Sunday, April 22, 2012

I love you guys!!!!

Ok, so I know I am being sentimental since I am about to graduate (by the way, it never hit me until Friday during the McMurran ceremony.  While driving home from that, I got a little teary-eyed, not even gonna lie.)  Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone in the class know how much I enjoyed our class, our discussions, and the camaraderie.  It really has been a pleasure to be in this class, and I couldn't have asked for a better group of students to take this class with.

And of course Dr. H!  Even though I only took my first class with you last semester, I can safely say you, along with Dr. Messenger, are my favorite professors.  I feel so comfortable expressing my opinions, as I know you will always respect them even if you don't agree with them.  As Angela posted earlier, this is in no way an attempt to butter you up :)  I truly want you to know that your teaching habits have made me eager to come to your class. I have to wake up every M/W/F at 5:45 am to go to work, but I didn't dread those days since I got to partake in the class discussions in this class.  Please don't change anything, you are the bomb!

I know I have made jokes that I feel like everyone hates me in the class, but I knew I could play devil's advocate with you guys because everyone was passionate about certain topics.  It's been a fun semester, good luck to my fellow graduates!!  Hopefully I will see some of around campus next year :)

Give Me Something To Blog About :)

Yes, sorry, I had to do at least one Buffy reference this semester :) Angela's post inspired me to write a more reflective post that incorporates things I've learned all semester. We've read a lot of really great classics from Pride & Prejudice to The Sun Also Rises--texts some of us love and hate for various reasons--as well as shorter stories like "A New England Nun," Trifles, and "The Yellow Wall-paper." And Dr. H was right in class the other day when she said that she thought I liked everything we had read. Honestly, I think the only text I've absolutely hated with a passion was when I was forced to read The Hobbit in 7th grade...no offense to any hobbit-lovers out there. But I did find something valuable in everything...

- Oscar Wao will stick with me for a while. It was one of the saddest texts I've read, but I could definitely identify with his loneliness. The scene I keep coming back to--besides his death scene--was when he created the after school Sci-Fi club to get students involved with his interests...and no one showed up. It was heart-breaking to me that even the "nerdy" kids didn't want to engage with him. But on a deeper level, Oscar Wao was a great novel about cultural diversity and heritage that gives a different perspective into someone else's world and the struggles they face.

- The Awakening is something I will definitely read again. I liked Edna because she was trying to fight back against the norms of society, a world where women were shadows of their husbands and were identified by his last name. No, I don't agree with all of the decisions that she made about herself and her children, but I don't think she was a terrible mother--I've seen much worse. Having the privilege and prestige of a nanny, she simply didn't know how to fit them into her life because perhaps she never felt like a mother. However, I do recognize that her abilities as a mother could have been exercised more along with her ambitions of becoming independent.

All of the shorter works we've read in class, I have really enjoyed as well. I had never read Mary Wilkins Freeman before, nor Charlotte Perkins Gilman, two authors I have now added to my favorites list. Overall, I am able to easily distinguish masculine characteristics from feminine characteristics, and how they compell each other. Any time I think of such a debate, my mind automatically goes back to the old sporting event commercials that were popular in the 90's (Women athletes to male athletes: "Anything you can do, I can do better, I can do anything better than you.") Now imagine that saying applied to feminist writers back in the day against their masculinist critics--for any feminist, that should put a smile on your face :)

Last time, with Finality!

So this is going to be the last post. Kinda sad, but hey, last post right? This class has been a really awesome and I've really enjoyed the opportunity to discuss all of the texts with you guys.

Through the semester we have read a good number of "feminine" texts and several neutral texts but very few masculine texts. Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises was easily arguable as a masculine text because the focus is almost exclusively on the masculine issues of Jake, the narrator. The most pervasive issue is that of Jake's impotence and how that effects his relationship with Lady Bret. His war injury makes it difficult or impossible to  *ahem* rise to the occasion, and this makes a relationship with the sexually vivacious Bret an impossibility, lending to the airs of depression that happen whenever Bret is in the same city as Jake. However, whenever Jake is separate from Bret and, most notably while he is on the fishing trip, is happiest when in the company of other men.

The other masculine text is our most recent one, Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. This entry is very interesting as I would call it masculine not because of it's content but the way it is presented, partially anyways. Most of the story is told by Yunior, and his style of storytelling is completely soaked in the unique Dominican hyper-masculinity that we discussed in class. This is embodied by the way Diaz describes female bodies, with the special emphasis on breasts. This is interestingly countered by the times that the story is told by Lola, which gives the story another perspective that compliments the hyper-masculinity by showing the repressed femininity that results from the pervasive masculinity that is essentially Dominican. 

Last Thoughts…Last Blog…Last Semester


This is my final blog post as a Shepherd student.  I have enjoyed a lot of the texts we have covered this semester.  I would like to take a moment to briefly reflect on my favorites.  I love Fanny Fern!  I have read her before and always enjoy her humorous approach to the male/female dyad.  One of my favorite lines is from Fern’s “Hints to Young Wives” when she states “that too much of a good thing is good for nothing” (Fern 2101).  It is so true!  I was fascinated by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s piece “The Yellow Wall-paper.”  I had read it before in Dr. H.’s class but was not so drawn into that time (sorry Dr. H).  This time I could visualize the room and the characters and the ending sent shivers up my spine when I pictured her “creeping” around the room and over her husband body. My favorite book for the semester was originally “The Awakening,” but then I read “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.”  Both are brilliantly written and easily readable.   I will say that I felt more pity for Beli then for Oscar (I know many disagree).  I think it is because I could relate to the young Beli.  I remember, as a young teenager, sitting outside of my parent’s home dreaming of the day I could escape.  I had unrealistic fantasies, just like Beli, and I think that is why I identify with her character so much.  It could also be that I am just more sympathetic to female characters in not-so-great situations (sorry guys).

Dr. H- I met you for the first time in Advanced Comp (Buffy class) and Intro to Literary Study.  These were two very different classes and I wasn’t sure what to make of you at first.  It was during that semester that I realized just how versatile and multi-dimensional you are!  You are an awesome professor and definitely one of my top favorites.  What I love most about your teaching style is your ability to get respect from a classroom without having to belittle students, or assert your superiority and knowledge over them.  You value and welcome everyone’s opinion even if it conflicts with yours.  You attempt to convey the value of every text we have read even when we don’t realize its value at the time.  You transmit a warmth and friendliness that puts people at ease.  I want you to know all these things, not because I want a better grade, but because I think it’s important for you to know all the things you do RIGHT!  There are a number of professors (whose names I will not mention) that could learn a lot from you on how to be a better teacher.  Anyway, before I contribute further to your cranial expansion, I want to say that I have enjoyed this class and think your choice of reading selections gave me a better understanding of Literature and the Sexes.  See you at graduation!
I hope everyone has a great summer!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Is gender on its way out?

Throughout this semester, we have been questioning texts in their male or female contexts. We've been constantly discussing role reversals and rejections as well as gender being the source of dis-empowerment. While these are all extremely interesting to talk about within their historical contexts, I wonder if the importance of gender is on its way out. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not intending to beat the "I can wear dresses and be a construction worker if I want" theme over the head. I think that there are many inequalities in our country that are based on sex differences. There is still a glass ceiling and it seems like a female's reproductive rights are on everyone's mind right now(which is totally weird hearing a bunch of old dudes discuss ovaries). This being said, I am a firm believer that throughout history and today, things get their worst before they get better.

 I feel like society is in a place right now that is very feminine focused, for better or for worse. I think that the issues of men get ignored and discounted. No one talks about how damaging things like promiscuity and gender roles are onto the men of our society. There aren't countless magaznes dedicated to how men can learn to like themselves more and break societal norms. Many women are lashing out against the stereotype of the male sex addict by trying to make it mean less to them. We've all heard the old "have sex like a man" or "do business like a man" or for God's sake "THINK like a man". These are so harmful to both genders, and I believe that like many problems in our society (race, class, sexual orientation) the only way to make things better is to stop insisting that there are inherent differences. There is no weaker, smarter, more sensitive, talented or sexually active sex. I believe that our genders and all of the things that they represent are being edged out slowly. Does anyone believe that our society needs gender roles to function?

Last (Belated) Thought on the Yellow Wallpaper

After thinking about what Kyla had said in her blog post about "The Yellow Wallpaper", I thought I'd give one last thought on the matter. I reject the reading of "The Yellow Wallpaper" as being a feminist text, particularly after hearing Ryan say that the rest cure was also prescribed for men. To my mind, Gilman's story is not about the mistreatment of a woman by the patriarchy (and unfortunately, I used that as part of my final paper--please don't fail me, Dr. Hanrahan), but rather the ignorance of the medical world at the time as well as the indifference of "professionals" to the patient's own input. Horrifying medical practices, far worse than the rest cure, have appeared throughout medical history, even (relatively) recently. The practice of lobotomizing patients, effectively killing who they were, began in 1935 (37 years after The Yellow Wallpaper was written, so there was not a massive improvement in the medical profession as a whole in that time), and electroshock therapy began three years after that.

It is worth noting, however, that women were the recipients of these practices more often than men. So, were there discriminatory practices, intentional or unintentional, against women in the medical world in those days? Most likely. Would John have treated his patient with more respect and listened to her complaints more carefully if she had been a man? Maybe. But that doesn't mean that "The Yellow Wallpaper" was written to decry the mistreatment of women. The lessons in the story can be applied to male patients just as easily as female. It seems not to argue against the patriarchy so much as against harmful medical treatment. And believe me, the medical world is still evolving, and mistreatment or misdiagnoses of patients, male and female, still occur today.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Because we just haven't talked about Beli enough

There has been a lot of discussion in class about Beli and I thought I would throw in my two cents. I am actually in defense of Beli. Most of the class has held a negative opinion of her, but I see her as a good mother; maybe not the nicest or most compassionate, but good in her intentions.

As far as her lass then kind attitude with her children, I think it all is her method of “tough love.” It’s been suggested by others in the class that Beli’s surly approach to parenting is her attempt at doing the complete opposite of what La Inca did. Because La Inca was not very strict and allowed Beli to get away with inappropriate behavior, Beli ended up getting pregnant, beaten up, and abandoned. Though it was not all La Inca’s fault Beli could have seen it that way, so her controlling manner is just an attempt to save her children, especially Lola, from her own mistakes.

Beli’s relationship with Lola is probably the most controlling between her two children. When Lola runs away to be with Aldo, it would be natural for Beli to connect that to her past when she left to be with the gangster. She wanted to save her from that future in any way possible. Also, when Beli sees Lola for the first time in fourteen months she says “Cono, pero tú sí eres fea.” (Díaz 208). This is a very harsh and disheartening statement from mother to daughter. However, was Beli’s beauty not the thing that got her in so much trouble? Possibly, she was trying to keep Lola’s self confidence low so she would not use her sexuality like Beli did.

Also, I think Beli was ultimately trying to help them deal with the fukú in their future. She knew they would have to face the curse of their family, so she tried to prepare them. Beli was not the best mother, but she was just trying the best she knew how. Did she not do a pretty good job in the end? She did put both of her children through college on a single mother’s wages. I never questioned her love as a mother, just her capability of kindness.

The Final Blog Post! Short Stories this Semester

For the last blog post, i'd like to discuss some of the short stories we have read this semester. I feel that some of my favorite stories are "The Yellow Wallpaper," "Mrs. Spring Fragrance," and "The Foundations of the Earth." I feel that each of these stories really summed up some of the themes of this class.

In "Wallpaper," we discussed the issues of a woman's isolation and mental health. Jane's husband, a doctor, does not feel she is really sick and his negligence actually causes her mental break. Jane states that her husband does "not believe i am sick!." This story is important to me because i feel that it criticizes not just her husband, but the society in which she lives in that does not understand her as a woman.

In "Spring Fragrance," we saw a healthy relationship between a husband and wife, something which is rarer than i would have guessed when discussing gender roles. Although the couple has their difficulties, i rooted for this couple, especially in the passage when Mr. asks Mrs. to continue talking of her matchmaking: "It is not important to me now,' returned Mr. Spring Fragrance, 'I prefer to hear again about...'" (514). I loved this couple and was glad to see the man-bashing discarded for this story.

In "Foundations," we talked about one woman's struggle with the news of her grandson's homosexuality.  I loved this story and thought that it was touching and did not feature her complete acceptance of the news she is given, but rather details her journey to acceptance. This is a more realistic, deeper story, and is one that is extremely relevant for anyone trying to tell his/her family about him/herself.

I feel that many of the stories we've read this semester are extremely similar and give the same man-bashing message i was worried about when taking this class. However, i do feel that the three stories i've picked out are some of the stories which are different and have deeper themes about gender and sex. I enjoyed these stories greatly and am glad i was exposed to them.

Last Blog Post :(

I was wondering if anyone had found any intersting articles on Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" and or the feminism in the short story. I am writing my critical essay about "The Yellow Wallpaper" and the feminism in it. I am mainly focusing on Gilman's life and comparing it to the story. Also I am going to focus on John in the story and try to explain how understanding John will help us better understand Gilman's feminist message in the story.

If anyone has found any articles I would greatly appreciate knowing about them. Also, if anyone needs a book on Gilman and feminism, I have a great one that I borrowed from the library about it. It's been very helpful for my paper and I would not mind sharing it with anyone.

I have very much enjoyed this class and reading everyone's posts and hearing what everyone has had to say in class. I'm going to miss my Monday, Wednesday, Friday morning class. Good luck on exams, everyone! See you tomorrow :)

Will the family curse ever end?

We talked a little in class about whether Oscar's death ended the curse that seems to have fallen on this family. It seems the answer is no.  Yunior gives a dreaded premonition that it will carry on to the next generation affecting Lola's daughter. Lola's daughter wears a necklace to protect her from harm "But on a string around her neck: three azabaches: the one that oscar wore as a baby, the one Lola wore as a baby and the one that Beli was given by La Inca" (329). Yunior implies that this necklace will only be able to shield her for so long. He says "One day, though, the Circle will fail," (330) and when it does Isis will be exposed to the No Face Man. But Yunior also is hopeful in that she will be able to stop the misfortune that has fallen the family "And maybe, just maybe, if she's as smart and as brave as I'm expecting she'll be, she'll take all we've done and all we've learned and add her own insights and she'll put an end to it" (331). Yunior's insight gives the book a very ambiguos ending leaving the reader to question if this family will ever break free from this curse.  It has affected every generation of this family. It didn't end after Abelard was tortured to death at the hands of Trujillo. It didn't end after Beli was nearly beaten to death. It didn't end after Oscar was beaten to death. So what will Isis be able to do to put an end to it?

Last Thoughts I Wanted to Share

For my last post, I'd like to get some thoughts about my paper on here. I'm talking about the female embodiment in texts by Fanny Fern and Lucille Clifton. Both of these women were awesome. They used writing to deal with life situations in their own ways.

Fern manipulated societal rules in order to accommodate her own comfort and health and to help fight social injustice. She was a cross-dresser. She wore men's clothes not only for her own comfort, but also to challenge the laws stating that women could not wear pants. Her article "A Law More Nice than Just" chronicles a time when she stepped out in her husband's clothes rather than sitting at home or catching "a consumption dragging round wet petticoats" (Fern 2106). She went against social norms to protect and comfort her own body. 


Clifton's poems reveal a powerful exploration of the female body. Her poems were progressive even for readers in the late twentieth century. The poems “to my last period” and “poem to my uterus” establish the female body as the core of the female identity while managing a distinction between that core and the woman as a whole. She wrote these in response to her upcoming hysterectomy which was being performed to induce menopause. She was coming to terms with her impending loss of "womanhood." 
 
These women used personal situations in their writing to comfort themselves and other women experiencing similar situations and discomforts. Without their contributions to literature, people might not feel the same way toward female embodiment. These women are my heroes. 


Hatin on Abelard

Dr. Hanrahan asked us about why we hate Beli so much and why there is so little for Abelard. This got me thinking and while Abelard is generally likeable, I have decided to hold him in contempt.

Abelard, as we know, is a genial man. He has friends, he's intellectual, he's well off, and he is Dominican. He has a mistress in whom he confides and (apparently) loves. We keep saying that with each evidence of the fuku the person brought it on themselves, Beli with messing around with a married man, Oscar with returning to the DR, Abelard had escaped out notice. It seems like he just had the bad luck to have Trujillo's eye fall on his daughter, but he did bring it on himself. He dithered. He wasted his time when he could have acted boldly and saved both himself and his family from the fuku that befell them. In short, he Hamlet-ed in a grand way. He did it twice; once initially when Trujillo notices the absence of his wife and daughter and a second time when he knows the doom is coming. Diaz says "For the next three months, Abelard waited for the End." (223) Instead of acting, even when he knows the doom is coming, he simply waits. It's not for lack of options, his mistress suggests they flee to Cuba, they could have left for the States, gone back to Mexico, any number of things. He worried about it before his first real contact with Trujillo and he simply waited for the end after.

Rather contemptible, don't you think?

Final Thoughts on Oscar Wao

I was hoping this story would have a happier ending for Oscar, but was foreseeing the ultimate end way prior to its fruition. I actually found the non-traditional style Diaz took in telling the story of this family, through many different lenses, enhanced the effects of the text. I felt it also aided in getting to know this family as a whole. I enjoyed the insertion of Spanish dialogue into the text (and enjoyed looking it up in the translation app I have on my phone- there are some BAD words!). I want to take a few moments to discuss my views on two of the complex characters within this story even though I know, through class discussions, that some of you may disagree, but that's okay.

Oscar had been chasing girls since he was in preschool. He was described as a "preschool loverboy who was always trying to kiss the girls" and give them "...the pelvic pump" (Diaz 11). As he grew older, his weight became the obstacle between him and the girls. He still remained intrigued by them and in continual pursuit of them. He ultimately sacrificed his life for one, Ybon. Was it an act of true love or his one opportunity to get laid that he couldn't pass on (even though it would bring death)? I believe that Oscar's choice to return to Ybon was a conscious suicide. He knew he would be murdered, but didn't care. I believe he wanted to die but could not die a virgin so he went to the place where he could accomplish both objectives: get laid and die. I felt sorry for Oscar but would have liked it if he had been strong enough to resist the hyper-masculine views of his culture and embrace himself as an individual. It's idealistic, I know, because we all suffer the same dilemma but I would have liked to see Oscar's character mature and emerge from the stereotypes and Diaz didn't give that to me.

 Beli is the character I attached with the most. Maybe it is because she is a mother and I am a mother, maybe it is because we both suffered traumas as a young person. Whatever the case, I admired her ability to break away from her country and start a new life. It wasn't an easy life and she wasn't always the best mother (I would NEVER say those horrible things to my children), but I understand the motivation behind it. As I said in class, I believe that when you become a parent you strive to bring your children to the finish line in the best possible position for life. Sometimes, you look back on your own life for guidance. In witnessing the choices Beli makes in parenting her children, I believe that Beli feels that if La Inca had been harder on her the outcome would have been different. It may not have been different, and I certainly don't advocate abusing children, but both of her children went to college and had a brighter financial futures then Beli ever did. Does that make her a success as a mother? I don't know, but somehow I respect her for her strength and overwhelming love for her children. She didn't always show it, but I never questioned whether it was the fuel to her fire.

My Final Post (One Last Look at the Identity Crisis Present in Modern Texts)


            For my final blog post, rather than talk sully about The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, I will also incorporate the theme that my research essay revolves around.  As I mentioned in my previous post, and in class on Friday, I believe that Oscar’s family is suffering from the loss of identity.  This loss, I believe, is represented in both fuku and the faceless man.  Coincidently, I am also writing my paper on the loss of identity that is present within The Sun Also Rises.  This realization of loss in a character’s life is largely present in a number of texts that we have read this summer.  When analyzed thoroughly, it is generally the main catalyst or issue of the story.
            According to author Daniel J. Singal, “Modernist thought represents an attempt to restore a sense of order to human experience under the often chaotic conditions of contemporary existence.  Not since the time of the Enlightenment had a time period brought forth so many major changes as did the 20th century.  Events such as World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II left individuals feeling lost, confused, and often times angry.  The years 1914 through 1945 proved to be an emotional rollercoaster for many, with ideas of nationalism being crushed by the Depression, only to be reignited with the start of another war.  These historical events clearly played a large role in literature.  Due to authors feeling out of touch with the zeitgeist, they reconciled by crafting characters who were desperately searching for their place in the world.
On the issue of modernity and its importance in literature, literary critic Martin J. Plax writes:
“Modernity was an interest in change and the measurement of change.  To speak of Modernity, therefore, means to speak of two novel ways of perceiving, thinking, and judging.  While the sciences seek certitude about Nature, the novel investigates the existential and aesthetic truth about human experience” (Plax 275).
This search for aesthetic truth is still present in 21st century literature, which Junot Diaz clearly demonstrates.  This feeling of loss is something that has lingered, and in some ways grown, since the 1930’s.  An individual’s loss of identity is now a common theme amongst many novels.  Even in our own lives as college students we are searching for our place in the world.  Perhaps by reading texts such as what we have read this semester and in previous classes we will have a better perception of this struggle?  Either way, the issue of an identity crisis never ceases to craft an interesting character for readers to indulge.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

The Oscar also Rises


During class, it once occurred to me that Oscar behaved somewhat like Jake from Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. After giving it some more thought, I found that the two have a great deal in common. In general, throughout each book, I found there to be overhanging feelings of despair. With Oscar, the feeling was probably the fatalistic concept of Fuku. For Jake, sorrow was fostered by the acceptance of problems and the unsettling characteristics of city life. In both novels, we can observe a descending morale near the end. It is almost as if the authors wants to soothe the readers into their depressing conclusions. 
Personally, I found the ending of Junot Diaz's book to be somewhat depressing. Although the conclusion of the work is made rather clear by the title of the work, there are certainly better ways in which Oscar could have lived. I think that the word “Wondrous” is used strangely. A childhood filled with such abuse and maltreatment can hardly be called wonderful.
It is also notable that the direct feelings of both Oscar and Jake is withheld from the reader: we are only given outside perspectives and accounts of events. I think both Hemingway and Diaz are intending to achieve a certain connection with the main characters through this disconnect. When we are not given the deep personal reflections of the main character, we are observing the story as if it would happen in real life. This realistic approach to literature is what engages the reader because of the overhanging mystery (the question “what are the true motivations and feelings of this character?”). 

Lola and Lydia

It seems that even after two hundred years and even in two very different cultures, one act is still unacceptable: a young girl running off with a man of questionable reputation. I’ve been thinking about Pride and Prejudice a lot because of my critical essay, and I realized that the situation surrounding Lydia’s running off with Wickham bears some resemblance to the circumstances surrounding Lola’s running away to be with Aldo.

Lola’s and Lydia’s trips both have to do with their mothers. Lola runs away to Wildwood get away from – and possibly spite – Belí: “All my life I’d been swearing that one day I would just disappear. And one day I did” (Díaz 61). Lydia, on the other hand, goes to Brighton to obtain “every possibility of earthly happiness” (Austen 153) and knows that the trip is “the delight of Mrs. Bennet” (150). Indeed, Mrs. Bennet sees Lydia’s vacation as an opportunity to live vicariously through her daughter: “Lydia's going to Brighton was all that consoled her for the melancholy conviction of her husband's never intending to go there himself” (152). Thus Mrs. Bennet and Belí see their daughters’ journeys in totally different lights. Mrs. Bennet is thrilled for Lydia, but Belí probably wants to keep Lola from going through the same abuses that she herself has experienced.

Both families end up going after their wayward daughters. Mr. Bennet and Lydia’s uncle Mr. Gardiner try to track down Lydia and Wickham. Oscar comes to meet Lola and ends up bringing Belí, an aunt, and an uncle with him – much to Lola’s chagrin. The Bennets want to protect their reputation. In addition to wanting to protect Lola in her own inimitable way, Belí is probably motivated by the desire to control her daughter: “Ya te tengo [I have you], she said, jumping triumphantly to her feet. Te tengo” (Díaz 70).

And both girls are in need of money from their families. Lola asks Oscar for it (“Just bring me the money, Oscar” [Díaz 68]); she probably doesn’t earn enough money from her job at the boardwalk. Lydia is entitled to a tiny inheritance from her father, but she doesn’t have nearly enough money to pay for a wedding and to pay off her careless lover’s debts. Neither Mr. Bennet nor Mr. Gardiner can afford to pay off Wickham, but Mr. Darcy - Lydia's future brother-in-law - steps in. Although Lydia and Lola have tried to make breaks for independence, ultimately both girls are still dependent on their families for protection and financial support.

Yunior: The Complex Character

If there was something that stood out to me while reading this book it was Yunior's slow progression from the stereotypical hyper masculine maschismo to a more well rounded character. This was interesting developement that kicked off just like any: simply by watching/participating in something new. Considering that it seems like the rest of the book Oscar seems to be catering to and trying to become like the guy that Yunior is.

This adds a new level of complex thinking and character developement to the mix. The stereotypical guy is trying to, pardon the cliche, find himself and to have hobbies that wont give him herpes. Not that there is anything wrong with sex (there isn't), it's just interesting to see the slow one sided switch; considering that Oscar himself never actually turned into a hypermasculine Dominican male. Which was probably for the better, considering that it allowed him to live longer than he would have if he started having sex at fourteen or something.

While Oscar is trying to essentially fufill his lifes mission of getting laid (without any success), Yunior is slowly trying out new activities in life, such as: reading, writing, gaming and all the nerdy things that some misguided people tease others about. I wonder if Yunior ever played Dungeons and Dragons? That would be awesome, I'd totally play in his campaign. But I digress, now I also believe it was interesting that Yunior tried to help Oscar get some tail.

He did not have to do that (I know it was for Lola, but look what happened to that relationship) and one of my favorite lines was when Yunior talked about how he was stuck with Oscar for life. Perhaps it was for selfish reasons, such as trying to make Yunior feel better, or perhaps there was more than that. Maybe instead of Yunior just wanting to get into Lola's pants, he actually wanted (deep down) to help out poor old Oscar. That, my friends, is when I believe that the conversion started. Slowly, Yunior began to pick up more Oscar-isms than Oscar was Yunior-isms. This showed the differences in emotional maturity between the two, and perhaps just shows why Yunior had more success as a nerd than Oscar as a masculine playboy.

Maybe that is what it comes down to, they both did help each other out; but Yunior, I believe, benefited the most from knowing Oscar.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Abelard's Infidelity

Meant to write this a little while ago and I kept forgetting.

In class and some of the blog posts I've been hearing a lot of scorn towards Abelard for having an affair. To be honest, I never really thought much of it, so I was kind of surprised that some people held it against him. To me, infidelity is an excusable flaw in a person's character, depending on what the person is like and the circumstances of the affair. A perfect example would be the movie Henry & June, which Dr. Cantrell's class watched on Tuesday.

Anais Nin, the protagonist, had affairs with several men while maintaining affection for her husband, and he was none the wiser. She seemed to fall in love with someone, then tire of them and fall for someone else, then feel love towards her husband again, and so on. Honestly, it didn't much bother me that she did so, because she seemed like a decent, kind-hearted person otherwise, and strove to keep her husband's feelings undamaged by it all.

June Miller, on the other hand, had a similar situation of multiple affairs, and I completely hated her. She was cruel, cold, manipulative, and emotionally damaging towards her husband. I didn't excuse her affairs because they didn't have the same qualities as Anais', nor did she have other redeeming qualities.

To me, Abelard falls into the Anais category of infidelity. I excuse his affair because he otherwise seems like a good man, and I suppose--if I'm going to be perfectly honest--because his wife doesn't find out. If she had, and had been hurt by it, I might have felt differently about him. As it stands, I consider it an excusable transgression.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Oscar the Teacher??

One aspect of The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao no one brought up during these past couple of weeks was that Oscar actually chooses teaching as his profession.  I find this incredibly ironic (as does Yunior who even proclaims "Oh, the irony!) (263).  So what does make Oscar go back to Don Bosco High to teach.  Is it because, after "doing nada for almost seven months" he felt like he had to earn a living? (263).  Or was there some unexplainable attachment that drew Oscar back to the place he was ridiculed endlessly at?

I think that the subbing Oscar did at Don Bosco was just to earn some extra money.  However, Yunior reveals that when Oscar was offered a full-time position, "He could have refused, could have made a 'saving throw' against Torture, but instead he went with the flow" (263).  Oscar obvioulsy knew he was stepping back into the place that caused him so much pain in the past.  So why did he do it?  Why would he sit back and watch "his horizons collapse" (263)?  Yunior also reveals that nothing has changed in the high school from the time Oscar left, so I have a hard time understanding what brought Oscar back to Don Bosco.

Sadly, his time at Don Bosco as a teacher is just as unpleasant as it was as a student.  Yunior paints scenes of Oscar being ridiculed by the students, making fun of his nerdom and unluckiness with the ladies.  Even the other teachers look at Oscar as an outcast (264-6).  Oscar clearly does not fit in at Don Bosco, as exemplified by the excruiatingly sad scene in which no one came to his science fiction and fantasy club (265).  I just have a hard time understanding why Oscar would go back, unless he truly believed that the only way out is back in.

This may be somewhat insignificant, but I'm curious on what others think of Oscar's choice of profession.  Is this just another instance in which Oscar has to go back in to get out?  Or is Oscar simply in it for the the money?  Or, is it possible that something is drawing Oscar back into Don Bosco even though it is a place in which he clearly does not fit in?

Any opinion/comments would be much appreciated.

questions that I forgot to bring to class

1) Why does Oscar knowingly place himself in mortal danger by returning to the Dominican Republic and romancing Ybón?

2) Why does el capitán view Oscar as such a threat? Ybón is, after all, a prostitute, and Oscar is not exactly a Casanova.

3) Why does the American Embassy do nothing to help Oscar, nor make investigations after his death? Or the US Government? (bureaucrats, that's why)

4) What's the significance of the lost novel of Oscar?

Discussion Questions for April 11, 2012

1. Now that we have finished the entirety of the novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, what is your final opinion about Beli? After the discussion on Wednesday, the 9th, I think I have decided that my opinion about her has changed from bad, to 'not so bad.' So I was wondering if anyone else's opinion had changed as well.

2. What do you think the importance of the golden mongoose was throughout the story? Explain.

questions for 4/11/12

1) What is the significance, if any, of Ybon being a whore?

2) Both Trujillo and El Capitan are shown as complete monsters, unforgiving and with a complete lack of remorse. Is the Captain more than a Trujillo stand-in? If so, in what way?

4-11 questions

Which character had the most difficult life? Why?

How do you think Oscar's life would have turned out had he lived?

Was there a significance in the thugs asking Oscar the English word for fuego before the killed him?

Discussion questions 4/11/12

1). Throughout this story, many of the men are abusive to women (both emotionally an physically) and the women accept it or can be drawn to their abuser. What were Diaz's motives? Was it to bare the frailties existing between the genders or simply to demonstrate the effects on females trapped within a patriarchal society? 2). I question Oscar's true intentions when he returned to santo domingo to find Ybon. He knew he would be killed if the captain discovered his return. Diaz suggests that the opportunity for love overrides any fear, but I wonder whether Oscar went back because he wanted to die, and perhaps that is why he makes the reckless decision to return and put his life in mortal danger. In the end, was it a suicide or murder (or perhaps a little of both)?

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Discussion Questions for 4/11

1. What is the reasoning behind the faceless man? What is an explanation for this disturbing theme?

2. What is the significance of Ybón being a prostitute? Why could she not have been a nice girl from down the street?

Monday, April 9, 2012

Discussion Questions for 4.11.2012

1.  Why do you think so much emphasis is placed on the Mongoose throughout the novel?  What role do you think it serves in Oscar's life, both realistically and metaphorically?

2.  In my blog post last week I mentioned the importance of the Faceless Man, and how he could potentially represent the loss of identity present in the novel.  Do you believe that this apparition represents more than that?  If so, then what?  Could he potentially be a manifestation of "fuku"?

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Parallelism between Oscar and Beli

Oscar and Beli seem to have similar experiences in life.  Beli survives her one encounter with death when the Elvises beat her up.  Then she dies from cancer years later.  Oscar survives when he tries to commit suicide.  Then, he survives when Ybon's boyfriend's thugs take Oscar to the canefield and beat him up.  Oscar does not survive the second time he is taken to the canefields.  The mongoose and the canefields are important in these life and death situations.  Oscar and Beli also like to be in relationships with liars who secretly have a wife or boyfriend in high positions.  Beli is taken to the canefields by the Elvises and beaten nearly to death; she would have laid over and died if the mongoose had not appeared and told her "You have to rise now or you'll never have the son or the daughter" (149).  When Oscar goes to kill himself he sees "the Golden Mongoose" (190).  When Oscar is beat up by Ybon's boyfriend's thugs "he felt like he was falling again, falling straight for Route 18, and there was nothing he could do, nothing at all, to stop it" (299) Why didn't the Mongoose appear then?  As Oscar is being driven to his murder he sees a bus stop and he imagined "he saw his whole family getting on a guagua, even his poor dead abuelo and his poor dead abuela, and who is driving the bus but the Mongoose" (320).  Oscar and Beli both seem to be very unlucky people and what is the purpose of Oscar being born when he lives a horrible life and then is murdered? I feel really sad for Oscar.

fuku vs zafa

After looking through my notes and thinking about what I wanted to write about from what we've discussed in class, the thing that seemed to be a trend in my notes is Beli and her life as well as the idea of fuku vs zafa. After I read Shelbi's post about Beli and her beauty I started to think about her life and everything we've talked about and how Beli's beauty is both zafa and fuku. She was the "third and final daughter" (in the Abelard in Chains section- sorry I don't have page numbers on my kindle) of a well to do family and her birth came at a time that was an "apocalypse" for her family and what they were going through. I see her birth as a blessing and kind of a slap in the face to Trujillo because of what he did to Abelard. Abelard was able to father one more daughter, and a beautiful daughter at that. Beli's beauty though, I think is both a blessing and a curse. She was blessed with the same beauty that got her father in trouble for hiding his other daughter and blessed with a tie to her family but a curse for what she goes through because of it. When she realizes what her beauty can do for her, she naively gets involved with someone she shouldn't have, i.e. the gangster and her beauty almost gets her killed. Her beauty is what attracts these men and then they leave her because her beauty can't keep them with her. This to me is quite a curse because all the loves of Beli's life, leave her and she ends up a bitter woman who treats her kids like crap. Do you see Beli's beauty as zafa or fuku?

Love & Fate

It's been interesting to me throughout the process of this novel how much love affects every character involved in very different ways. Of course this novel addresses issues with self esteem and cultural identity, but every person seemed to experience love differently--Oscar's situations of love being the most heart-breaking to me. He spends his life constantly burying himself in Science Fiction in an effort to escape any social situations...which is fine for a while until his life becomes consumed in a world of escape. He seemed to shut himself off after being rejected instead of seeing it as a learning opportunity, a chance to learn something about himself and about the opposite sex. If everyone instantly shut down after being rejected once, then love would never exist. Learning how to love and to be functional in social situations is an evolving process that takes time and patience, something Oscar didn't really grasp. I guess a lot of it stems from his childhood, how he was raised, and what kind of environment he was in.

Also, I keep thinking to myself that the title of this novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, is almost visciously sarcastic. Oscar "Wao" was a nickname, not all that endearing, he was given to mock his love of writing and to mock his hobbies. Wondrous is definitely not the word I would have chosen to use to describe this man's life, I mean, he died a horrible death! Oscar also seems to have spent his whole life having a tremendous amount of love waiting to give to someone, that didn't really come until the end; granted, Oscar should carry some of that blame though because he could have chosen to change different aspects of his personality that he didn't like. When he finally stood up for himself and became more courageous, he was killed. That doesn't sound like a very wondrous life to me.

Body Issues

Some of our discussions about The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao got me to think about the issues that we discuss the most. I think that the most reoccurring theme (besides dirty Spanish words) that we talk about are bodies. Whether this story talks about the sexual interaction, the abuse or the countless descriptions, the body defines so much about these characters and can also get them into their current situations. This also got me thinking about Beli's preoccupation with her attractive physique. Some found this to be her error in judgement, when she disregarded the consequences and drank in the power that came from having large breasts. I kept thinking about the fact that women continue to use their own beauty as a sense of pride. Many women do not consider themselves beautiful simply because society has never told them so. They then feel that they must delve into their other qualities and skills to make them worth something. This is such a fine line that I'm not sure that I have the answer to.
 When trying to figure out which is a better fate, I re-read some of the scenes with Beli and the Gangster. One line in particular from the novel really stood out to me. When young Beli is talking to the Gangster, he tells her that she is "mi negrita, una tormenta en la madrugada" (Diaz 127). Roughly, this line means that Beli is a bold storm in the morning. This beautiful sentiment is placed before he compliments her body in the text. If Beli is anything, she is a survivor. Whether she learned it herself or someone taught her, that shallow beauty she believed in gave her the hope to not give up and even look for a better future. I believe that in class, we used the term blessing and a curse. While this one line isn't a complete answer for beauty and it's role in the world, it does give a deeper meaning to the relationship between Beli and the Gangster and makes Beli herself seem to be deeper and stronger.

Nothing More Exhilarating

This is more of an opinion post , rather than a declarative one...

I decided that I liked Junot Diaz as an author when I read the quote, "Nothing more exhilarating ... than saving yourself by the simple act of waking.” I wasn't a huge fan of the book or the author's style of writing until I read this simple quote. Sometimes for me all it takes for me to change my mind is a simple quote.

This quote is so true. I fully believe in it. We can take this quote literally or figuratively. When someone is sleeping and having a terrible nightmare, all we have to do to save ourselves is wake up; and how exhilarating does it feel when we realize it was only a dream? Or like in the novel when Oscar is falling asleep at the wheel and he realizes how exhilarating it was that he saved himself by waking up?

I love this quote in the novel and when taken out of context. I can safely say that this is now one of my favorite quotes that I have read in any novel.

Does anyone else feel this way or am I just crazy? Do you think we can save ourselves by 'waking up' and is it exhilarating?

Importance of Appearance

Throughout The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, there is specific attention paid to physical appearance, especially in regards to women. So what are the reasons for the importance of appearance in this novel? The first and obvious reason is the hyper masculinity of the Dominican culture. In such a masculine culture, the appearance and sexuality of women is always emphasized. Another possibility is that Diaz is using his talent for creating different narrative voices to make Yunior’s voice authentic as a Dominicano. To make Yunior fit in with this masculine culture, it would be logical to have him pay special attention to the attractive qualities of the female characters. Finally, another possibility is that the beautiful appearance of the Cabral-de León is tied back in with their ancestor, the beautiful Jackie Cabral. After all, it was her famous beauty that caught the attention of Trujillo and started the Fall in the first place.

It is obvious throughout the book that there is a lot of emphasis on beauty and appearance so I wanted to throw out some thoughts on the reasoning behind it.

*Sorry about the lack of citations. I’m at home this weekend and I left my book at school. Ooops…

Who's to blame?


I think the saddest part of Oscar’s suicide attempt is the fact that Yunior is blamed for Oscar’s actions. The first thing Lola says to him is “Why didn’t you take care of Oscar? She demanded. Why didn’t you do it? (193). Yunior even seems to blame himself, as Ryan mentioned earlier ‘I guess I knew I should have stayed with him. Should have sat on my ass in that chair and told him that shit was going to be cool” (189).

Yunior was the only one who really tried to help Oscar change his life for his better. Oscar is unhappy with the current state of his life, he’s overweight, socially awkward and lonely. Yunior offers to help him and even comes up with a plan to help change his life for the better. “One night while he was moaning about his sorry existence I said: Do you really want to change it? Of course I do, he said, but nothing I’ve tried has been amerliorative. I’ll change your life.” (175). But Oscar’s ability too stick to the plan that Yunior has created is short-lived because Oscar gives up and announces. “I’ve decided not to run no more. Why the fuck not? It’s not going to work, Yunior. It ait going to work if you don’t want it to work. I know it’s not going to work Come on Oscar, pick up your goddam feet. But he shook his head…. The next morning I prodded him with my foot but he didn’t stir” (178). How is Yunior to blame for what happened to Oscar. Yunior was trying to help, but he could only do so much. 

The Only Way Out...

I liked our discussion about beginnings and themes of family in Oscar Wao. I feel that one of the most prevalent themes in this novel is something that Lola said: "The only way out is in" (141). In this novel, the way to get past things in your life is to understand your heritage. I found this sentence to be one of the most important things the novel had to say. Overall, i'm not a huge fan of the novel, but i do like the themes of family and finding oneself.

In this novel, there are no perfect characters, which i think makes the novel realistic. It portrays what anyone's family is like. The reader does, however,  get to look at what makes each character imperfect, something that most people don't get from their own family. This gives the reader a huge advantage to what most people know about their own families.

I think that it's interesting that Yunior is the one compiling all of this information, not Oscar. This shows that the De Leon family is going to continue to fall unless someone in that family can read what Yunior has written and understand completely everyone's past to help avoid future downfalls. I think that this novel is trying to get every reader to understand what their family has gone through in order to escape any fuku of their own.

Poor Abelard

I want to start by stating that I like Abelard!  He appears to be a good man and a caring father.  I can easily look beyond the fact that he has had a long-term mistress, which is odd because I am not in favor of infidelity, but I consider it an aftermath of a hyper masculine society. Somehow I don't blame Abelard, I blame the society he lives in.  I love that Abelard loves his daughters and the protective nature of a father is apparent.  I believe that is what fueled his rebellion against Trujillo's intentions with his daughter.  That is was made "the Brave Thing" come easily (217). 

Abelard's arrest and torture just turned my stomach.  It is hard sometimes for me to understand why people would choose to follow an evil man like Trujillo and participate in the torture of fellow human beings.  I also feel the same way when I think of Hitler and every other person who seeks to torture and destroy human life.  There was an interesting point made in class that people follow because they are afraid not to.  That leads me to think that human rationale is always to preserve oneself even if it is at the cost of another.  The only reason Abelard was willing to sacrifice himself was for the safety of his daughter.  I guess children are the exception to the human rationale for self preservation.


Saturday, April 7, 2012

Oscar, Abelard, and the Fuku Friend Zone

Last class, Dr. Hanrahan broached, to twenty something uncomprehending expressions, the idea that Oscar and his grandfather Abelard are linked. We discussed the importance of their writing, their nerdy interests, their more chivalrous attitudes towards women (for Dominican men). We agreed that what obscured this resemblance was Oscar’s lack of luck with the ladies-- his permanent state of awkwardness in basic social situations, his utter lack of the nobility Abelard had before the fall. I think I see in these parallel studies of non-conforming masculinity another one that we haven’t discussed which relates very well to the concept of “the friend zone,” which maps very well onto modern geek culture and Dominican political history if you can conceive of the friend zone as an individual state of demoralization arising from an inbalance of power within a relationship.
 If we sub in Abelard’s “relationship” with Trujillo for Oscar’s relationship with Ana, we see how the two react to these situations similarly. The two cannot make assertive decisions. Abelard hesitates until it is too late to send his daughter away to safety for fear of what Trujillo may do if he notices. “He saw his daughter being brutally raped by Trujillo while he himself was lowered slowly into a pool full of sharks.” Their conditions don’t appear to be linked out of compassion, but out of a kind of patriarchal self-interest. “I should get to decide what goes on in my household!” 
 Likewise, Oscar refrains from telling Ana how he feels until her boyfriend returns. And then when she arrives at his house with bruises and tells him that she loves the man who gave them to her, Oscar spends pages musing about the various ways in which the experience is unfair to him. “It wasn’t just that he thought Ana was his last fucking chance for happiness ... It was also that he’s never ever in all his miserable eighteen years of life experienced anything like he’s felt when he was around that girl” (47).
The fall is the immediate aftermath of these experiences. And in light of these connections, could it be that Fuku has less to do with a lack of luck, or with the inherent darkness of the world, than with the De Leons’ inability to be courageous in the face of that darkness? It’s a fact that people in the friend zone don’t make particularly good friends to the people who “put them there.” On both sides there is the expectation that the connection is simply a means to an end.

inheritance of problems

Although we begin the book by experiencing the many struggles that his family endures, we find that Oscar de Leon is the product of a long line of oppression. Through his relation of modern concerns (such as videogames and science fiction) to the more basic necessities of life for wellbeing (Abelard protecting his family), I have found Junot Diaz to make a strong statement about the perpetual nature of struggling through generations of families despite the changing times. Since the beginning of the book, I have been attempting to diagnose the source of the difficulties that surround Oscar and Lola. At first glance, it seems that Beli is the cause for all of the difficulties of the brother and sister. However, after experiencing the hardships that Beli’s father Abelard goes through to protect his family, we can see that Trujillo is the most direct cause. However, due to the redundant nature of this formula, can we truly place the blame on Trujillo? Wouldn’t there have to be something in his past that can be blamed for his misogynistic and oppressive behaviors? I agree with the idea that Ryan brought up in class today- the patriarchal institution is to blame. I am not sure how the family’s relationships will end at this point, but I am remaining optimistic.

Oscar Wao as Lord of the Rings?

Despite Yunior’s claim that their world “ain’t no…Middle Earth” (194), I would argue that the connections between Oscar’s world and Tolkien’s Middle Earth run deeper than a mere attempt to show Oscar’s (and Yunior’s) interest in fantasy.

We’ve said that the phrase “The only way out is in”(209) refers to Yunior’s and Lola’s attempts to understand how fukú has functioned in the de Leon family by going back and tracing its origins and effects. But the phrase also reminds me of Frodo’s journey to destroy the Ring. He must do this to destroy Sauron and his forces of evil, who will otherwise overrun Middle Earth and basically obliterate everything. In order to destroy the Ring, Frodo must return to where the Ring was created –back into Mordor to Mount Doom. Thus for Yunior, Lola, and Frodo, “The only way out is in.”

After reading Bennett’s post about Beli, I realized that most people’s feelings toward Beli parallel my own toward Smeagol. Throughout “The Two Towers” movie, I felt awful for Smeagol – tortured by Sauron’s henchmen and tormented every moment by Gollum, the evil half of his personality from whom he seems to want to be free. However, by “The Return of the King,” I despised him for what he was doing to Frodo, leading him into the gigantic spider’s lair to be eaten alive, and especially for what he was doing to Sam (because nobody messes with Sam), trying to turn Frodo against him. But even though I hated what Gollum had become, I never wanted him to die the way that he did. I still felt terrible for him because of what he experienced – much the way most of us feel toward Beli because of her own unspeakably awful life of abuse.

Beli and Smeagol have alike endings with similar causes. Yunior says, “Beli [had] been waiting for something like her body her whole life….Like the accidental discovery of the One Ring” (94). Technically, Bilbo Baggins stumbles across the Ring, but Smeagol has found it first. And in a way, both of these discoveries destroy these characters. Beli’s beauty (in the Dominican sense) leads to her abuse, and her body (SPOILERS!) basically destroys her and kills her. And Smeagol’s discovery leads to the twisting of his mind, the corruption of his soul, and his awful death – all for the sake of “his precious.”

Maybe the world of Oscar Wao resembles Middle Earth more than Yunior thinks.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Thoughts Concerning the Issue of the Loss of Identity


            One particular theme that keeps coming up in the material that we read for this class is the loss of identity.  This feeling, or lack of, as we have seen, can be handled in various different ways.  For example, in The Sun Also Rises, the character of Jake made a point of running from his problems entirely.  Rather than adapt and deal with what has happened to him, Jake opts to drink continuously in order to numb the thoughts and ill-feelings that endlessly taunt him.  He also travels abroad and goes out of his way to surround himself with others in order so that he is not alone.  On the other side of the spectrum, we read in The Awakening about the character Edna who is desperately trying to construct an identity different than the one she currently inhabits.  However, her attempts to drastically change in a time that permitted her to do so led to her own demise.  In our current reading of The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, we are presented a family who is struggling with the issue, and is haunted by a manifestation of this loss of identity.
            Throughout the novel, we are told about a faceless man that seems to appear whenever there is a crisis.  This could be interpreted as a form of what the novel refers to as “fuku”, or bad luck, or it could also be seen as an illustration of the loss of the family’s identity.  Being that Oscar and his family are growing up in New Jersey, they are no longer part of their home country of the Dominican Republic.  They are forced to adapt and become nationalized to the American way of life.  Due to their inability to cope for various reasons, they find themselves in a constant struggle to survive.
            Out of everything we have learned and discussed in our class this semester, this concept is probably what will stay with me the most.  The loss of identity, particularly in America, leads to larger questions such as: What does it mean to be an American?  Does one have to give up their past to survive in the modern world?  Does the modern world offer you a chance to be an individual, or does your identity rely heavily upon society’s expectations?  As I mentioned earlier, I feel as though many of our readings have touched on this subject.  However, I do not believe that there is a concrete answer to any of the questions that I listed above.

Similarities between Jay-Z and Oscar Wao

After our discussion today, I rewatched Jay Z's 99 Problems video and I was able to see so many similarities between the urban African American culture portrayed in this song/music video and the Dominican culture portrayed in Oscar Wao.

First, both seem to be obsessed with letting it be known that they do not have any problem with the ladies, but that pretty much everything else in their life is screwed up.  Where the Dominican's are oppressed by the tyrannical rule of Trulijo, Jay-Z feels like the blacks are the targets of racial profiling (2nd verse) and unfair judicial practices (3rd verse).  However, with all of the oppression, they still vehemently let it be known that their hyper-masculinity should never be questioned.

Second, both seem to have a sense of pride for where they grew up.  Even though Jay was born and raised in the ghetto of Brooklyn, he exudes that Brooklyn swagger.  Meanwhile, the Dominican's, even though Oscar's generation has been transplanted to Jersey, are proud of their Dominican home.  Again, this goes back to being proud of one's culture (black and Dominican), and the areas that they have so much pride in exemplify these cultures.

Lastly, and this may be somewhat of a stretch, but Jay is gunned down at the end of this video in a very Trulijo-esque way.  While Jay is obviously not a dictator, he is one of the titans in hip hop, and is thus the one who is being "gunned" after.  Just as Trulijo is at the top of the political system, Jay is at the top of the hip hop culture.  I made the argument today that Trulijo actually feels immense pressure from his underlings, and he is eventually taken down, as all dictators have in the past.  Jay must also feel this pressure from up-and-coming rappers, and thus uses the shooting scene to metaphorically express this fear.

You can take it as you will, but I definitely think there are strong connections between the hyper-masculinity of the urban black culture and the Dominican culture.  I will provide a link to the music video here.  Please be aware that there is explicit content, so be aware of that before viewing. (And I'm not even going to comment on the video hunnies in the background, as that would be a separate, very long blog post).

If you get some time, watch the video and see if you can come up with any other connections between the two pieces of art.

Rebounding Fukú

I don't think this was brought up by anyone in class or in blogs, which kind of surprises me, so I'll go ahead and make a brief post about it. Going back to two sections ago, the story made mention that Trujillo was assassinated the same night that Beli was beaten to pieces.

The same night that La Inca summoned up a prayer to end all prayers, a prayer so stunning in scope that it broke lesser beings who lent their spirits to it. The prayer that may or may not have been the sole reason that Beli survived the vicious beatings.

Yunior doesn't outright make the connection, which is unusual because he usually points out connections in his narration, but it seems that La Inca's prayer was so powerful that it not only saved the life of a girl who should have died, it turned the fukú back on Trujillo, stripped his life of its charm and ended it in a most violent fashion.

Irrelevant but it made me chuckle

Page 282, Oscar is talking to a woman named Ybón who has a tendency to be quickly forgotten, to quickly lose the attention of men she's with, something that she is thankful for. But, Yunior writes, "Her Jedi mind tricks did not work on Oscar."

You know who else is immune to Jedi mind tricks? Jabba the Hutt. And Yunior's asshole friend Melvin started comparing Oscar to Jabba back in their college days (177). Make of that what you will.

[insert catchy title here]

Sorry, but running on a time restraint today! I had started to see a connection earlier in this book between the mothering styles of Beli and Edna from The Awakening. let's be honest, both of them were bad mothers. As much as I hated Edna though, I found Beli to be even more horrid of a person and mother. I can sympathize with the fact that Beli had a rough childhood. Anyone who could survive everything that Beli went through during her "dark years" deserves a little sympathy. The fact that she "never thought about that life again. Embraced the amnesia...embraced the power of the Untilles. And from it forged herself anew" (258-259) is commendable. It does not, however, negate the fact that as a mother she was entirely useless. I can understand that when all a person knows is pain and hatred that it is hard to show love, but there is only so much physical and mental abuse that anyone, let alone your own children, can take before they distance themselves from that person. Not even saying "Just know that I would die for you" (72) was enough for Lola to want to have a closer relationship with Beli. At least with Edna, her children were not put through the wash-cycle of abuse that Beli put Lola and Oscar through. I still think that when a person goes through a life as tragic as Beli did that it is no wonder that her psyche would be turned upside down. I believe that if Beli lived in a time and place where she could have talked with someone about her past openly and freely, her life and her children's may have taken a different turn. What do you all think?

99 problems...

We talked today in class about the pressure that lies on a dictator for balance in their terror campaign; not enough fear and the peasants revolt, too much fear and they revolt. While this is a pressure there are ways to make it easier, and Trujillo has them down. The first is to target another group that is somewhat separate from your populace, but is similar enough to make them fear the charge. For Hitler it was the jews, for Trujillo, the haitians. This gives your people something to hate and fear.

Trujillo seems unaffected by this pressure and did whatever he pleased, but he is absorbed in and drunk with his own power. His pulling whatever women he wants lead to no resistance because of the Dominican hyper-masculinity that is present throughout the book. The populace is used to the hyper-masculinity and, because Trujillo is El Jefe, they process it as his balls are the biggest for him to be ruling.

Traditionally action is associated with manliness and masculinity, so it's odd that in a society where an exaggerated masculinity is the norm that no action is taken. In the face of El Jefe's masculinity the entire country is, like Abelard, reduced to "alternat[ing] between impotent rage and pathetic self-pity" (229). The entire hyper-masculine country is emasculated by the huevos of one man and his goons.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Oscar and suicide

It is always tragic to hear about a kid who is bullied so much that they feel that the only escape for them is suicide.  Not surprisingly, it is really sad to read about it as well, even if the book is fiction.  Oscar is such a sympathetic character because he is ridiculed for being himself.  Not for being a jerk or inconsiderate, but for being overweight, nerdy, and not living up to the Dominican male "ideal."  While he seems to just let the chiding by basically everyone (even Lola, Beli, and Yunior) slide, it seems to really bottle up inside of Oscar.  He does not want to be viewed as a failure in the Dominican sense, as he feels that he could be the only "Dominican male" to die "a virgin" (174).  He must have been planning a suicide attempt, because, when Yunior tells him that no, no Dominican male has ever died a virgin, he laments, "That ... is what worries me" (174).

Oscar's suicide attempt does not seem to be spontaneous (or even brought on by the copious amount of alcohol Yunior provides for him), as Yunior clearly states that he knew he "should have stayed with him" that night (189).  Needless to say, Yunior was right, as Oscar attempts suicide by jumping off a bridge.  However, the key piece of the puzzle is that Oscar actually left suicide notes, proving that Oscar planned to commit suicide.  This is a sad realization, brought on by numerous factors.  Oscar seems to be directly reacting to his walk-in on the goth Jenny doing the dirty with someone other than him.  However, his whole existence kind of culminates in that scene.  Oscar, of macho Dominican blood, is, by everyone's standards, a big fat loser.

Yunior later reveals that "The fall after the Fall was dark" for Oscar (200).  Oscar wanted to commit suicide again, but "he was afraid" (200).  Yunior lists quite a few reasons why Oscar doesn't commit suicide, from his sister to the "possibility of a miracle" (200), but I see it differently.  I think that Oscar starts to appreciate life, and how lucky he actually is to be alive.  I have never really talked to anyone that has attempted suicide, but it seems to me that a failed attempt at suicide would "wake" an individual up to the glory of living.  In fact, Oscar even says that "Nothing is more exhilarating ... than saving yourself by the simple act of waking" (201).  Oscar indeed saved himself (for the time being-have yet to finish the book) by awaking from the nasty fall.  Even though I know the outcome, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Oscar sees the miracle of life!