Violence and its consequences drive the plot of Mexican WhiteBoy. It is used to exact justice by characters who either don’t want to wait for it or feel it will be not be properly served. Danny’s father is in jail for assault, which is why he has left Danny. The impact on Danny of his father’s abandonment defines the conflict. Danny’s father is one of several male characters who resort to violence as a way to maintain power over others. When their power, usually in the form of pride or status, is threatened or called into question, the perpetrator of the violence behaves like a desperate animal defending itself against a predator. He reacts immediately and with no thought. The acts vary in intensity, though the reason behind the displays of force is uniform across the board.

These characters have something else in common: they have limited currency or status in the world outside of their homogeneous group, and so they shun and are threatened by those from other backgrounds. Society does not tolerate violence as a form of problem-solving, hence, Danny’s father is in jail. It is also why the “carney” who runs the pitching booth at the fair laughs at Lolo when Lolo threatens him with violence.