The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

Junot Diaz

 Summary: This more modern multicultural literature piece is one that I think students will be more able to personally connect and empathize with. Written in 2007, it’s a story of a young Dominican boy who moves to the US. He’s obsessed with science fiction and fantasy books & love. The main character Oscar is an immigrant with his family from the Dominican Republic. This is told from two perspectives, and we see that the family is cursed with a "fuku," tragic curse. Oscar sees himself as a crusader trying to find the holy grail, or the solution to the curse. 

Problems: Since this is so new, I could see parents wishing I would have picked a more classic novel. However, critics have applauded this novel, which is why although it’s newer, I still think it has merit and deserves to be read by these students. 

Purpose and Educational Significance: Because of my focus on female writers and characters, I’m sure the boys in the class will enjoy having a novel with a male protagonist!

The novel itself has several narrators, and uses Spanglish in many parts. The novel also has many elements of magical realism, which is an important element in many cultures. Similarly, this novel focuses on multiple generations. This will give the class an opportunity to discuss family in a way that was not displayed in the other works. Yes, A Raisin the Sun does has multiple generations, but the bond is different here because Oscar, the main character, feels connected to family members he’s never met.

          

Book Cover

             For a critical review, click here.

            To find a discussion on style used by Diaz, go here.

            For a discussion on themes, click here. For a specific analysis and discussion on magic realism in this novel, go here.

            For a good glossary of many of the terms, click here.