This text discusses the struggle of transnational identity and the use of diasporic language in Junot Diaz’s “The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao”.
Junot Diaz’s “The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao” which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2008, concentrates on the hard lives of those who leave and those who were left behind. Many immigrants must face a difficult life, far away from their motherland.
Junot Diaz, who was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, presents a story of a “smart bookish boy of color in a contemporary U.S. “getto”, who struggles with his transnational identity. If we talk about transnational identity or transnational people, it refers to people who identify themselves with more than one country.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Transnationalism in The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao
2.1. The Curse Fukù
2.2. Trujillo’s influence on the characters, regarding the curse
2.3. Transnational Identity
3. Language of Diaspora in The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic paper examines the complexities of transnational identity and the influence of diasporic language in Junot Díaz's novel "The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao," focusing on how the protagonist and his family navigate the intersections of Dominican heritage, the trauma of the Trujillo regime, and the immigrant experience in the United States.
- The impact of the "Fukú" curse on the characters and the Dominican nation.
- The struggles of second-generation immigrants in forming a hybrid identity.
- The role of the Trujillo dictatorship in shaping transnational displacement.
- The function and political significance of code-switching between Spanish and English.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. THE CURSE FUKÙ
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, the dictator of the Dominican Republic, had a huge influence on the transnational processes of his country, as well as the huge immigration wave to the US. Trujillo as one of the twentieth century’s most infamous dictators, ruled the DR between 1930-1961 with an implacable ruthless brutality (2-3). He started the ideology that every Dominican should not be black (3). Therefore, he started a genocide against the Haitian and Haitian-Dominican population. This ideology was supported by most of the non-black Dominican population and led to discrimination and violence in the beginning years of his leadership (3). The text extensively deals with the period of dictatorship of General Trujillo. The novel proceeds to concentrate on the fact that his presidency was backed by the United States and reflects on the terror regime that caused a flood of refugees into the United States (3). Trujillo also plays a major role in regard to the curse, which I will clarify in my next section. Díaz story is supported by pseudo-academic footnotes, which are used to read as commentary rather than academic information. These footnotes show the brutality of Trujillo’s regime by looking at the effects on Dominican cultural and social institutions (2-3). They also introduce important administration figures, who do not play a major role in the novel’s story.
More than over 400 years ago the curse “Fukú Americanus” (fukú) was established, by the “arrival of Europeans on Hispaniola” (1) and the beginning of the slave trade. Fukú comes from a long line of traditions and consist of a perfect mix of bad luck and chaos. According to Diaz, the curse was brought with the Europeans (Christopher Columbus) by their influence in Africa (1). After their arrival to the Dominican Republic, it was embraced and widely used by its people, until today. Curses usually serve as a means of retribution or even sin (González 51). Fukú originates from a Eurocentrism that has sought to obliterate all vestiges of Africa throughout the Caribbean society, as José David Saldívar claims: (González 51)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the research focus on transnational identity and the immigrant experience as presented in Junot Díaz’s novel.
2. Transnationalism in The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao: This chapter analyzes how historical trauma, specifically the Trujillo regime and the cultural myth of the "Fukú" curse, influences the lives and transnational identities of the protagonists.
2.1. The Curse Fukù: This section explores the origin and role of the Fukú curse as both a historical and narrative element that shapes Dominican identity and life.
2.2. Trujillo’s influence on the characters, regarding the curse: This section examines how the dictatorship impacts individual lives, specifically focusing on the Cabral family and the subsequent displacement of characters to the United States.
2.3. Transnational Identity: This section discusses the difficulty of establishing a hybrid identity for characters like Oscar and Lola who exist between Dominican and American cultural spheres.
3. Language of Diaspora in The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao: This chapter focuses on the author's use of code-switching and bilingualism to represent the diaspora experience and to challenge the norms of the English language.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, arguing that the novel reflects the individual's struggle to define identity beyond national borders and traditional stereotypes.
Keywords
Transnationalism, Diaspora, Junot Díaz, The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao, Identity, Fukú, Trujillo Regime, Code-switching, Bilingualism, Migration, Dominican-American, Hybridity, Cultural assimilation, Caribbean Literature, Postcolonialism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the struggle for transnational identity and the role of diasporic language in Junot Díaz's novel "The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao," analyzing how characters navigate the challenges of being between two cultures.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include the psychological impact of the "Fukú" curse, the lasting legacy of the Trujillo dictatorship, the difficulty of maintaining a hybrid identity, and the importance of linguistic hybridity via code-switching.
What is the main objective of the study?
The objective is to examine how the protagonist and his family handle their hybrid status and to explain how the author uses specific narrative techniques to mirror the immigrant experience.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The paper employs literary analysis, incorporating postcolonial and cultural studies theories to interpret the novel's text alongside scholarly sources on diaspora and language.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body investigates the historical and cultural significance of the Fukú curse, the life-altering effects of the Trujillo regime on the Cabral family, the identity crisis of the protagonists, and the political implications of mixing Spanish and English.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Keywords include Transnationalism, Diaspora, Identity, Fukú, Trujillo Regime, Code-switching, and Hybridity.
How does the author define the "Fukú" curse in the context of the novel?
The curse is analyzed as a transnational phenomenon originating from historical Eurocentric genocide and slavery, which continues to shape the lives of Dominicans both on the island and in the diaspora.
Why is the language in the book considered "diasporic"?
The language is considered diasporic because it utilizes code-switching between Spanish and English without translation or italics, forcing the reader to experience the "foreignness" and complex linguistic realities of the characters.
How does the character of Oscar represent the struggle of transnational identity?
Oscar represents this struggle through his inability to fit into either the stereotypical "macho" Dominican mold or the American social environment, constantly battling the feeling that he does not belong in either place.
- Quote paper
- Zoe Benia (Author), 2020, Transnational Identity and Diasporic Language in Junot Diaz’s “The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao”, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1001715
