Relationships can be difficult to both initiate and maintain, as demonstrated by the characters of Junot Diaz’s “How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie” and Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Interpreter of Maladies.” In each story, the characters find that there are multiple struggles to overcome in order to begin and preserve a well functioning relationship. However, the obstacles that hinder the success of these relationships differ for each character. In Diaz’s “How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie” it is suggested that ethnic and social barriers determine the success of potential relationships, while Lahiri’s “Interpreter of Maladies” indicates that miscommunication, secrecy, and misconceptions are the causes for failing
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He plans and anticipates specific outcomes for each of his dates, depending on the ethnicity of each girl. The activities sustained throughout the dates are influenced by each girl’s ethnic background: “If the girl's from around the way, take her to El Cibao for dinner. [...]Let her correct [your Spanish] if she's Latina and amaze her if she's black. If she's not from around the way, Wendy's will do” (Diaz 291). Yunior also hypothesizes that the result of each date is synonymous to the ethnicity of each girl. “If she’s a whitegirl you know you’ll at least get a hand job [...] [A local girl] might kiss you and the go, [or] give it up. A white girl might just give it up right then” (Diaz 290, 292) However, Yunior admits that his inferred conclusion to each date is not the typical result: “But usually it won't work this way. Be prepared. She will not want to kiss you. Just cool it, she'll say. The halfie might lean back, breaking away from you. She will cross her arms, say, I hate my tits [...] You're the only kind of guy who asks me out, she will say [...] You and the black boys” (Diaz 292). These dates do not end well, and his desired, idyllic outcome of his dates further destroy any positive
He plans and anticipates specific outcomes for each of his dates, depending on the ethnicity of each girl. The activities sustained throughout the dates are influenced by each girl’s ethnic background: “If the girl's from around the way, take her to El Cibao for dinner. [...]Let her correct [your Spanish] if she's Latina and amaze her if she's black. If she's not from around the way, Wendy's will do” (Diaz 291). Yunior also hypothesizes that the result of each date is synonymous to the ethnicity of each girl. “If she’s a whitegirl you know you’ll at least get a hand job [...] [A local girl] might kiss you and the go, [or] give it up. A white girl might just give it up right then” (Diaz 290, 292) However, Yunior admits that his inferred conclusion to each date is not the typical result: “But usually it won't work this way. Be prepared. She will not want to kiss you. Just cool it, she'll say. The halfie might lean back, breaking away from you. She will cross her arms, say, I hate my tits [...] You're the only kind of guy who asks me out, she will say [...] You and the black boys” (Diaz 292). These dates do not end well, and his desired, idyllic outcome of his dates further destroy any positive