The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao By Junot Diaz

There are many different elements featured in Latino literature. Hispanic/Latino authors have reoccurring themes involving both Hispanic and American culture. Both influenced by the other, authors such as Junot Díaz, combine the two cultures to exemplify the experience of living with hybridity. In simplest terms, hybridity is a blend of two separate races or cultures. In Díaz’s novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, the character of Oscar lives a hybrid life between his Dominican home and predominantly Caucasian society. Díaz illustrates throughout the novel how significant gender roles matter in Dominican culture. It is expected of men to exaggerate qualities of masculinity, this is known as machismo, whereas for women, it is important

In fact, he struggles in more ways than one. First, what does it take to be a man needs to be considered. Society tells young boys —specifically Hispanic boys that they need to be tough, emotionless and excel in physicality. They need to be macho. In order to be considered macho, a man has to have command, authority and respect from other individuals. He is uninterested in feelings or emotions and does not show them. Quite the opposite of Oscar. “Throughout high school he did the usual ghettonerd things: he collected comic books, he played role-playing games… He was an introvert who trembled with fear every time gym class rolled around” (Diaz). Oscar was considered a nerd, the opposite of what Dominican culture wanted him to be. Oscar is a passionate individual who is not afraid to show his emotions regardless of what his family and friends tell him. Oscar does not fall into the traditional Dominican male role. He is a virgin, nerd and a sensitive boy that cannot achieve one date with any

She also fails to live up to the Dominican traditional role of a woman; marianismo. While the men are taught to be as sexually active as possible, the women are told to act pure, like the Virgin Mary. Throughout the novel, the readers are given hints that Yvón could have been this ideal Dominican woman, but she chose a different path. Her mother was a doctor and her father was a judge, two very high positions in society. However for whatever reason, Yvón decided to be a prostitute and to obtain many suitors. “She dressed young… but she was a solid thirty-six, a perfect age for anybody but a puta…” (Diaz). Middle-aged women usually have families and focus on their children rather than their beauty. The mindset of marianismo could not be obtained by Yvón, nor does she seem too discontent with her life. Besides the beatings her macho boyfriends give her, it seems she enjoys the attention and gifts from her