In Junot Diaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao we get a greater glimpse into the politics of phenotypes and authenticity in Dominican culture. More specifically in its relationship to blackness. In Irene Lopez, a Puerto Rican clinical psychologist’s essay, Puerto Rican Phenotype: Understanding Its Historical Underpinnings and Psychological Associations, she posits that, “Puerto Ricans who consider being “Indian” more beautiful, or more authentic, than being Black and, thus, often prefer to claim this over a Black identity.” (164) Though the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico are two distinct countries possessing their own history and geopolitics when it comes to blackness, one cannot ignore the colonial and synchretic context in which
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Her acceptance of her blackness comes about in her final days at the Dominican Republic with La Inca. This following quotes come after a section where La Inca works to make Lola a “real dominican girl,” Lola, in her thoughts of running away, states, “I would let myself grow dark in the sun, no more hiding from it, let my hair indulge in all its kinks,” (Diaz 209). The word “grow” particularly sticks out here as growth implies a positive change. That Lola is less prior to the growth. Thus, growing dark means that becoming darker is positive for Lola. To do this, she will not hide from the sun. Not hiding is associated with courage. The text is acknowledging the braviary it takes for Lola to embrace her blackness. Thus, reinforcing the presence of anti-blackness in the book’s setting. “Let” implies that the hair wants to indulge in all its kinks. That Lola is deciding to be passive in her hair’s desires. And, I use the term “desires” as indulge-- as an act of embracing the black aesthetics of her hair--is one of pleasure. Not only is it pleasurable, but it is also the hair’s natural state. To call the kinks, “its kinks” the hair’s kinks, is implying that this how the hair should be. Through this lens, by having Lola embrace her blackness, the text posits that this is not an act of becoming an inauthentic Dominican, but rather, becoming the most authentic self that she can
Her acceptance of her blackness comes about in her final days at the Dominican Republic with La Inca. This following quotes come after a section where La Inca works to make Lola a “real dominican girl,” Lola, in her thoughts of running away, states, “I would let myself grow dark in the sun, no more hiding from it, let my hair indulge in all its kinks,” (Diaz 209). The word “grow” particularly sticks out here as growth implies a positive change. That Lola is less prior to the growth. Thus, growing dark means that becoming darker is positive for Lola. To do this, she will not hide from the sun. Not hiding is associated with courage. The text is acknowledging the braviary it takes for Lola to embrace her blackness. Thus, reinforcing the presence of anti-blackness in the book’s setting. “Let” implies that the hair wants to indulge in all its kinks. That Lola is deciding to be passive in her hair’s desires. And, I use the term “desires” as indulge-- as an act of embracing the black aesthetics of her hair--is one of pleasure. Not only is it pleasurable, but it is also the hair’s natural state. To call the kinks, “its kinks” the hair’s kinks, is implying that this how the hair should be. Through this lens, by having Lola embrace her blackness, the text posits that this is not an act of becoming an inauthentic Dominican, but rather, becoming the most authentic self that she can