Zoot Suit Lesson Plan

Why does Henry take offense at Alice’s saying, “My boys have been everything to me”? What is wrong with Alice’s saying this?

There are a number of things wrong with what Alice says to Henry. First, it is offensive that she calls Henry and the others “boys” when in fact they are grown men. “Boy” has historically been an emasculating and diminutive term white people use to address men of color. As Henry rightly tells her, “I ain’t your boy.” Second, it feels disingenuous that Alice would say that Henry and the others are “everything to [her]” when she is the one who has a life outside prison and they are the ones who are incarcerated.

What does Henry mean when he tells...