Junot Diaz's Drown Sexism

In this novel, Drown, women are simply perceived as objects. The inevitable gender norms dictate what behavior is socially acceptable, specifically for women in the Dominican Republic society, but also encourages the practices of machismo. Machismo is defined as a strong sense of masculine pride; this umbrella term has become the explanation for the actions of males in Latin American countries like the Dominican Republic. Though machismo does not identify the women as inferior, it defines the man as superior. Gender roles in the Dominican Republic set the males as the providers and ultimate decision-makers, whereas women are seen as the caretakers of the home and family. Some would argue that Author Junot Diaz should be criticized for a sexist

In traditional Dominican households, women are expected to play the submissive housewife role. The old-fashioned point of view is that a woman is to be a child bearer and care for her husband’s needs in every way. She is to cook, clean, care for her children and put her husband’s needs above hers. Specifically looking at the story “Fiesta 1980”, the portrayal of the women is shown when Yunior discloses his Papi’s affair with a Puerto Rican woman. “He didn’t say nothing to nobody, not even my moms. He just pushed past her, held up his hand when she tried to talk to him and headed right into the shower. Rafa gave me the look and I gave it back to him; we both knew Papi had been with that Puerto Rican woman he was seeing and wanted to wash off the evidence quick” (Diaz 23). This quote conveys the complications women face in the Dominican Republic but more ineptly, Drown. Extramarital affairs are not frowned upon because machismo lets men feel it is their right, in some cases their duty as men to receive pleasure from other women. Although Mami slightly knew about the affair her husband was having, she could not speak up about it because societal norms would not allow her to do so. A man who is seen with multiple partners is viewed as manly and strong, but a woman who has multiple partners is viewed as being