Wouldn't you feel like an outsider if you were a Dominican living all the way in Paterson, New Jersey, of all places? But don't get too confident about your understanding of foreignness in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao; we think it's both easy and difficult to identify. So, yes, Beli and Co. are not native-born Americans, which makes them feel different from other people. However, since Oscar has the same fantasy fiction interests as nerdy suburban white kids, he also feels like an outsider within the Dominican community. Plus, when Oscar's family returns home to the Dominican Republic, they're actually only visitors. They're not native islanders. And how are Haitians and dark-skinned Dominicans treated in the Dominican Republic? That's right, these groups are treated cruelly, and with disdain. Not all Dominicans are thought of as equally Dominican, if you catch our drift…
Questions About Foreignness and the Other
- Do any of the characters in Wao have a true home? Or are they always outsiders?
- Sometimes being treated like an outsider can make you despise yourself. Do any of the characters in Wao end up hating parts of themselves? Is self-loathing a problem in this novel?
- Why do the characters in Wao leave the Dominican Republic? What would motivate someone to leave their home?
- Does Oscar find a home in fantasy fiction?