The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao Summary

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The novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao focuses on the history and transnational complex trajectories of a Dominican family moving between the Dominican Republic and the United States. The text explores the vast history of the Dominican Republic and its diaspora, through a portrayal of the characters’ personal experiences of what it is like to be Dominican in both places and at two different times. By examining the topic of the trans-American history and representation, the text, through the immigrant framework, crosses borders between regions, traditions, nations, genres, cultures and languages. Tackling the issue of borders and pluralities, the novel covers a range of various inter-related themes present in transcultural spaces, persistently…show more content…
As opposed to her children, she represents a diasporic discourse, as she has not endeavoured to integrate within the United States’ culture but still lives in a nominally Dominican world of herself. This shows a strong connection to her country of origin, and though she has been in the United States for a long time, it is impossible for her to escape the historical and cultural baggage. The characters, some more than others, are caught between their native country and their host country, as they are not accepted as entirely American nor as entirely Dominican. But their equivocal position develops into a more complex situation, as a simultaneous existence in two worlds requires a constant change. In order to survive and adapt, they are required to adjust to diversity and develop a hybrid identity. As Hall (1996), cited in Aarbakke (2011) states: This diaspora experience is defined by recognition of a necessary heterogeneity and diversity; by a conception of identity, which lives with and through, not despite, difference; by hybridity. Diaspora identities are those, which are constantly producing and reproducing themselves anew, through transformation and…show more content…
His figure is a repetitive death image in violent moments, acting as a premonition before experiencing the fukú curse. Since most of the manifestations of the faceless man take place in the Dominican sugarcane fields, the suggestion is more than clear, the fantastic figure symbolizes Dominican Republic’s hundreds of years of sugarcane slavery. This representation proves once more and strengthens the relation between fukú and tyrannical colonialist power
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