Junot Diaz’s passionate novel, The
Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, expresses Oscar Wao’s life of misfortune
encounters and continuous failure on finding genuine love. Due to his Dominican
culture and societal standards, Oscar’s family and friends considered him a shame
because he wasn’t just the typical good-looking jock. Throughout his life, Oscar immediately becomes
infatuated and falls in love as soon as a girl caught his attention. While in
his SAT prep class, Oscar meets a girl named Ana. After just days of intimate
conversations and quality time with her, he felt “he’d never ever in all his
miserable eighteen years of life experienced anything like he’d felt when he
was around that girl” (Diaz 47). Because Oscar endured many immature and
unsuccessful relationships before Ana, he allowed his emotions to think for him.
He felt like he was in love, that it was all real, but realistically, it would
be too soon to determine. While attending college, a girl named Jenni Munoz was
well-known as a hardcore goth with a “bodacious” body. As Oscar decided that
she was the love of his life, “he just kept hitting on her with absolutely no
regard for self" (Diaz 183). Although Oscar knew he was unattractive and out
of shape, he had more confidence in getting girls than any of his friends. His
charm of persistence and kindness seemingly scored him the girls that he
desired for. During his trip in Santo Domingo, he falls in love with Ybón.
Although he soon discovers that she was a prostitute, he eventually “…loved her
more than the universe and it wasn’t something that he could shake” (Diaz 316).
Everyone, including La Inca, suggests that she is not good for him, but he
still insists that Ybón is his destiny – because he sensed the love she had for
him was mutual, she was perfect for him.
When Oscar was beaten by Trujillo’s
servants, it was not the end to his love for Ybón. He didn’t stop the love letters or affection, which resulted in his death later on. Although Oscar’s
efforts in finding love were always discouraged, he determinedly and tirelessly
continued to try no matter the circumstances. Oscar displayed his desperation
for his yearning in love and intimacy – putting the aspiration before his pride
and family. Oscar’s demise illuminates the meaning of the story because it
allows the readers to refocus on Oscar’s triumph of finding real love. In his “final “letter” at the end of the book, Oscar mentions that
he had sex, “So this is what everybody's always talking about! Diablo! If only
I'd known. The beauty! The beauty!” (Diaz 385). Oscar feels that this is
success, that he has beaten fukú: the curse of generations.
In life, goals are as simple as wanting to find love and experiencing the little intimacies and blessings that come along with it.
In life, goals are as simple as wanting to find love and experiencing the little intimacies and blessings that come along with it.
