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Jeannette Rodriguez April 08, 2013 The Mexican Pointy Boot Trend and Its Rhetorical Vision Abstract The Mexican pointy boot trend has spread from Mexico to the United States. Wherever a large Mexican population resides, the Mexican pointy boots appear. This paper analyses the fantasy themes and worldview vision that these individuals share through the use of the Mexican pointy boots. The Mexican pointy boot trend is compared and analyzed in Mexico and in the United States by using a fantasy theme method of analysis. It was seen that the fantasy themes of masculinity were prominent in Mexico while in the United States, fantasy themes of visibility, defiance, be bold, and proud to be Mexican were portrayed. The overall rhetorical vision of the trend in the United States showed a world vision of I am Mexican and proud, I will no longer hide. This worldview vision shows that Mexican immigrants of the United States that have quietly endured much hardship are making their presence known through the use of the Mexican pointy boot trend.

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Introduction Flashy, glittery, long, wiggly, and attention calling are the words that describe the notorious trend of the Mexican pointy boots. The Mexican pointy boots are part of a trend that started off in Matehuala, San Luis Postosi, Mexico in late 2009 and has spread rapidly within the Mexican community. This fashion trend is 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 in the year 2000. Although tribal started off with 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. Tribal music has gained much popularity, and along with the music trend, a fashion trend was adopted that was used to dance this type of music. The tribal fashion trend consists of tight pants, buttoned up shirts, a sombrero (hat) made of straw, and last but not least, the extremely long Mexican pointy boots (Smith). It is the use and spread of the Mexican pointy boots amongst the Mexican community that brings into question the shared values and fantasy themes among this group of individuals. Therefore, in order to understand the shared realities of this group, a fantasy theme of analysis will be used to find the shared values, and worldview behind the Mexican pointy boot trend. The trend started off in Matehuala by a man simply wanting something different, so that he could stand out from the rest. He decides to get his boots customized by getting them pointier than any other boots (Smith). Seeing this, other men started adapting the pointy style of boots. Not only did they adopt this pointy boot style, they would also attempt to outtake one another by making their pair of boots even longer.

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Hence, the Mexican boots kept getting longer and flashier. The pointy boots became a popular trend within Matehuala and its surrounding areas. Tribal dancing troops started to form for the sake of tribal dancing competitions that would happen in the local clubs. These dancing troops adopted this pointy boot style and competed in the dancing contests with them on. Overall, the creation of the Mexican pointy boot trend stems from the competitive nature of men in general. Although this trend grew in popularity due to the competitive nature of men, it has remained a trend in certain regions of Mexico and has spread to the United States. This expansion of the Mexican pointy boot trend in the United States brings into question what other values asides from the competitiveness in masculinity are there for this trend to spread in places outside of its home country. 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. Literature of the Artifact: The extravagant and long Mexican pointy boots has gotten much attention from local media, bloggers, and documentary filmmakers. 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. It is in this documentary that the competitive nature of men in dancing contest is shown. It also explains how the Mexican pointy boots reached its long lengthy style as a form of out beating one another. A student documentary made by Rodriguez (2012) called Tribal explores the dancing craze of Tribal in Austin, TX (Rodriguez, 2012). It is in this student documentary that interviewees are asked about why they use the trend and where their

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Mexican roots come from. It was noted through this documentary that the users of the Mexican pointy boots had roots in various parts of Mexico. There are also blog entries and articles that talk about the Mexican pointy boot trend. A blog post by Smith (2011), talks about the boots, the users, the style, and the location of where this trend started and how it has spread since then. A Behind the Seams blog post by Cardenas (2011), blogger for VICE, also gives an in depth explanation of the dancing troops that use the Mexican pointy boots. He also mentions that the long Mexican pointy boots are slowly starting to get replaced by dancing troops to a different type of boot, ropers, since they are easier to compete with in dancing competitions (Cardenas, 2011). Last but not least is a blog post by Sun (2011) who talks about the spread of the Mexican long pointy boots in cities with a large Mexican population within the United States. She states cities in which the Mexican pointy boot trend has appeared and how they are used in the dancing scene of Mexican clubs within the U.S, and how it is continuously spreading in more cities. 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 Bales 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

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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 by 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

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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. Mister Rogers show was further analyzed through the use of fantasy theme method of analysis in The Worlds Nicest Grown-Up: A Fantasy Theme Analysis of News Media Coverage of Fred Roger. In this fantasy theme analysis, the rhetorical vision that emerges from newspaper and broadcast news coverage of the Mr. Rogers show is analyzed (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 grown-up, 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. A trend that shares similar values of that of the Mexican pointy boots is the zoot suit craze of the 1940s (Lopez-Gydosh & Hancock, 2009). The zoot suits were known for its distinctive fashion that came in bright colors, consisted of exaggerated shoulders, extra long jackets, and equally exaggerated pants that matched these unique coats. This trend was adopted by Mexican Americans who felt rejected by Mexicans for being too

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American and Anglos for being too "Mexican." The zoot suit became an emblem of identity, a symbol of membership and belonging to a group (Lopez-Gydosh & Hancok, 2009). This group was made of a hybrid of Mexican and American culture. African Americans also wore zoot suits. (Lopez-Gydosh & Hancok, 2009). Although each ethnic group had their own differentiating style in zoot suites they did have one thing in common, they are both part of 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, were loud and bold (Lopez-Gydosh & Hancok, 2009). Analysis Through the use of fantasy theme of analysis, the true essence of this group of individuals who wear the Mexican pointy boot trend will be captured, with a special focus on the Mexican population within the United States. The fact that more and more people of Mexican descent are adopting and following this trend, which shows that there are shared experiences and values that are portrayed through the use of the Mexican pointy boot 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. The extremely long, flashy Mexican pointy boot has been spreading to the point in which it has reached the dancing clubs of the United States (Smith, 2013). Immigrants

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of Mexico who reside within the United States have been adopting this trend, which shows that even though these individuals are away from their home country, they also want to be part of the shared fantasy that the Mexican pointy boots provide (Crdenas, 2011). Even though Mexican pointy boots are used in Mexico and the United States, the shared realities and worldviews in both countries may differ from one another. Hence, this brings into question why and what shared world views are being portrayed through the Mexican pointy boot trend in Mexico and in the United States. In order to get a deeper insight of this groups shared worldview, the fantasy theme method of analysis will be used which 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 world views 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

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remained as an S.L.P. trend. In Mexico, the Mexican pointy boots are used for show and in the dancing scenes, especially when it comes to competing in tribal dancing contests. Although the Mexican pointy boot trend has remained as a regional trend within Mexico that is not the case within the United States of America. Wherever a large Mexican population reside, the long pointy boots 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 (Sun, 2011). 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, they appear where the dancing scene is, whether it is at a club, or a Quinceera (Sweet 15), the Mexican pointy boots appear. These boots are not used throughout the daily life of their users, nor are they used for work. They are used for show and fun (Sun, 2011). Even though they are not used throughout the daily activities and only come out in the dancing scene, which usually takes place at night, it has not stopped people from taking notice of this growing fashion trend. Actions: While using these long Mexican pointy boots, the actions that are normally done are dancing, along with competing (Loyola, 2011). The music that is being danced to is Tribal. Tribal first started off with an Aztec and indigenous sound to it, which traces back to the ancestral lines of some of the first civilizations in Mexico. Although now the sound of Tribal is more modernized with techno sounds to it, it still contains some

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indigenous sounds to its music. The Mexican pointy boots are not only used for dancing, they are also used to compete. Tribal dancing troops have many dance-offs with other troops, and they constantly try to out beat one another in the best choreography and best looking boots (Loyola, 2011). Hence, these boots are meant for show and dancing. Both in Mexico and in the United States, the competitive nature of dancing and having the better and longer boots are seen through the Mexican pointy boot trend. However in the competitive nature of men, in Mexico, the length of the boots are more emphasized since there are boots that reach to almost 6 ft in length, whereas in the United States, the dancing choreography competitions between troops is placed a greater emphasis on rather than the size and look of the boots (Sun, 2011). Characters The characters that use the Mexican pointy boots in Mexico and in the U.S. are young males. Although the characters are young males in both the United States and in Mexico, the place of origin for the users varies. In Mexico, users of the Mexican pointy boot tend to be from specific regions, the majority from S.L.P. In the United States however, the users of this trend varied in the origins of their Mexican roots (Rodriguez, 2012). In the club scene, lots of men wear their long pointy boots, but not all of them are from S.L.P. instead, users of the Mexican pointy boots in the U.S. 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 trend of S.L.P., in the United States it is different. In the United States, the Mexican pointy boot trend has turned into a trend that represents Mexico as a whole, and not just a region of Mexico.

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Rhetorical Vision: Overall, the themes that are portrayed through the Mexican pointy boots are "masculinity", "proud to be a Mexican," "visibility," "defiance," and "be bold." In Mexico, the masculinity fantasy theme was more apparent than any other fantasy theme. The Mexican pointy boots in Mexico represent the masculinity of the Mexican spirit. The wanting to outtake one another by having longer and better boots is proof of that, and the fact that this trend spread like wildfire in the surrounding areas of S.L.P shows that the users of Mexico share the same feelings and visions when it comes to masculinity. However in the United States, the themes of proud to be Mexican visibility, defiance, and be bold were the ones that were more apparent among the users of the Mexican pointy boot trend. The Mexican pointy boots are so long, flashy, and unique that anyone who sees them will remember them. The fact that they are so memorable and attention catching shows the need and want to be noticed and recognized. Not only that, but these boots go against the norm of what a traditional cowboy boot normally looks like, exemplifying a form of defiance against the norm. The defiance against the norm and their ability to be recalled and remembered for the trend of the boots also shows the themes of being bold and standing out from the rest of the crowd. Furthermore, when individuals that are outside of the Mexican culture see the length and flashiness of the boots, they often judge the trend as ridiculous and tacky (Rodriguez, 2012). The users of this trend know and hear such comments, but they proudly wear their boots. These boots bring a sense of pride that even though they are constantly judged, and criticized, the users dont care, because to them the boots are a creation from their home country, and they proudly wear them. This pride in wearing their boots shows the

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high regard they have for their homeland and the great Mexican pride they proudly portray. Overall, these themes of visibility, be bold, defiance, and Mexican pride in the users of the United States 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 better provide for their families and themselves. Their illegal status in a foreign country has caused fear in them; the fear of getting caught and 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, no power, and no say in a foreign country is difficult to deal with especially if you come from a culture in which masculinity and machismo are highly embraced. This lack of power, say, representation, and identity has caused a rebellion amongst the Mexican male population that resides within the United States. This rebellion is portrayed through the Mexican pointy boots since their long, flashy, and pointy nature 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 that often times lead them to go into hiding, and 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

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account, wanting to be noticed, and wanting to belong to a group and they do so by wearing the long Mexican pointy boots. This form of rebellion is similar to that of the 1940s craze of zoot suits that occurred in the United States. The zoot suit became an emblem of identity, a symbol of membership and belonging to a group, and a form of rebelling to the norms of that time for Mexican Americans (Lopez-Gydosh & Hancok, 2009). Mexican Americans in the 1940s were rejected by the Mexican community because they were too American, and by the Anglo community for being too Mexican. This lack of belonging to a group caused Mexicans Americans to make a name and group for themselves. This group was made of a hybrid of Mexican and American culture. The zoot suits were also worn byAfrican Americans (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

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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. 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 by giving 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 be invisible." Overall the world vision of the users of the Mexican pointy boot trend is I am Mexican and proud, I will no longer hide. since these boots are unique, flashy, daring, and go against the norm. They have claimed their status in society by the use of an extremely long and flashy pair of boots. Conclusion Many individuals in both the United States and in Mexico have adapted the Mexican pointy boot trend. The spread of this trend shows that there are shared values and worldviews that these individuals partake through the use of the Mexican pointy boot trend. Through a fantasy theme method of analysis, it was seen that the shared fantasies varied in Mexico and in the United States. In Mexico, the Mexican pointy boot presented the fantasy theme of masculinity while in the United States the shared fantasy themes were visibility, be bold, defiance, and proud to be Mexican. The fact that users of the Mexican pointy boots were from different parts of Mexico who shared the same

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experiences and hardships as immigrants in the United States brought forth the shared worldview of I am Mexican and proud, I will no longer hide. The discovery of the shared worldviews varied in Mexico and in the United States, yet this finding is very limited in credibility since there are little scholars who are currently studying this trend. If participants of this trend in the United States where to be given a survey to collect data of their origins in Mexico, the shared world view would be more apparent in the eyes of many. Yet the illegal status of these users limit the amount of attention they can call for in the United States since fear of getting deported is still present. The zoot suit craze of the 1940s gained much attention partly because of the users being American citizens and wanted to place their righteous place in society. The Mexican pointy boot trend is different in that most users are not American citizens and are residing in the United States illegally which limits the data collected for further research. As we see a continuous increase in the Mexican population within the United States, perhaps the study of this particular Mexican pointy boot culture will become more known and further researched as issues of immigration reforms continue to arise. The United States has been and will continue to be a nation full of many cultures and ethnicities. The growing number of immigrants from Mexico and their usage of the Mexican pointy boots is one that calls for recognition and acceptance. Truthfully, these immigrants have traveled far for the sake of providing for their families and themselves. Yet because of their illegal status, they are treated as less, and often times taken advantage of whether it is through unfair wages, injustices, and abuse. The fact that these individuals have silently endured such hardships yet come out in the dancing scene with their pointy flashy boots shows their need and want to be recognized as who they are,

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Mexicans who work hard and play hard. Mexicans who, even though they are not legal in the U.S. are people just like any other citizen of the U.S. People, who like to dance, laugh, compete, and work. Through the usage of the Mexican pointy boots, these individuals break their silence by standing out from the crowd and getting recognized for using such a notorious trend.

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References Bishop, R. (2003). The worlds nicest grown-up: A fantasy theme analysis of news media coverage of Fred Rogers. Journal of Communication, 53, 1631. Bormann, E. G. (1972). Fantasy and rhetorical vision: The rhetorical criticism of social reality. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 58, 396407 Bormann, E. G. (1982). A fantasy theme analysis of the television coverage of the hostage release and the Reagan inaugural. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 68, 133 145. Crdenas, E. S. (2011). Mexican pointy boots: Behind the seams [Blog post]. Retrieved from Behind the Seams website: http://www.vice.com/behind-theseams/mexican-pointyboots American Men and Identity: Contemporary African American and Latino Style. Journal Of American Popular Culture, 32(1), 16-28. doi: 10.1111/j.1534734X.2009.00690 Loyola, B. (2011, April 17). Mexican pointy boots [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.vice.com/read/pointy-boots-update Perry, S. D., & Roesch, A. L. (2004). He's in a New Neighborhood Now: Religious Fantasy Themes About Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Journal Of Media And Religion, 3(4), 199-218. doi:10.1207/s15328415jmr0304_2

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Rodriguez, J. (2012, December 17). Tribal documentary [Video file]. Retrieved 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.TimeLightbox. Retrieved from http://lightbox.time.com/2012/03/27/pointy-shoes/?iid=lb-gal-viewagn#1