Discussion led by James Harold.
Book Mavens
This month’s selection is Dominican-New Jersey- American writer JunotDiaz’s Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, John Sargent Sr. First Novel Prize, and Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winning novel, “The BriefWondrous Life of Oscar Wao”.
I’m using quotes to Introduce the questions, but they are by no means meant to bias or direct your thoughts or answers.
1. “When you believe in things that you don’t understand, Superstition is the way”-Stevie Wonder
Discuss the influence of the supernatural, i.e., Fuku, Zafa, Christianity, Trujillo, the Mongoose, the Blank Face Man, Science Fiction-Fantasy, in the events of the story.
2. “One thing you can count on in Santo Domingo is sex”-Lola
What role does sex play in the lives of the male and female characters, and in general, in the novel. And as Sigmund Freud stated, “Sex and aggression are the two basic drives in life”. Are these two related in Diaz’s work? Are either or both of these stereotyped?
3. “Why go anywhere, when you can stay here in New Jersey?”-Lola, “…either I’m a nation, or I’m nobody”-Derek Walcott, “It’s a death trap, a suicide rap, you’ve got to get out while you’re young, tramps like us, baby we were born to run”-Bruce Springsteen,(hey, it’s Ney Jersey).
Is this novel a coming of age story or an immigrant/outsider story, both, or more?
4. Discuss Diaz’s view and use of writers and literature.
What’s the importance of the blank pages, paginas blanco, to them both?
5. “He who is born of a black pappy, his days will always be unhappy”- Cecil Harold
Is color as much a curse for the Cabrals, as the supernatural forces?
6. Do you feel the use of Spanglish helped or hurt the novel?
7. Now that you’ve read and discussed the novel, discuss your likes and dislikes, and would you read another of Diaz’s works?
See you Tuesday-James
From: JonnaDu Anderson
I meant to mention this when I found it, then at book club, but somehow I'm just now getting it out to you! There are quite a few words and phrases in our next book that a lot of us probably aren't that familiar with, and this wonderful website has definitions and/or explanations of most of them. I found it very helpful, and I hope you will, too!
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