Bronx Masquerade Perspectives

The many characters of "Bronx Masquerade" have several different types of conflicts. Lupe and Gloria have their issues about teenage pregnancy. Chankara and her sister face abuse from their boyfriends. Sterling faces bullying for his faith and non-violent approach to situations. Many other characters like Devon and Janelle face problems with how people see them versus how they see themselves. These identity issues are a common conflict among the characters.

The Devon that everybody sees is the opposite of who Devon really is. Everybody sees the athletic and handsome part of him. Devon shows people what they want to see from him so that he's accepted. He's afraid of being alienated from his peers so he acts like all he cares about is hanging out with schoolmates and being an average jock. When Devon is alone however, he is his true self. He enjoys literature but most of the kids at school think reading is a joke. In order to be accepted, Devon hides his intellectual self from society. He sees himself as a smart and athletic person that really likes to read for fun. Everybody else sees Mr. Basketball.

Another character that sees themselves in a different light than others is Janelle. Most people see only two things about Janelle; her fat and her face. Many consider her ugly and they make fun of her for her weight. A few, like Janelle herself, her friends, and Devon, see the characteristics beneath the skin. They see intelligence and kindheartedness. What Janelle sees is something that many other people ignore. Everybody sees the physical part of Janelle but she sees the real Janelle. The smart and funny Janelle. That's the way it is with characters and people like her. People jump to conclusions based on what they see on somebody's outside. Only a few actually try to dig deep and see how people act on the inside.