The short story "Drown" by Junot Diaz charts the thematic concern, which revolves around two opposing arcs. The narrators interactions with other characters allows the narrator to distinguish himself in regards to the opposing arcs (conflict). Through which Diaz argues that minor character are a necessity, since there function helps establish the thematic concerns, in this story it revolves around identity. Without minor characters developing, complicating, and resolving the conflict could not be achieved.
Diaz uses the setting of the house to characterize the mother. Various aspects of the house primarily focuses on depicting the unusual relationship between the mother and the narrator. The abrupt transition from the setting of the pool
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The reflective moment primarily focuses on the narrator finally distinguishing himself. The unclear transition from the narrators intimate moment with Beto to an informative flashback of the teacher allows Diaz to emphasize character of the teacher. The narrators flashback revolves around the teachers comparison to the shuttles: "a few of you are going to make it. Those are the orbiter. But the majority of you are just going to burn"(106). The orbiter symbolize hope of being able to move forward, and burning out symbolizes being held back. While being involved with Beto, the narrator visualizes himself as an orbiter who lost "altitude" and is "fading"(106). Diaz uses the visual imagery to reveal to the reader and the narrator that there is no hope, and that the narrators only option is to stay back. Furthermore, Diaz deliberately characterizes the teacher as someone "whose family had two grammar school named after" them (106). This description forces the reader to regard the teacher as orbiter who burned out. Since the the teacher ended up still being linked to his family, he is a teacher which correlates him to schools, and his family also correlates back to schools. Thus, he is linked back to the same circle as his family, which implies he is a burned out orbiter who faded back to the earth. The teacher symbolizes the sense of reality, because the narrator leaves Beto due to his realization and acceptance that his only option is to stay back. Therefore, the unclear transition and the space related simile allowed Diaz to bring the plot to it resolution. The teachers function was to bring the narrators conflict of whether he should stay back or leave to an