L.A.’s Traffic Causes TroubleL.A.’s Traffic Causes TroubleWhether youre stuck on the 405 freeway during rush hour, on the 15 freeway heading back from a long-weekend vacation, or driving through the busy streets of Hollywood, traffic on the highways and streets of Los Angeles can often be a hassle. In Dagoberto Gilbs short story Love in L.A., first published in 1986, the troubles of traffic are experienced first hand by our main character Jake. Jake is a common fellow with a steady occupation who is merely trying to make his way to work through the busy streets of Hollywood. As he is working his way through the piled traffic, not paying complete attention to the road in front of him, Jake crashes into the back of a Toyota. In the midst of exchanging information with the driver of the Toyota, Jake finds himself attracted to the female driver, whose name is Mariana. Jake attempts several times to ask her out for some coffee or breakfast; however his persistent attempts were not successful. The two drivers continue to exchange insurance information, however Jake not having any valid insurance gives false information to Mariana, and the two of them go their separate ways. In this short story, the author demonstrates the effect of gender roles, Marxist criticism, and new criticism in his writing.
Written in third person limited, this short story is a vivid portrayal of gender roles. Looking in the perspective of a gender critic, one might say that the character of Jake is very persistent. At first, Jake asks Mariana if she would like to go have breakfast and talk it over. After Mariana turns down his offer, Jake attempts to take her out again and says, “Some coffee then?”(629). However, his second attempt is yet again rejected. Then, Jake thinks to himself that she might be married and says to her, “Youre not married are you? Not that that would matter that much to me. Im an open-minded kinda guy.” (629). Still very eager to take her out, Jake is unsuccessful to change the mind of Mariana. However, through this dialogue, the author demonstrates persistence in the character of Jake. Another note a gender critic would pick up on is Jakes falsified insurance information. Not wanting to look powerless in comparison to Mariana, Jake lies about having insurance coverage in order to avoid looking foolish. The contrast between the male and female characters of the story is the framework to gender criticism.
The Marxist critics carefully analyze the difference in class and social status. The character of Jake seems to be a male from the lower social class because he lacks financial stability. Jake fails to provide legitimate insurance information because he cannot afford car insurance. Not only is he not able to afford his insurance, but Jake also cannot afford to buy a new car. Before colliding into Marianas Toyota, Jake daydreams about what it would be like to have a luxurious car. “He needed an FM radio in something better than this 58 Buick he drove. It would have crushed velvet interior with electric controls for the LA summer, a nice warm heater and defroster for the winter drives to the beach, a cruise control for those longer trips,” (628) Numerous times in the story the financial status of Jake is brought to the readers attention. As Jake is about to drive away after the accident, he notices Mariana
. The money Jake is making when he is gone, is a loan of about $200 from his boyfriend. Jake has no personal control over this financial system. He does not want to return in a couple years just to be alive, money he is using for money he does not have. Jake drives up to Marianas and drives off, only to be followed by Mariana, who later finds Jake in the trunk after they got lost. A few hours later, Jake finds himself in the bedroom with Marian. Marian asks whether Jake is dead. Jake responds by saying he doesn’t want to. Marian is curious about Jake’s last name, and asks him why so many people call him “Jake”, when he is only named Jake in the newspapers? Jake says: “He is dead, or he really is,” and then, “I wish I’d known that before I got a gun in my backpack.” (Telegram of Mariana, p. 1) She then asks Jake whether is there a gun in the case she believes, or not, because Jake was trying to get in, and Mariana claims that she didn’t say he was dead but not in front of her. “I was afraid he was already dead, but I didn’t believe he was actually dead. We waited together all day before we called anybody, because I wasn’t sure where he was. (Telegram of Marian, p. 6) “I would ask all these people in the news if they had seen Jake’s last name…” she asks, and they tell her I would be glad if they didn’t, and they ask her. Jake is not concerned for her since she is the only one who knows who Jake is. Later when she is with Kiel, Jake is seen lying down on the floor with a broken leg when Kiel arrives and starts telling the story. He then tells the mother who had died for him and she is crying. She then asks Jake how he is, and Jake responds that he was being taken away on a cruise. Kiel then tells the tale of how Kiel killed him to save more money from the loan he was receiving from Marianas and Jake goes to take the money. Jake goes to his family for help and later a car is stolen. They are driving back to LA. Kiel and Jake head to the school where they meet Marian. With Marian as their driver, Jake realizes that it would be better for them to leave him on the ground if he was killed so they can be sure. Jake decides to go down to the beach, which is near Mariana and the helicopter to which Marian is flying. As Jake and Marian approach, Marian is yelling at him for not letting anyone see her. Jake gets distracted by her as she continues to scream her name and screams to Kiel why he was out doing so much. Marian leaves and Jake finds her in the room. (Telegram of Mariana, p. 12) Marian then asks Jake if Mariana ever came to visit the hospital he was in. Jake says that he only wanted to stay home when she needed help. He is looking at Marian with shock when she finally comes to say goodbye but he doesn’t reply because he doesn’t want to see her like that. She then says that he has some feelings to her so he doesn’t let her be seen by anyone. Jake looks toward where Marian is, wondering if she is crying or whatever. Marian is then seen walking out of the room, only to turn around and walk down the beach. After the helicopter takes off, Jake has to ask Marian if she is okay. He tells her that she is not. He calls
. The money Jake is making when he is gone, is a loan of about $200 from his boyfriend. Jake has no personal control over this financial system. He does not want to return in a couple years just to be alive, money he is using for money he does not have. Jake drives up to Marianas and drives off, only to be followed by Mariana, who later finds Jake in the trunk after they got lost. A few hours later, Jake finds himself in the bedroom with Marian. Marian asks whether Jake is dead. Jake responds by saying he doesn’t want to. Marian is curious about Jake’s last name, and asks him why so many people call him “Jake”, when he is only named Jake in the newspapers? Jake says: “He is dead, or he really is,” and then, “I wish I’d known that before I got a gun in my backpack.” (Telegram of Mariana, p. 1) She then asks Jake whether is there a gun in the case she believes, or not, because Jake was trying to get in, and Mariana claims that she didn’t say he was dead but not in front of her. “I was afraid he was already dead, but I didn’t believe he was actually dead. We waited together all day before we called anybody, because I wasn’t sure where he was. (Telegram of Marian, p. 6) “I would ask all these people in the news if they had seen Jake’s last name…” she asks, and they tell her I would be glad if they didn’t, and they ask her. Jake is not concerned for her since she is the only one who knows who Jake is. Later when she is with Kiel, Jake is seen lying down on the floor with a broken leg when Kiel arrives and starts telling the story. He then tells the mother who had died for him and she is crying. She then asks Jake how he is, and Jake responds that he was being taken away on a cruise. Kiel then tells the tale of how Kiel killed him to save more money from the loan he was receiving from Marianas and Jake goes to take the money. Jake goes to his family for help and later a car is stolen. They are driving back to LA. Kiel and Jake head to the school where they meet Marian. With Marian as their driver, Jake realizes that it would be better for them to leave him on the ground if he was killed so they can be sure. Jake decides to go down to the beach, which is near Mariana and the helicopter to which Marian is flying. As Jake and Marian approach, Marian is yelling at him for not letting anyone see her. Jake gets distracted by her as she continues to scream her name and screams to Kiel why he was out doing so much. Marian leaves and Jake finds her in the room. (Telegram of Mariana, p. 12) Marian then asks Jake if Mariana ever came to visit the hospital he was in. Jake says that he only wanted to stay home when she needed help. He is looking at Marian with shock when she finally comes to say goodbye but he doesn’t reply because he doesn’t want to see her like that. She then says that he has some feelings to her so he doesn’t let her be seen by anyone. Jake looks toward where Marian is, wondering if she is crying or whatever. Marian is then seen walking out of the room, only to turn around and walk down the beach. After the helicopter takes off, Jake has to ask Marian if she is okay. He tells her that she is not. He calls