Reaction Paper Poem by Michael Timothy Rose

Michael Rose
English 101
'Fender Bender' Short Response
September 29,2009

The short story, 'Fender Bender, ' by Ramon 'Tiangus' Perez,

portrays the prejudiced state in which the contemporary society in

America regards illegally immigrated peoples. The anecdotal

experience which Perez divulges furthermore demonstrates an inter-

cultural conflict between Mexican immigrants: those who have become

Americanized and those who have clung onto the the cultural

idiosyncrosies of Mexico. In the short story, this conflict is catalyzed

over language-preference divergencies between a 'Chicano' cop and

a Mexican semaritan. On the other hand, however, the role which is

carried out by the 'Anglo-saxon' male, who is involved in the fender

bender with Perez, semphores a present-day change which is taking

place in those outlooks held by the base, Caucasian population within

America; the 'Anglo-saxon' insists against those legal complications

with which the 'Chicano' cop desires to have pass upon Perez.

Ultimately, the corruption of the system succeeds, however; the cop

forces Perez to lock his car keys within the vehicle, and proceed to

walk away from the vehicle, into the distance and down the block.

Perez is rescued by a meager hanger on a a street corner.