Pocho de José Antonio VillarrealMany people would say that to be born Mexican is to be born Catholic. This perpetual stereotype has forced many Mexican families to raise their children as if no other religion existed. In the book Pocho by José Antonio Villarreal, a young boy named Richard Rubio finds himself raised as a Catholic by a traditional Mexican family. Richard, struggling to find his place in the world, has his parents' religious beliefs imposed on him, forcing him to conform to a religion he doesn't agree with. Throughout the novel, the Catholic religious beliefs imposed on Richard affected his personality in several ways. By the end of the book, it is clear that not allowing others to find their own spiritual calling can have drastic effects on their ability to recognize who they are. Many of the spiritual issues that Richard faces in the book are common to a number of Mexican children. Using my personal experiences in a similar situation to Richard's, I intend to support my claim that forced beliefs can have detrimental effects on a person. As soon as the main character Richard is introduced into the story, we learn his beliefs about God before we even know his name. Perhaps Villarreal, even this early, is tired of showing his readers that in Mexican American culture, religion, particularly Catholicism, plays an extremely important role. Richard brings home his image of the Virgin Mary which he received as a reward for being the first in his age group to learn the catechism which protects her in his handkerchief. The Catholic Church has often rewarded people for their achievements in the study of their religion, in the hope that it will encourage them to remain Catholic. When I went to catechism, I was always rewarded for perfect attendance. This idea that you will be rewarded for an achievement or participation can be a way for the church to ensure that you are there every Sunday and that you behave well. Richard says the photo had little value to him but was a symbol of recognition. He would surely go home and present it to his mother knowing that it coming from the church would mean a lot to her. Many times I did the same thing with my tokens of recognition, displaying them proudly on the refrigerator, not because it was worth anything, but because of the praise I received for it...