on Alice, she is unfazed and continues trying to question Lt. Edwards. We also learn that Alice comes from a socially progressive mindset. For example, when she asks Edwards whether the Mexican youth use Sleepy Lagoon because they are not allowed in the public swimming areas, the other...