The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

The Brief Wondrous
Life of Oscar Wao
Overview
Main Characters
Themes
The sensitive, science fiction-loving Oscar de Le6n can't understand why he is doomed when it comes to love. An investigation of his Dominican family's years of bad luck reveals how superstition can help explain the way love gets people involved in political history and heartbreak.
Part One
A Dominican American, Oscar suffers heartbreak and alienation like his mother.
Part Two
The family curse starts with Oscar's grandfather in the Dominican Republic and follows them to New Jersey.
Part Three
Oscar's recklessness and stubbornness in love cause his tragic downfall.
Oscar de Leon
Sensitive book lover; tragic hero who cannot find a place in any culture
Belicia de Leon
Lola and Oscar's stubborn, strict mother; suffers because of her father's mistakes
Lola de Leon
Oscar's smart, caring, rebellious sister; comes to understand her mother
Abelard Cabral
Intelligent scholar and grandfather of Oscar and Lola; falls victim to a dictator's tyranny
Unrequited Love
Disappointment in relationships is passed through the family.
Author
Mother-Daughter Relationships
on
Rebellious natures cause mothers and daughters to clash.
Cultural Identity
As immigrants, many characters feel cut off from all culture.
JUNOT DiAZ BORN 1968
Diaz was born in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to New Jersey as a young boy. His experience growing up in a rough neighborhood led him to his library, where he fell in love with books. Oscar Wao is known for its distinctive style that incorporates Spanish and for its semiautobiographical narrator.
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