Junot Diaz Book Review

         Junot Diaz brilliantly combines drama with comedy in his award-winning piece, “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.” The story is that of Oscar de Leon - a suave, young playboy turned awkward, teenage nerd. Diaz uses Oscar’s college roommate, Yunior, to narrate Oscar’s journey through countless rejections, suicidal tendencies, and obsessive behaviors. Diaz, originally from the Dominican Republic, gracefully juggles Oscar’s life as an immigrant in New Jersey with his brief visits to Santo Domingo. Throughout this piece, Diaz effectively guides us through the sorrows of Dominican history as well as the struggles of Oscar de Leon - teaching us valuable life lessons along the way.
         Oscar was seven when he experienced rejection for the first time. He had been the little kid that no woman could resist - cute dance moves, nice haircuts, and irresistible cheeks. Things changed when Oscar was dating two girls at the same time. He left one of his girlfriends for the beautiful, Maritza - only to be dumped in the end. “…from the moment Maritza dumped him his life shot straight down the tubes.” This initial rejection sent Oscar on a downward spiral that continued to spin throughout the remainder of his life.
         After experiencing rejection, Oscar gains weight and battles self-esteem issues. Throughout the piece, Diaz paints a perfect picture of how deeply Oscar feels and how it affects his interactions with women.

                              He didn’t date no one. Didn’t even come close. Inside, he was a
                              a passionate person who fell in love easily and deeply. His affection -
                              that gravitational mass of love, fear, longing, desire, and lust that he
                              directed at any and every girl in the vicinity - roamed across all
                              Paterson, affixed itself everywhere without regard to looks, age, or
                             availability. Despite the fact that he considered his affection
                             this tremendous, sputtering force, it was actually more like a ghost
                             because no girl ever seemed to notice it.

His intense passion leads him to one rejection after another. He falls for a girl who’s already in a relationship, who eventually pins him into the dreaded “friend zone,” and a college Goth girl who winds up getting a restraining order against him.
         Through these experiences in Oscar’s life, Diaz teaches his readers valuable lessons. Oscar’s family and friends relentlessly encourage him to get out of the house, lose weight, and get a girlfriend. Their pressure adds to his self-esteem issues which sparks his depression. By constantly urging him to “do this” or “do that,” the core of Oscar’s pain never is revealed to his family or friends. They never really take the time to understand him or his feelings. Diaz’s message is clearly conveyed - we never can fully grasp what another person is going through, but if we listen and support others, we can help them overcome their struggles.
         As the story progresses, we follow Oscar to the Dominican Republic where he meets the love of his life - Yvon. Their relationship can be summed up entirely by Diaz’s line, “miracles go only so far.” Oscar is faced with the brutal wrath of Yvon’s controlling boyfriend, The Capitan - but, this does not stop him. He continues to pursue her no matter how high the risks may be. Through this, Diaz shows us that love really is blind. We see just how encompassing love can be and how it can alter our ability to think clearly.
         In the final passages of Oscar’s story, Diaz reveals the consequences one must pay for falling in love with the wrong person. We see the stories of Dominican violence that Diaz had described earlier come into play. As the story comes to a close, Oscar becomes the tragic hero that everyone who has felt misunderstood can relate to.
         After reading Junot Diaz’s “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,” you will be left with the same thoughts that Oscar himself had at the end of his story - “So this is what everybody’s always talking about!” Diaz uses humor to soften the harsh reality of Dominican brutality, growing up, severe depression, and lost love. Lessons of the importance of compassion and understanding, as well as the capabilities of the heart are instilled in the reader through Diaz’s poignant words. “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” is a must read and definitely gets two thumbs up. If you’re looking for a good read, Diaz’s works are always the way to go.