Literary Response 3: Fiesta 1980 In the second story of Drown by Junot Diaz, Yunior and Rafa have already been in the United States of America for about three years. In this story, their mother’s sister came to the United States. They travel to the Bronx in order to celebrate their aunts and uncles’ arrival. In Fiesta 1980, we meet their father and sister, and learn more about their mother. Through the way they all interact, we learn more about each family member’s characteristics and their family dynamic. As soon as the story begins, we get a sense of how the father, Ramon, is. When he arrives home from work, Yunior says, “On the afternoon of the party Papi came back from work around six. Right on time. We were all dressed by then, which …show more content…
Through Rafa’s gesture, it seems that the father’s behavior is not unusual. Rafa begins to move away because he fears what is going to happen next. This starts to stir up the question of, “Is Ramon physically abusive?” A bit of the abusive behavior is seen when Ramon picks Yunior up by the ear (Diaz 26). “If you throw up-- I won’t, I cried, tears in my eyes, more out of reflex than pain” (Diaz 26). Here, in the dialogue between Ramon and Yunior, it shows that Ramon is clearly in charge. When Yunior says that the tears that are falling out of his eyes, are more out of reflex than pain, there is no question if this sort of thing happens often. Yunior’s tears have become an involuntary response to the pain his father inflects on him. Through the language Junot Diaz used in that line, it is almost as if Yunior has been desensitized of pain, which adds to the idea that Ramon is, in fact, physically abusive. This is also reinstated when Yunior says, “Madai was too scared to open her eyes. Being around Papi all her life had turned her into a major-league wuss” (Diaz 26). Also, when Yunior vomits in the car, Ramon “jam[s] his finger into [Yunior’s] cheek, a nice solid thrust” (Diaz 30). Yunior describes his father as being imaginative with his punishments (Diaz 30). He says, “Earlier that year I’d written an essay in school called “My Father the Torturer…” (Diaz 30). …show more content…
He had this one look, furious and sharp, that always left me feeling bruised” (Diaz 28). Ramon’s authoritative and assertive personality is also seen when they get to their aunt’s house and Yunior says, “[Ramon] and Miguel gave each other the sort of handshakes that would have turned my fingers into Wonder bread” (Diaz 31). It is as if their handshake is either a symbol of power, or strength, a broadcasting of their manly hood. Yunior goes on to describe his father’s voice as being “loud and argumentative” (Diaz 33). He says that he is used to his father’s voice being “louder than most adults” (Diaz
By reminiscing on his upbringing from living in Lima, Peru, a third world country. Father would constantly recall his biographical anecdotes to share with the family. Some stories were beyond gruesome in detail. Going in depth to the painful memories that still lingers around like a scar, my father told us how our grandfather, his own father, was abusive for even the most minute things. For instance, when my father would wore outfits that did not meet my grandfather’s standards, or looked into his father’s eyes fearfully when he was being punished, and even when he did not walk my grandmother to and from the grocery store. The mistreatment had reached the end of father’s patience when he became a rebellious son, breaking curfews and refusing to return home at the end of the day. In Junot Díaz 's short story Fiesta, 1980, narrated by an son, Yunior, who describes the hardships he and his Dominican family shared as they drove to a party in the Bronx in New York City. At the age of twelve, Yunior loses his innocence as a result from the never-ending verbal, emotional, and physical abuse his father, Papi, had taunted him with. This lost innocence was caused by what he had said, did, and did
The chapter “A Fathers Influence” is constructed with several techniques including selection of detail, choice of language, characterization, structure and writers point of view to reveal Blackburn’s values of social acceptance, parenting, family love, and a father’s influence. Consequently revealing her attitude that a child’s upbringing and there parents influence alter the characterization of a child significantly.
The relationships between mothers and daughters is a topic that authors often call upon to tell a story. It is an important part of every culture, which makes the topic relatable to any reader who picks the book up. Junot Diaz understood the universality of mother/daughter relationships and incorporated it in his novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Although the book is mainly about Oscar, an overweight Dominican boy from New Jersey and his quest for love, the book also spends a lot of time exploring the relationships between Oscar’s sister Lola and their mother Beli and Beli’s relationship with her mother figure La Inca. Junot Diaz does not write mother/daughter relationships in an honest way and focuses on the conflict in the relationships
In “Confetti Girl”, the narrator disagrees with her father and questions how much he cares about her and in “Tortilla Girl”, the narrator questions if her mother was taking her into account of her new plans. Tension is shown to be caused in the stories “Confetti Girl” and “Tortilla Sun” due to the parent and narrator not having the same point of view. In this story, a young girl named Izzy lives alone with her mother. One day, the mother surprises her by explaining that she is going to Costa Rica to do some research, and that Izzy is going to her grandmother’s house while she is away.
Abuse for Reymundo started at an early age. When Reymundo was in his early years, he was brutally beaten and tortured by his aunts and cousins when his mother was not around. He was usually kicked, punched or made into a bloody mess for no apparent reason. Reymundo’s first experience with abuse came about when his cousin Alberto raped him after not keeping a promise. The second experience with abuse that Reymundo was a part of was when his mother’s second h...
“Papi pulled me to my feet by my ear. If you throw up— I won 't, I cried, tears in my eyes, more out of reflex than pain” (307). As this scenario presents violence, it displays innocent Yunior’s response towards his abusive father as he pulls Yunior’s ears. In the short story Fiesta 1980, Junot Diaz depicts the life of young Yunior as he struggles with his Dominican family issues. Yunior was picked on the most in the family, especially from his dad. As Poor Yunior was the victim of his dad’s affair with a Puerto Rican woman, it affected him psychologically. Yunior suffers from the fact his beloved mother is being cheated on; therefore, he vomits as he rides his dad’s van, as his first ride in the van is linked to his first meeting with
Love and Violence The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz covers the issue of Love and Violence thoroughly throughout the book, and shows how anger and love influence the impulsive and reckless decisions the characters make. Searching for Zion, by Emily Raboteau on the other hand, shows that love comes in different forms and may be easily misunderstood. Abelard, Belicia, Lola, and Emily show love can be a devastating force if not handled carefully and, can be very dangerous. As others commonly have, Oscar confuses passion or lust with love, which in many ways can be critical when conveyed in violence.
Phil did not grow up with his father, his father out of nowhere just abandoned him. Where Phil never did hear about him ever again. In his book, The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil, George Saunders maintains that “Then he remembered the dark days after his father left, when suddenly there was more room to get the refrigerator open but no reason to open it, since there was never anything inside. Why had Dad left? Phil knew very well why”( Saunders 105). Saunders’s point is that Phil’s dad had left him and he never saw him after the day he had left but Phil did know the reason why he had decided to leave him. In this case, phil knew exactly for why his father left him. Another reason for why Phil does not like the Inner Hornerites is because he blames them for why his dad left him because the Inner Hornerites Humiliating his dad. Whereas, in a real life situation kids are getting abandoned by their parents, leaving them with nothing but for them to take care of themselves. Three children in the city of Englewood in Chicago were left alone by their parents. In David Cera’s view “The officers were doing a wellness check last month in the Englewood neighborhood when they found the three children -- ages 1, 2 and 7 -- now known as the ‘Englewood angels.’ The girls had been left alone in an abandoned house” (N.p).
Literature of the Americas has many stories and they all have comparisons, but they also have many differences. “Day of the Butterfly” by Alice Monro and “Crossroads: A Sad Vaudeville” by Carlos Solórzano have characters that share some traits and ways, but like all characters they have things that are different. The old woman from “A Sad Vaudeville” is a dynamic protagonist who finds herself meeting the perfect man for her, but has a dilemma when he is in denial because she is not the ideal girl of his dreams; she’s old. Myra from “Day of the Butterfly” is a static antagonist who does not have the same care free attitude as most of the children her own age. She is rather shy and does not fit in or socialize much with people her own age. She does not derive from a very wealthy family. She is responsible for her brother Jimmy which holds her back from having more age appropriate experiences.
In this book, the lives of two wealthy American citizens and two illegal immigrants collide. Delaney and Kyra were whites living in a pleasurable home, with the constant worry that Mexicans would disturb their peaceful, gated community. Candido and America, on the other hand, came to America to seek job opportunities and a home but ended up camping in a canyon, struggling even for the cheapest form of life. They were prevented from any kind of opportunities because they were Mexicans. The differences between the skin colors of these two couples created the huge gap between the two races.
In Junot Diaz's "Fiesta" the father created substantial fear in his children which resulted in extreme disconnection inside his entire family. The story begins with the family being ready to go to the party, and waiting for the husband/father to arrive. "If papi had walked in and caught us lounging in our underwear, he would have kicked our asses or something serious" (Diaz 4070). Both Yunior and his brother Rafa were terrified of their father. This caused separation between both the brothers. Reason being that Yunior was always getting in trouble with his father, which lead him to search for some sort of defense. He turned to his older brother. If Yunior eats before riding in his father's new van, he becomes nauseated and vomits. The father would punish Yunior for technically, surviving. His father was so disconnected from his son that would be mad at his son for eating. When Yunior was going to be punished Rafa would disappear. This angered Yunior resulting in constant bickering between him and his brother. The fear in the household was so immense that the youngest daughter would cry when hearing her father's voice. Yunior bl...
In the first short story of Drown by Junot Diaz, the reader follows a nine year old and his twelve year old brother, Rafa, as they stay with their uncle in Ocoa for the summer. Throughout their brief journey to unmask Ysreal, who wears a mask to hide his disfigured face caused by a pig when he was a baby, there is a very evident portrayal of the brothers’ family dynamic. Through their relationship, the reader is able to get an understanding of how machismo, their environment, and how their absent father play a role in their life.
All played a major role in the man and as a result, Yunior did what others told him or expected him to do, at the cost of his own ambitions. He became just like Rafa and Ramon! “Sucios of the worst kind and now it’s official: you are one, Diaz closes the book with a tragic ending with the last chapter “The Cheaters Guide to Love,” Yunior’s life and progression from young immigrant learning English from Sesame Street to a middle aged man reflecting on an empty life and deteoriating health. At this point he is on the journey from boy to man and realizes the error of his womanizing ways. Karma, has finally come back around and the pain from Yunior’s heart break sends him into depression and emotional rock bottom. “When realizing that in your lying cheater’s heart that sometimes a start is all we ever get.” (Diaz, pg.
That feeling of leaving his parents in the Philippines to go with a stranger when he was 12 years old is truly unfortunate, but his mother was looking looking out with his best interests in mind. She just wanted her son to get a taste of the American dream, and have a better life in America rather than suffering with her in the Philippines. Vargas’s essay moves the reader emotionally as he explains when he was finally successful in getting the highest honor in journalism, but his grandmother was still worried about him getting deported. She wanted Vargas to stay under the radar, and find a way to obtain one more chance at his American dream of being
I also feel angry because growing up I felt anger towards my father because I thought “how could he speak to his wife like that?” so in this case with Guillermo I am angry at his father for beating and yelling