Twilight Los Angeles; 1992

Twilight Los Angeles; 1992 very accurately depicts the L.A. Riots. It shows the hardships the citizens of L.A. Underwent during one of the cities most devastating tragedies. The monologues that Smith chooses all show the relationship between greater things than the L.A. Riots such as prejudice and tolerance, guilt and innocence, and class conflicts. These are all issues that are very prominent in most of the monologues. The actual events provide the focus, and stated or implied a reference point for all of the monologues that make up Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, however it is easy to miss many of the central ideas surrounding the testimonies.

Closely related to themes of race and racial prejudice, anger and hatred have a powerful, resonating presence in Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992. Some of the persons, like Rudy Salas, Sr., the Mexican artist, seem almost consumed with hatred. His is directed against “gringos,” especially white police officers. This is illustrated by “the insanity that I carried with me started when I took the beating from the police” (Twilight 2). His anger is shared by others, mostly by inner-city blacks and Latinos who resent the treatment afforded them by the LAPD, what Theresa Allison calls “the hands of our enemy, the unjust system.”

While many ill feelings were left after the L.A. Riots there were also feelings of atonement and forgiveness. Some of the more reflective voices in Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 express a prayer or hope that what LA citizens experienced throughout the unrest will give way to a future reconciliation and community harmony and peace among different ethnic groups. It is the room that Reginald Denny plans for his future house, a room that is “just gonna be people,” (Twilight 110) where a person's race will not matter.