In the novel Drown by Junot Díaz a young boy shares his coming of age story through a sequence of short stories. The focus of the first two chapters, Ysrael and Fiesta 1980, give readers insight into a young boys upbringing in the Dominican Republic. In these two chapters the themes of masculinity and family relationships are most prominent. Throughout the novel, these themes are elaborated upon due to the situations he faces in his life that further develop his individual identity. In view of the first two short stories the most prevalent theme is that of masculinity. In Ysrael, a short story about two brothers and their relationships with another young boy with face deformities, Yunior, who is the focus of the novel, and his brother, Rafa,
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Masculinity within the first two chapters creates an understanding for the reader about how life in the Dominican Republic is for a young boy. There is a need to be assertive, proud, and sexually aware and active. In the story, Fiesta 1980, Yunior’s father is having an affair in which Yunior is suppose to keep quiet about. The learned behavior in which Yunior is being exposed to establishes a schema that mentally organizes his understanding on women and relationships. Consequently, in later parts of the novel it is revealed how his father’s infidelities and lies disturbed the family’s communication and connection, therefore in turn it altered Yunior’s perceptions on healthy and functional relationships. With Yunior’s tainted views on masculinity and what it requires for a man to be “manly” he can not have a successful relationships with a woman in his later …show more content…
The most influential connections spoken of are the parental dynamic and the sibling dynamic. Yunior being the younger sibling is subjected to the influences Rafa exposes him too. To illustrate, Rafa shares with Yunior his plans for the evening, “…When I get home, I’m going to go crazy- chinga all my girls and them chinga everyone else’s. I wont stop dancing either. I’m going to be like those guys in the record stores who dance four or five days straight”(Díaz, p. 4). Yunior mentions he is roughly nine years old at this time. Here, Rafa is imposing his sexual experiences onto Yunior. While this is natural in many ways, to receive guidance through exposure from older siblings, it is also highlighting sexuality in a way that places importance on how many women he can experience in an evening. Yunior’s experiences with women throughout his adolescence inhibit his ability to have a stable and mature relationship in later parts of his life. For instance, as Yunior tries to find a significant other to share his time with while in the States, he has troubles assimilating to the dating culture. In the story, How to date a Browngirl, the many encounters Yunior must undergo in order to find someone with whom he connects too is strikingly difficult. Although, he dates many different kinds of girls there is a disconnect between his actions and how to properly treat and respect a woman. Specifically, the
Masculinity within the first two chapters creates an understanding for the reader about how life in the Dominican Republic is for a young boy. There is a need to be assertive, proud, and sexually aware and active. In the story, Fiesta 1980, Yunior’s father is having an affair in which Yunior is suppose to keep quiet about. The learned behavior in which Yunior is being exposed to establishes a schema that mentally organizes his understanding on women and relationships. Consequently, in later parts of the novel it is revealed how his father’s infidelities and lies disturbed the family’s communication and connection, therefore in turn it altered Yunior’s perceptions on healthy and functional relationships. With Yunior’s tainted views on masculinity and what it requires for a man to be “manly” he can not have a successful relationships with a woman in his later …show more content…
The most influential connections spoken of are the parental dynamic and the sibling dynamic. Yunior being the younger sibling is subjected to the influences Rafa exposes him too. To illustrate, Rafa shares with Yunior his plans for the evening, “…When I get home, I’m going to go crazy- chinga all my girls and them chinga everyone else’s. I wont stop dancing either. I’m going to be like those guys in the record stores who dance four or five days straight”(Díaz, p. 4). Yunior mentions he is roughly nine years old at this time. Here, Rafa is imposing his sexual experiences onto Yunior. While this is natural in many ways, to receive guidance through exposure from older siblings, it is also highlighting sexuality in a way that places importance on how many women he can experience in an evening. Yunior’s experiences with women throughout his adolescence inhibit his ability to have a stable and mature relationship in later parts of his life. For instance, as Yunior tries to find a significant other to share his time with while in the States, he has troubles assimilating to the dating culture. In the story, How to date a Browngirl, the many encounters Yunior must undergo in order to find someone with whom he connects too is strikingly difficult. Although, he dates many different kinds of girls there is a disconnect between his actions and how to properly treat and respect a woman. Specifically, the