Developments in Life in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

-Developments in Life-

In life there are many obstacles and situations that are to be discovered and conquered no matter how much time and effort it takes; it is part of life. Growing up is a form of development that everybody has to go through. Adolescent development and sexuality exposure are two forms of development that are highly recognized. In the book, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao; Oscar goes through many changes and developments through his adolescence that are recognized and constantly brought to his attention.

His adolescent development and sexuality exposure; such as contact with females, the ‘Dominican man’ reputation, and sexual discoveries, are all established and modelled by his surroundings and family dynamics. Just like Oscar in the book, our developments are influenced by where we grow up, and what we see within our family dynamics. Development and exposure are two things that we will never be able to escape, but just to deal with what is thrown at us.

In the book the Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Oscar portrays adolescent development and sexuality exposure throughout the book. Oscar’ being Dominican, has always had the thought in his head that he could control and get what he wants when he wants, which has to do with both adolescent development and sexuality exposure. Most Dominican men are known to be handsome, controlling, and well fitted-in. Unlike most Dominican men, Oscar grew up nerdy, not so friended young man. Instead of him being able to get the girls and feel in control, Oscar was the one controlled.

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“… Maritza dumped him-Shazam!-his life started going down the tubes. Over the next couple of years he grew fatter and fatter” (Diaz, 16). Oscar allowed his life to go down the drain after experiencing a young “love” breakup; something that will happen many times during adolescence.

Development is very important to pay attention to and recognize while in the adolescent period. Oscar Wao does not realize that he has the power and ability to change how he acts, dresses, looks, and appears to other people, “…and if there were any lessons to be gleaned from the ordeal of those years he never quite figured out what they were. He walked to school every day like the fat lonely nerdy kid he was, and all he could think about was the day of his manumission, when he would at last be set free from its unending horror” (Diaz. 19). There were many hardships that Oscar gathered throughout his adolescence and one of them was high school. He hated the thought of being there because he was always the outcast. Developing in Adolescence should teach Oscar that there are many things that he will encounter, but he needs to learn to be comfortable with himself and not worry about other people. The only way to ‘easily’ get through adolescent development is to pay attention to only yourself and the help people try to give, not the negativity that they give.

Most important through the developing factors and stages, family should be able to help you. Having the family and help that Oscar rejects through these stages is generally very helpful. It is most important to allow the help from those that care about you and block out the negativity from those who do not genuinely care. “Cut the hair, lose the glasses … and they’ll never get you a date” (Diaz, 25). Oscar’s sister Lola, as well as his mother have tried to help Oscar but he does not take any of their helpful advice into consideration. Adolescent Development is a very tough thing to deal with and even tougher for some people to go through. It is a subject in which you need to learn to deal with on your own and with a little help from those who care.

Sexuality exposure is one of the forms of development that are highly recognized throughout ‘the brief life of Oscar Wao’ and everyday life. Sexuality exposure can determine many things such as how people act in front of others, and in relationships and also how people view different things when it comes to the opposite sex, or even the same sex. Such exposure can also determine sexuality within individuals such as being attracted to the same or opposite sex. Throughout the book ‘the Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ the image of a Dominican man is portrayed rather vulgar and disgusting. People think of the Dominican men as not necessarily ‘pigs’ but as people who get what they want in sexual and attraction ways. “Well what? – Did you fuck her? – Jesus Lola, he said blushing” “Sounds a little suspicious. I know you Dominican men…” (Diaz, 39).

Lola assumes that her brother follows in the shadows of how a Dominican Man is portrayed to act. Little does Lola know, Oscar is not joking when he says that he did not sleep with her; Oscar does not follow in the shadows and that just shows how Views of people can be changed depending on the exposure to sexuality effects them. Lola was always told that the Dominican Man had their ways with girls, and that changed her View of her own brother. Sexuality exposure can also determine what girls or guys think is supposed to happen, not necessarily what is actually supposed to happen. ” … I want you to do it to me. He started unbuttoning my pants. Are you sure? Definitely … hurt like hell, but the whole time I just said ‘Oh yes’ …” (Diaz, 64).

Lola judges relationships by how close two people physically become. Though, Lola said that she wanted to sleep with her boyfriend, in her mind she did not know what to do. From her exposure to sexuality she had seen what it is supposed to be like in terms of an outside person, and not how it truly is. Despite the pain that Lola was in, she still sat through it and made it look like she enjoyed it, just like what she saw and heard of in movies and in real life; and she expected it to be the same as she saw and heard of it. Sexuality Exposure is very important through developing, and effects everyone differently. Without such exposures, we may never experience many things within relationships such as love and passion.

‘The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ shows many different forms of development such as sexuality exposure and adolescent development. There is no ways of going around the developments through adolescence and not all of them are good, but they may not all be bad either. Developments create perspectives and responsibilities that everyone receives throughout their lives, just not all at once. Without developments, everyone would be the same and there would be no differences or perspectives in the world. Sexuality exposure and Adolescent Development are very important in growing up and have the ability to teach you many lessons to begin life. Escaping is not an option through development, it just has to be learned to be dealt with and handled in every ones individual ways.