A Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a book that thematically revolves around science fiction

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Introduction

A Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a book that thematically revolves around science fiction and fantasies by the main character, Oscar, which explicitly analyzes the ancestral and/or séance experiences by different character. The relationships in the book depict the social diversion from normalcy which is then followed by fantasies, the need to run away from reality after realization of troubles associated with irresponsibility and meditation on story-telling; search for identity, machismo/ masculinity and oppression in the society. The analysis and commentary for the different events; characterized by fantasies and the need to fall in love, the repercussions of the decisions the characters make and their séance experiences and practices give the book the society reception as it depicts the lives during Rafael Trujillo’s rule.

The overarching theme is brought out in the book by incorporating both the upfront and the gradual approaches in a bid to illuminate the world that Oscar lives in and the need to create a parallel between the supernatural and the fantasy world lived by majority of the characters. For instance, the explicit development of magical realism whereby “fuku” and “zafa” were popular in major regions of Latin America; narration of events with mundane tone, and intertwining of the supernatural events with the tile of the book as brief and wondrous, explicitly defines various activities somewhat regrets thus setting the tone for a running contrast between internal struggles and outward concerns (McClinton- Temple, 8). The first three chapters of the book addresses the internal struggles of different characters; with stories tracing history in growth and development, inabilities to cope with the natural social and cultural phenomenon, and revelation of outward concerns by the people who the characters have had personal and deeper relations with. For instance, the multiple short term relationships that Oscar had had with girls coupled with inability/ his complexities finding love; the inability of Oscar’s sister, Lola, to cope up with her ailing mother, and the struggle of their mother, Beli, right from childhood to adulthood and later in love and relationship menaces, shows the internal struggles of which the concerns are shown by close relatives (Diaz, pp7-120). The external and explicit concerns are showcased in the individual’s battle with addiction; Oscar’s battle with reality that despite being from Dominican family he could not easily find love as expected Lola’s battle with verbally abusive relationship with her mother, and Beli’s struggle to find love which later bruised her to a point of losing her life.

The gradual approach is brought out in the subsequent chapters where independence and distinction of the chapters to the flow of the story are evident. Overarching theme is presented implicitly in these chapters with effective topic sentences and the structural development of events to ensure strong underlying flow and intertwining of phenomenon whereby the relationships are explicitly shown in the conclusion (Butterfield and Martin, 7). For instance, chapter four, sentimental education, implicitly defines and explains Oscar’s life in school and the internal struggles with dormitory hate and suicidal thoughts, the reappearing of the golden mongoose and the breakdown of relationships; a factor of misunderstandings and personal weaknesses, phenomenon implicitly explained with reference to the first three chapters. This is later followed by explicitly defining the intentions of each character in the book in the chapters towards the end of the story and the final letter. For instance, poor Ab.............