Following the American Psychological Association’s Guidelines
The book, “Nickel and Dime” by Gary Soto is once again proof that the author knows how to weave seemingly pointless stories together in order to prove something greater. The novel is a highlight reel of America’s consumerist tendencies, pack mentality, and how we force those we believe do not belong to the sidelines even when they so desperately want to be a part of what we are building. Many of the characters included in the novel appear to be criminals on the surface, desperate for what may not be theirs for the taking. Society paints them in this way, because it is easy to criminalize somebody you do not accept. However, Soto delicately tells their stories in a way that shows the economic crisis of our time has left them all feeling robbed in some way. Some feel robbed of fortune, others of love, and still others of life itself. The enduring tragedy and of the novel begins and ends with Roberto Silva, as he sets out on a journey that he believes is his big comeback. Eventually we see that not only are we humans at a disadvantage in these times, but that the novel is an illustration of the specific circumstances surrounding Mexican-Americans, and the struggles they face just to survive.
Roberto Silva, 33, begins the novel after being fired from his job at an Oakland bank. He was a security guard, already barely making ends meet on the meager wages the bank offered him. However, Silva never let his wages get him down; even with a meager salary, he was sure good things were coming his way. After being downsized, he has no money, and his homeless. Society reduced him to slithering through the dirt in order to avoid law enforcement. Despite his dire circumstances, Silva still believes that good fortune stretches before him because, at the time of his layoff, his boss tricks Silva into believing this is the first step toward prosperity, only reinforcing his prior beliefs that success await those who try hard enough and remain optimistic. He is a victim of circumstance. Silva, knowing little about the intricate workings of prosperity, or general survival as an outcast at the margins of society, accepts his boss’s advice as more accolades toward the American dream . He clings to the American dream that perhaps he has heard all of his life, believing that something can come from nothing. He has no job, and no money; these are the essential ingredients to prosperity. He has probably dreams of a scenario like this since he was a child. I believe this is comparable to how many individuals, primarily younger individuals, and feel today during the economic crisis. Despite the cost of education and the never-ending hallway of slamming doors, many still believe that opportunity awaits us. We can literally be crawling through the mud on our stomachs, like Silva, buried under debt, surrounded by squalor, believing the American dream of prosperity and good fortune will befall us if we only continue to move forward. Silva’s continues with this attitude, show a representation of this mindset for a good portion of the novel.
An older guard, also working at the bank, is more serious about his job and not so easily tricked. Gus Hernandez understands it is only a matter of time before the company forces him out unceremoniously, one day calling for his retirement. The bank is so cavalier about this action, Hernandez has no choice but to see he is a mere pawn. He does not share Silva’s enterprising attitude, but instead believes that he may indeed perish without a job. Hernandez becomes a figurehead for how pointless work can be depending on whom you are and where you live. Hernandez, Silva, and Silver live in a country where they live in the shadows. While Silva was laid off, and fed a false story about second chances of fortune and happiness, Hernandez was given the honest chance to work nineteen years as a security guard at the bank. A white man’s service would have garnered him the allotted time to retire with a severance package to see him through until his death. America would have helped him live comfortably. However, for Chicano men such as Hernandez, they are used as a resource and hurriedly tossed out before repayment can be issued for their services. Hernandez represents the harsh reality of what would happen if Silva were to have success with one of his jobs or entrepreneurial endeavors. He would likely see nothing for his hard work, though those around him would gladly accept what he was offering.
Silver, living the alternative lifestyle of a poet, fails to generate enough income to survive. However, his family refuses to take pity, with even his mother refusing to give him shelter. Silver evidently once had a flair for writing and his tenacity for regaining his spark is infectious. It is only matched by Silva’s belief that one day riches will befall him if he only tries hard enough . When he can, Silver stays with friends. Otherwise, he sleeps in his car. Eventually, Silver befriends the starving, homeless, but somehow upbeat Silva. The more Silver gets to know Silva, the more he begins to see that Silva may represent his future. Silva his filled with such hope and pride, but living on the same margins of society as Silver, Silver begins to fear that he will meet the same end as Silva. Silver watches as Silva carries out characteristic, but also symbolic, entrepreneurial endeavors in an effort to remain optimistic . He is ingenious, in his own way, but in the end is efforts are meaningless and futile, making Silva’s character truly tragic.
Silva becomes the centerpiece of the novel and its message as the reader sees him face the stereotypical treatment from law enforcement and wealthy individuals. He is treated inhumanely, with suspicion and bigotry. Law enforcement are aware of what they can get away with when approaching him because of how his people are seen. Wealthy people believe him to be beneath them and treat him unworthy, as well. Silva, once a representation for optimism, hope, and the American dream, slowly becomes a representation of marginalized society and the true America. We treat people differently based on their social status, but also their skin, their blood, and their heritage. The men were Chicano, and the story is fictional, but Soto’s messages are true; America, and Americans treat people this way far too often, marginalizing entire societies. Despite being treated as a rodent found in the street, Silva somehow manages to maintain his humanity through his story. He hits rock bottom and stays there due to the system surrounding him, but does not allow it to corrupt him or make him bitter. Unfortunately, an innocent entrepreneurial idea he has in order to keep himself alive eventually backfires when he sells a Christmas wreath to a man, which later sets the man’s car on fire. Eventually he begins to wonder if he should give up.
The novel is honest and pure, getting to the heart of the three sometimes-interconnected stories, but also the heart of what it is like to be an outcast in society. The men want more, but are always denied that right. Hernandez is a prominent figure in the novel because he, unlike the other two, was granted the chance to work honestly, until he was forced into retirement without a severance package. He represents that even when things seem to be going right, it is still possible for them to go wrong, especially for somebody forced to live in the shadows of society. Hernandez had a steady job for nineteen years and immediately became uneasy at the first sign of trouble when Silva was fired, signifying that for nineteen years, he had been an outcast despite his status as a security guard. Silver is a bit of a rebel in the novel, not even bothering with the regular constraints of society. A piece of him appears to embrace the shadows he is forced to live in as a Chicano. He is not as optimistic as Silva, but he is optimistic enough to forego giving up on his dream for sleeping in his car and living with his friends. He wants to be a poet in America, and believes one day that fortune will befall him. Unfortunately, once he meets Silva, despite Silva’s infectious optimism, Silver begins seeing optimism for blind hopelessness. He begins to see himself in Silva, as the two begin to represent the hope in the American dream, and the choice one must make. Silva chose to follow what he believed would happen for him, despite being evicted, losing his job, and all of his money. The author leaves us wondering which choice Silver will make as he continues to surf the couches of his friends, sleep in his car, and ponder over Silva’s instability. Poetry is important to him but it is clear that he does not want to share the same fate as Silva, despite his dedication to his work.
In sum, Soto uses satire to show how consumerism and capitalism often push entire populations onto the margins of society. They are silenced by the majority primarily because it seems to be easy to look the other way when the people are not your own. Consequentially, the Chicanos were effectively denied not only the American dream, but also simple rights to life. These three men are an apt representation of the Chicano community living on the outskirts of society. They did not all want the American dream of riches and fame, just the American dream that pertained to survival and happiness. No matter what way they tried to live their lives, they were prevented from doing so the way they wished. Stable Hernandez, with his steady job was fired. Optimistic, hardworking Silva was laid off and sent on a wild goose chase. Silver was the only individual who seemed relatively content with the reality of his situation (at times, Mendez seemed unaware of how dire his situation was), until he met Mendez and realized he may never achieve his goals. Though the novel is highly entertaining and even funny at times, the messages are to be taken seriously. Even the interconnection of the three men’s stories contains a deeper message, saying that sometimes, on the margins of society, all they have is each other. Sometimes, the novel suggests, that is not enough to survive.
References
Soto, G. (2000). Nickel and Dime. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.
