Jeannette Rodriguez 04/19/2013 Mexican Pointy Boots and Their Rhetorical Vision The Mexican pointy boots are

used to dance Tribal, a style of music that was created by mixing Aztec, pre-hispanic, African sounds and beats with current techno style, and Cumbia bass lines (Smith). With a combination of all these exquisite sounds, Tribal music began. Tribal music has been around since 2000, although it had a more indigenous sound to it, it has evolved over the years to what it is today, a very upbeat, techno, and catchy style of music. Soon afterwards, a fashion trend followed the Tribal music. The tribal fashion trend is known for its tight pants, buttoned up shirts, a sombrero (hat) made of straw, and last but not least, the extremely long Mexican pointy boots (Smith). This Mexican pointy boot style started in Matehuala, San Luis Postosi, Mexico in late 2009 and has spread rapidly within the Mexican community. Behind the creation of Mexican pointy boots are the values of competitiveness in men specifically. The trend started by a man simply wanting something different, to stand out from the rest, so he gets his boots pointier than any other boots (Smith). Seeing this, other men started adapting the pointy style of boots. The pointy boots became a trend within Matehuala and its surrounding areas. Tribal dancing groups also adopted this style and competed in Tribal dancing contest with them on. The idea of the boots was to see who could have the longest and extravagant boots. The Mexican pointy boot trend and the Tribal music has spread far and wide that it has reached the Mexican clubs of the United States. The fact that many individuals are starting to use this trend shows that there are shared values and experiences among this group that make them want to be part of this fantasy that is created by the Mexican pointy boot trend.

The Mexican pointy boot trend has gotten a lot of attention and has received some media coverage. A mini documentary was made by VICE, Mexican Pointy Boots. This documentary follows the users of Mexican Pointy Boots and interviews these individuals in Matehuala, SLP, Mexico. There are also several articles that talk about the Mexican Pointy Boots. The Pointy Mexican Boot Trend written by Simone Smith talks about the boots, the users, the style, and the location of where it started and how it has spread since then (Smith). Method: Fantasy-theme method, created by Ernest G. Bormann, is designed to give insights into shared worldviews of groups (Foss, 97). The idea of fantasy theme analysis stemmed from the work of Robert Bales and his associates in their study of communication in small groups. It was in this study where Bale discovered the process of group fantasizing as a form of communication that occurs in groups (p. 97). Bormann extended the notion of fantasizing into a theory and a method that can be used to study small groups. Although fantasy theme analysis may have its roots in small group communication (Bales, 1970; Mohrmann, 1982), Bormann (1972) explained that these fantasy themes can carry over into the mass media and, in turn, spread out across larger publics, serve to sustain the members sense of community to impel them strongly to action and to provide them with a social reality filled with heroes, villains, emotions, and attitudes. (p.398) Hence, fantasy theme can be used to not only study group communication, but also all kinds of rhetoric in which themes function dramatically to connect audiences with messages. In situations larger than small groups, fantasizing occurs when individuals find some aspect of a message that catches and focuses their attention until they imaginatively participate in images

and actions stimulated by the message (Bormann, 398). Overall, fantasy theme tells a story about a groups experience that creates a constructed reality for the participants. A fantasy theme depicts characters, actions, and settings (Foss, 98). It is also designed to create a credible interpretation of an experience (99). Literary Uses of Method Although there may not be any current fantasy theme related studies on the Mexican pointy boot trend, it has however been used in many past occasions. The use of fantasy theme analysis can be seen in Hes in a New Neighborhood Now: Religious Fantasy Themes about Mister Rogers Neighborhood written Perry and Roesch (2004). Perry and Roesch explore the rhetorical vision that viewers of the Mister Rogers Neighborhood television show shared. They do so by analyzing the tributes posted during the first week after his passing. Through out these postings religious themes were brought forth. Such religious themes shared by viewers fell

under three major categories: religious attribution, religious language, and religious ideals (2004). Television portrayals by itself are not a fantasy theme, but the later accounts of an event through memory involve fantasy themes (Bormann, 1982). This can be seen in the recollection and words that viewers had to say about Mr. Rogers and his show.

A different article with the same artifact as the previous one, The Worlds Nicest Grown-Up: A Fantasy Theme Analysis of News Media Coverage of Fred Rogers, a fantasy analysis is used to explain the rhetorical vision that emerges from newspaper and broadcast news coverage of the Mr. Rogers show (Bishop, 2003). Bishop explains how journalist have created a fantasy about Rogers that holds him up as the embodiment of televisions potential, potential that can be

realized only by returning to the quiet tolerance and the power of imagination at the heart of Mister Rogers Neighborhood (Bishop, 2003). For journalists, Rogers offers hope for those struggling to raise children. Hence, rhetorical visions of Rogers as the worlds nicest grownup, the Dalai Lama of television, and the Pied Piper of childrens television are constructed out of the fantasy themes made by journalists who step outside their usual role as objective observers. Using a fantasy theme method will capture the true essence of this group of the Mexican pointy boot trend. More and more people of Hispanic descent are adopting and following this trend. Taking a look at it from a fantasy theme method will bring an insight on the shared worldview of this group and also help understand the ideals and shared realities of this group.

Analysis The fashion trend that is known for its tight pants, buttoned up shirts, a sombrero (hat) made of straw, and last but not least, the extremely long Mexican pointy boots has been spreading to the point in which it has reached the dancing clubs of the United States (Smith, 2013). The fact that this fashion trend is being adopted by people of Mexican descent who reside within the United States shows that there are shared values and experiences among this group that make them want to be part of this fantasy that is created by the Mexican pointy boot trend (Crdenas, 2011). This brings into question why and what shared world views are being portrayed through the Mexican pointy boot trend. In order to get a deeper insight of this groups shared world view, the fantasy theme method of analysis will be used. Fantasy theme method is designed to give insights into shared worldviews of groups (Foss, 97). This method of analysis tells a story about a groups

experience that creates a constructed reality for the participants. A fantasy theme depicts characters, actions, and settings (Foss, 98). Not only that, but it is also designed to create a credible interpretation of an experience (99). Therefore in order to grasp an understanding of the shared worldviews of the Mexican pointy boot trend, we will first start off by coding this artifact into settings, actions, and characters. Settings: Initially, the Mexican pointy boot trend started off as a regional trend in Matehuala, San Luis Potosi, Mexico (Loyola, 2011). It was in this town and its surrounding areas that the pointy boots were first embraced. Interestingly enough, the trend within Mexico has remained as a regional trend within the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi (S.L.P.). Although it has expanded to other parts of Mexico, it has primarily remained as an S.L.P. trend. Although the Mexican pointy boot trend has remained as a regional trend within Mexico that has not been the case within the United States of America. Wherever a large Mexican population reside, the long pointy boots tend to appear (Sun, 2011). Texas is one state in which the Mexican pointy boots have appeared in cities such as McAllen, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas; these boots appear in the dancing scene of each city. Other states that have had the Mexican Pointy boots appear are Tennessee, Oklahoma, and states that have a growing number of Mexican population (Sun, 2011). Although these boots appear in various states, they all have one thing in common, and that is that they appear where the dancing scene is, whether it is at a club, or a Quinceera (Sweet 15), the Mexican pointy boots appear. Hence these boots are not used throughout the daily life of their users; they are not used for work they are used for show (Sun, 2011) Even though they are not used throughout the daily activities and only come out in the dancing scene,

it has not stopped people from taking notice of the growing trend. This is the same in both Mexico and the U.S. Actions: While using these long Mexican pointy boots, the actions that are normally done are dancing, along with competing (Loyola, 2011). Tribal dancing troops have dance-offs with other troops. These troops have integrated the Mexican pointy boots as part of their attire. Also, the different troops try to have the best looking boots (Loyola, 2011). The boots are meant for show and for dancing as well. This is seen in both the United States and in Mexico. Characters The characters that use the Mexican pointy boots in Mexico and in the U.S. are males. What varies between Mexico and the United States in its users is the region in which these individuals belong or have their roots in (Rodriguez, 2012). In Mexico, most users were from the S.L.P. One would think that users in the U.S. would also be from S.L.P. as well. Yet in the club scene, lots of men wear their long pointy boots, but not all of them are from S.L.P. In a recent student documentary, it was seen that users of the Mexican pointy boots varied from different regions in Mexico. There were users from the Mexican states of S.L.P., Coahuila, Guanajuato, Estado de Mexico, Michoacn, Queretaro, and Chiapas (Rodriguez, 2012). Although in Mexico, the pointy boots are more of a regional thing of S.L.P., in the United States it was different. In the United States, the Mexican pointy boot trend was a trend that represented Mexico as a whole, and not just a region. Rhetorical Vision: The themes that are portrayed through the Mexican pointy boots are "masculinity", "proud to be a Mexican," "visibility," "defiance," and "be bold." These themes form a rhetorical

vision of "I am Mexican and proud, I will no longer hide." Through out the years, many undocumented immigrants from Mexico have come into the nation of dreams and growth, the United States. People from all over Mexico have crossed borders illegally in search for a way in which they can provide for their families and themselves. Their illegal status in a foreign country has caused fear in them, fear of getting caught and fear of being deported. Their illegal status has also caused many forms of oppressions from discrimination, low wages, to abuse; all of which they have silently endured. Being invisible, having no representation, no identity, and no say in a foreign country has caused rebellion. A rebellion which is portrayed through the Mexican pointy boots. The long flashy pointy boots are used as an emblem of rebellion, in which oppression and silence is combated by wearing something radically different and unique. Although the users of the Mexican pointy boots within the U.S vary in the origin of their roots, they all share one thing, they are immigrants in the United States. They all have endured the same type of oppressions, all have had to go into hiding, all have had to remain silent to injustices due to their illegal status. These shared experiences have caused them to have a unified vision of wanting to be taken into account, wanting to be noticed, and wanting to belong to a group. A similar theme is seen with the 1940's craze of zoot suits. Mexican Americans who felt rejected by Mexicans for being too "American" and by Anglos for being too "Mexican," the zoot suit became an emblem of identity, a symbol of membership and belonging to a group (LopezGydosh & Hancok, 2009). This group twas made of a hybrid of Mexican and American culture. The zoot suits were worn by both African Americans and Latinos (Lopez-Gydosh & Hancok, 2009). Although each ethnic group had their own differentiating style in zoot suites, they both had one thing in common, they are minority groups. These minority groups have experienced

the same type of hardships, and the zoot suit was their form of defying the norms of that time in which segregation was everywhere. Unwritten rules demanded that people of color remain unseen and unheard in public spaces, but the zoot suit visually defied the norms of segregation; its broad shoulders, narrow waist, and ballooned pants, was loud and bold (Lopez-Gydosh & Hancok, 2009). The rhetorical vision of the Mexican pointy boots is "I am Mexican and proud, I will no longer hide." The Mexican pointy boots are loud and bold, and it gives notice to this growing population. It also gives a feeling of belonging to the Mexican population, a feeling of empowerment, since they have attained a form of identity for themselves by using these long pointy boots. When men gather in the clubs of the U.S. they exhibit confidence, daringness, and boldness. Whether they are from Michocan or S.L.P. they are all from the same home country, Mexico. They dance with their flashy pointy boots to the beat of Tribal. Dancing has always been a huge part of Mexican culture, and dancing to Tribal gives it a deeper connection to its culture since Tribal was originally made with Aztec and indigenous sounds which goes back to the tribal times of Mexico itself. With their long pointy boots they dance and portray the great pride they have in being from Mexico, If they had no representation, no identity, no voice or visibility, they do now, since they have made themselves visible and given themselves an identity and form of representation through the use of the Mexican pointy boot trend. The Mexican pointy boot trend seems to be a statement of "I will no longer keep silent, I will no longer hide" since they are unique, flashy, daring, and go against the standard of what a normal boot is. They have claimed their status in society by the use of an extremely long and flashy boot.

References:

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from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibdYPESWDuM Smith, S. (2013, February 19). The pointy Mexican boot trend [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://simonesmith.hubpages.com/hub/Pointy-Mexican-Boots Sun, F. (2011, March 27). These boots were made for dancing: pointy shoes south of the border. Time Lightbox. Retrieved from http://lightbox.time.com/2012/03/27/pointy-shoes/?iid=lb-gal-viewagn#1