Sep 12, 2011

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Final Discussion

The brief (wondrous?) life of Oscar Wao gets to its end, and with it, we get to the end of the book. How did you like it? 

How did you feel about the Dominican Republic presented in the book? Were you familiar with it? Does reading historical fiction make you want learn more on the subject, or at least entice you to look up what's fact and what's fiction?

What are your thoughts on the narrator? Why do you think Diaz waited to reveal Yunior? Did you like Yunior as a person? Did you like his voice?

What is, or what does represent, the mongoose with golden eyes? The man without a face? 

Is there hope at the end of the story?

Looking forward to reading about the variety of feelings and emotions that the last pages of the book for sure arose in you.

5 comments:

  1. Wow! So many questions! I need to think about it! Will be back!

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  2. I found the book riveting, yet hard at times and uncomfortable too often.
    Although I got to appreciate the tragicomedy writing style, I was too overwhelmed with so much misery and brutality to enjoy the fun side of it. The descriptions of the characters and their distress and misfortune are so vivid that I felt the pain of each character. I got to understand and feel empathy even with Belicia, although disliking her since the very beginning of the book.

    I am not sure how I feel about Yunior. On certain aspects I don’t like him. However, I appreciate his honesty, self-awareness and auto criticism, and I felt compassion and empathy about his internal conflicts.

    What about the mongoose with golden eyes? The man without face? Is that the fuku? I really don’t have a theory. I just felt it was a surrealistic element in a story that is painfully realistic.

    Regarding the end, I wish it had been different. Contrary to other books in which a dramatic end is inevitable and key, I did not feel there was a need of that in this book (probably that is one of the many reasons why I am not a famous, good writer). I would have found sense to so much misery if the brief moment of Oscar’s happiness had been longer. But I guess life’s miseries do not make sense.

    Overall, and besides the uncomfortable feelings, I found it a very worth reading book. Following the pattern of previous comments, I have to say I will definitely read Junot Diaz again.

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  3. I like Yunior as the narrator, even though I know he is a kind of man I don't like. He is important to the story, but he is not a direct part of the family, so that gives him some independence. He is honest, direct and self-critic when he acts 'wrong', but completely unable to control his acts (self-criticism but no self-control).

    I feel sorry for all the characters, as they seem to be trapped on a dead-end road.

    It was interesting to discover this author, to read about his life, his books, his Pulitzer prize, RD, and so many other things.

    I would read Junot Diaz again, mainly to see if this very personal style can be applied to other stories or if he uses another style.

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  4. Well, finally it is not bad the book. It's fresh in style, the narrator is a cool one, dialogues flow as it comes to the mind of Yunior, chapters moves back and forward in time and are witty titled. And at the end you want to know what is going to happen to this family!. But I agree that the death of Oscar is too much and I was a bit disappointed.

    I have the impression that books that I have lately read are too tragic. I don't know if it's what editors ask for publishing now: be rougher and swear a bit more, please.

    Reading Diaz has been a different experience. It gives the chance to get familiar with some Dominican essence and diaspora feedback. I have finally ended looking up for some more information about the island.

    I find ingenious the beginning of the book with the account of the arrival of Columbus to the New World.

    The same that in "The Help" with the black men, the Dominican male is not nicely portrayed. Is the stereotype playing here?

    I would also read another book of Diaz. But first an horror book and a thriller are waiting...

    NB: The man without a face is the ...fuku and the mongoose is the opposite, the zafa ; )

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  5. I personally do not think the Dominican male portrait presented is pure stereotype… By the way, thanks for the light regarding the man without face and the mongoose, Monica P.

    I agree with Arantxa's point about J. Diaz style: I am curious and I think it would be interesting to see if his other books have also this particular writing style.

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