by Jessica Gilchrist
Over the summer, I read the entire collection "Drown" and read the collection "Self-Help" by Lorrie Moore that was mentioned in the forward to these stories. I mention it, because I didn't have the chance to pick up The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, though it had been highly recommended to me. So I ended up plowing through these two connections, never quite understanding where the bridge between them laid. I went into this blog thinking about how Diaz manipulates voice, how he becomes this young man sitting in the arm chair in my bedroom talking about girls, talking about that desire to make yourself into something that someone else can perceive.
But after reading the selection from the novel, I realized why this is such a great piece about structure. I've been struggling with plot since I decided I wanted to be a serious fiction writer. How does that even work? And yet, here Junot Diaz sets out the plot for us by clearly outlining what is happening next. I approached my short story over the weekend doing something similar after reading this. I wrote:
Part 1: Introduce the Situation
Part 2: The First Complication
Part 3: The Second Complication
Part 4: A Third Complication
Part 5: A Climax (Confrontation?)
Part 6: Dealing with It
This isn't very specific, but I think more or less that Junot Diaz does something very similar. This first section of Oscar Wao sets up so much about Oscar, from his oversized body to his impossible spectacles to his inability to confront the girl he broke up with in grade school.
Diaz does a fantastic job of creating a small narrative within this larger narrative. Each section lives and breathes on it's own. Take the part about Oscar and Ana, the way he divides his attachment to Ana from his final act of declaring his love for her. The way he spills out details about Oscar standing outside of Manny's house to Oscar listening to Ana on the phone makes us feel the progression of his emotion. The structure of this story pulls us so deeply into Oscar's subconscious that we are very gently living his life through vignettes.
I guess I'm interested in how this made you guys look at your own stories. Have you thought about unfolding them so logically as this? How does this help you? How would this hinder you? Also, were there any moments of language in either piece that really appealed to you? We'll talk more on Monday about the second person piece (and I'll bring in my second person piece), but I think there are some great moments where Diaz does some fantastic things with language.
I've read a fair amount of Junot Diaz's work, and most of the time, my professors have asked me to focus on language. I appreciate his use of language and I think he has such a great, unique voice, but I like the idea of approaching his work by looking more closely at the structure. I think Diaz has a way of making conventions really work for him. It seems pretty basic, right? He introduces his characters/setting, he explains that there will be a conflict (or multiple conflicts), and then drives the narrative toward a climax and, finally, a conclusion or fallout. However, I think Diaz really uses this sort of typical set up to create a well-paced piece that works very well spatially. I guess what I mean is that, where most writers use the idea of "white space" to move from one point to the next, especially if those two points are separated by a substantial amount of time, Diaz creates explicit setups instead (i.e. The Golden Age, The Moronic Inferno, Oscar is Brave, Oscar Comes Close, etc) For me, these mini-titles within the larger piece help guide me through the motions and make the time gaps seem less visible, if not completely negligible. As far as thinking about how I write my stories, I think that Diaz proves that sometimes being less opaque about what is happening in a story and when can be a good thing. This grouping of plot points does not necessarily take away from the complexity or depth of a piece.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that strikes me most about "Oscar Wao" is how straight-forward Diaz/the narrator is about what's going to happen. There's no skirting around the issue that Oscar is most likely going to die. His life is described as brief, and the numerous bits of foreshadowing, most often in parenthesis, are used strategically to let the reader know that this kid is doomed. Even then, I found myself hoping the whole time that that wasn't how it was going to go, which I think wouldn't have happened had Oscar's end come as a complete shock. Had I expected this to end with Yvon and Oscar escaping Santo Domingo or something equally opposite to the end of this story, the impact of the ending would have been diminished. Throughout this whole story, Diaz lets us know what's about the happen before it happens, whether it's through foreshadowing within the narration itself or in the section titles which give away the basic plot of each blurb of text. I think while this could very easily become boring if too much was given away, this is a good way to make the reader curious and also read more carefully. Knowing that Oscar's life would be brief, each sentence carried more weight as I tried to piece together not what would happen but when it would happen and how. Revealing the biggest plot point of the story (that Oscar dies) in the very beginning and in the title itself without spoiling anything at all is a bold move, and I really hope I can replicate it.
ReplyDeleteI think that what struck me the most about "Oscar Wao" was that Diaz choose to tell the story through the brother-in-law, but rather than the character the story is about "Oscar" being manipulated by the lens--like in "Goodbye my Brother," the lens of the brother-in-law is a way of telling the story while making subtle commentary about the Dominican life. As far as plot is concerned, I loved that Diaz was able to create a story out of a bunch of vignettes. I am enamored with the possibility of creating plot with such a structure. I am unsure of how to create with in fiction, but I can see how this translates into Poetry really well.
ReplyDelete"Oscar Wao" captivated me from the very beginning. As Bre mentioned in her comment, the reader can tell from the very beginning that Oscar is doomed to die. However, Diaz sets up the story in the way that we wish he would not- that maybe the foreshadowing details are misleading instead of an indicator of the truth. The structure of the plot was what I loved. It was poetic, but not too confusing. Through the brother-in-law's perspective, we see Oscar from an outside perspective. We don't know what Oscar is exactly thinking, like any person who see in real life, which makes the sympathy we feel all the more realistic. The catharsis of emotions delivered towards the end really tied the story together well and I believe made Diaz's piece all the more beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThis is not my first time reading "Oscar Wao" but each time Diaz captures me in the vision of his storytelling. I find new aspects of his language to fall in love with each time. This story does literally feels like a vision because of his use snippets and vignettes and he makes the reader want to delve further into the life of Oscar Wao instead of setting him by the wayside just because we already know he dies. I don't think there are many authors who could do this non-conventional method of storytelling. However, Diaz doesn't make this move feel non-conventional because we still have the inverted check mark kind of story progression happening here, even as Diaz constantly reminds of what is to come in his parenthetical comments.
ReplyDeleteRecently, I have had a passion for really well down second person stories, in that the 'character' of YOU can become so influenced by the author and thereby you, the reader, is influenced by the author. I find it to be a good exercise to write in second person when stuck on something, to find out what you (writer you) wants to tell the reader in a piece.
The first thing that I noticed when I read "Oscar Wao" was how much I actually liked Diaz' structure that he builds in his stories. It is both conventional, in the way that we learn details of the characters and the story/setting/plot, and unconventional, in the way he blatantly comes out and almost tells us the fate of Oscar through a heavy sense of foreshadowing. It constantly reminds you that this character is going to die. I thought that was very risky but at the same time I liked the sense of progression that it have it, however, I didn't like how it gave away the suspense and mystery of his fate away almost instantly. This was made up for a little bit by presenting the story in the brother-in-law's POV, which I liked. Like, Chelsy, I also like second person stories and just what it can offer the reader.
ReplyDeleteJunot Diaz teaches how its done. He has a powerful indirect way of explaining culture in “How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirk, Whitegirl, or Halfie.” We don’t know much about the narrator initially. However, throughout the story and the opinions he throws out, we come to know the speaker by his point of view. This “how to” is very instructional, opinions and ideas are built in very matter-of-factly. Connecting back to Diaz use of language, he writes in a way that is meant by the other to be factual tips on how a date with a young woman would go but relays a deeper message that unfolds with culture. Diaz short sentences and step by step attention to the scene as it unfolds conveys by its structure instructive. However, it is his language, the voice of the narrator in his explainations of these women and how each will act that tells us about the person he is and the mindset he has. Even the title, with its one-word labels, like "browngirl" show in an discreet way that the narrator thinks that each type is so much like its category and consistent in that he can confidently refer in one word their whole identity.
ReplyDeleteWhen I opened my book to read Junot Diaz's work I was expecting to see something much more experimental with the form, especially with the second story "How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie." For some reason I pictured something more along the lines of "Solutions to Brian's Problems" where the story was given in the form of a list that explained the story in sections. Even though it wasn't as experimental as I was expecting, I found that it was extremely conversational and really liked that about the piece. Part of what made it feel so conversational to me was that in "Oscar Wao" I wasn't told right away who the narrator was. Instead, I was brought right into the story and found out later through the conversation that the narrator had dated Oscar's sister. In the second story the conversational feel came from the fact that the story didn't section itself off depending on the type of girl he was explaining how to date. Instead, it ran us through the story and would give little tips throughout or instances where something might be different depending on the girl that was coming over. What made this style for both stories so conversational for me, however, was how the language was used. I hardly ever see a story that freely uses the N-word or uses other profanities at liberty. I thought that this made the story feel more real in a sense. The way that the family and community was described and the language that was used complimented each other and validated each other. I never thought once that somebody from this family or town wouldn't act or say such things.
ReplyDeleteAs I had said, I found that the form of the story was much more traditional than I was expecting. Though, the form of "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" did remind me a bit of an essay. I said above that its form is very conversational, and it is, but the conversations are blocked off for us into sections. I honestly had to go back and look at this story to even remember that it was broken apart, because it is so conversational that I got wrapped up in the story. Something interesting about this story is its use of the funnel. We had discussed in class that generally, a good rule of thumb is to make a scene into a funnel, starting with a large group and slowly work your way down to one. I found that this story repeatedly used the funnel, but upside-down. Rather, this story started most scenes with Oscar, but continuously expanded until we were discussing either the family or the community, or the family's friends. This I think most of all contributed to the conversational feel of the piece, as my thoughts would drift off with the narrator's. I felt like the structure when used this way mimics more closely the way that a true conversation would work, branching off rather than tightening down on the point.
I am new to Junot Diaz but after reading these stories, I am a fan. In particular, "How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl,Whitegirl, or Halfie" stood out to me. As Jess discussed above, the structure of this piece plays into the overall success as it clearly walks the reader from point A to point B while at the same time the writing is working to paint the scene. Again, like Jess said, I too pictured Diaz sitting across from me and walking me through his different dating approaches. As Abbey said, the "how to" style of speaking is straightforward and direct. I think that by using this technique, Diaz allows the reader to gain a familiarity with the text and his style of speaking. You eventually become used to the pattern in the phrasing and in doing so, the reader can more easily pick apart what Diaz is actually getting at, the structure and narrative fall to the background seamlessly. Seemingly minute details such as "government cheese" and "tear gas" are placed so strategically in this piece that you hardly think twice if you scan the page. However, upon careful reading these details explain the nature of our character and our piece. To answer your question Jess, I believe the layout of this piece might prove to be helpful to someone who is very new to plot and structure, such as myself. I might borrow a trick or two from Diaz in constructing my next piece to hopefully assist in the pacing of a piece.
ReplyDeleteWhat struck me most about Oscar Wao is the tone and the language. It's so conversational and casual, and it's very effective when paired with the structure of the story. The way that Oscar passes through the narrator's life gives a certain credibility to the way the story is told. This tongue-and-cheek telling is so matter-of-fact and yet, the way Oscar is depicted as this lovable fat guy who doesn't have much going for him, is the narrator's way of letting us know Oscar's importance. We all understand Oscar. He is a series of cliches undercut by the real world problems he faces that leave deep injury. The logical structure of the story can be helpful, I think, if one has trouble with plots (like me), but can become distracting to someone who trys to connect too many dots.
ReplyDeleteI really loved the beautiful mix of english and dominican culture in the first novel. and the second was filled with quirky interpretations of how things are, the kind of interpretations which have an edge of controversy. I liked how in the Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao weight was used as a catalyst for a change in his attractiveness and personality. I noticed significant use of the N-word, and it seemed to be used by someone who was unafraid of saying it. There are not many white people who would write like this. I liked the very human character that Diaz creates. "It was Miggs's girl-getting that astounded him. Migg was an even bigger freak than Oscar. Acne galore and a retards laugh and grey fucking teeth from having been given some medicine too young." I love this expression of jealousy, it made the character much more real to me, and I think expressing these flaws in the main characters is a good technique. Diaz was good at showing the development of Oscars relationship with Ana, using a great example in stead of saying, "Ana trusted Oscar and she was a very confident person," he says, "She was the first girl outside his family who admitted to having a period, who actually said to him, I'm bleeding like a hog, and an astounding confidence that he kept turning over and over in his head." As mentioned in Jenna's piece, I noticed the funnel as well after looking back at the story. This essay format would usually bother me, but the used of another language to liven things up as well as how causal the writing was definitely made this story much more lively than an essay format usually accomplishes. The ending I found a bit too conclusive as an essay might be. But at the same time, it fit the format, so I was oddly satisfied as well.
ReplyDeleteThe second story was funny, actually. It was a very risky piece, putting forth some stereotypes with little to back them: "If she's a whitegirl you know you'll at least get a hand job." In the traditional exposure of the background of the narrator, I liked how this story kept it a secret and only gave hints. The narrator uses "moms" when he refers to his parents, and says "Don't tell her that your moms knew right away what it was, that she recognized its smell from the year the United States invaded your island." I liked the kind of pained line: "Tell her that you love her hair, that you love her skin, her lips, because, in truth you love them more than you love your own." I feel like this shows the pain of being part of a minority. I love the awareness that this piece has, the way that explores all of the possibilities of what could happen, yet how despite listing sexual success for the first possibility, the second shows something else. I want to unpack that with the class though, so I'm going to leave it at that.
"The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" and "How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie" by Junot Diaz were unlike something I would have chosen to read, but suprisingly enjoyed. "How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie" has stayed with me unlike many other stories. The way Diaz made up a sort of "how to guide" for picking up different races of women as a dominican male showed not only the desperation of the character to need the self-validation of being accepted by women, but also how incredibly sad and lonely he was. He finally gets a woman to be with him, only to ignore him later and play it off like it didn't happen. In a way it shows how embarrassed he is by his culture as we discussed in class. How he hid the photo of his naked cousins with the goat on a leash and the government cheese where she'll never see it. Its sad how if he actually embraced his culture and shared it with the women he wanted to go out with they would have seen past the womanizing front he had with women. He isn't just like every other guy, he has so many levels she will never see; unless, where he lives every guy hides their culture so he is just like every other guy. I find both of these points really interesting. Before class I thought about the choice of putting the spanish words in the story and liked their inclusion, and especially loved when he said that he had "busted-up spanish". As much as this is his culture it also isn't, and he hears these words all the time and most likely doesn't understand them as well, so although this story is in second person and makes you feel as though you are the character, he uses these techniques to bring this sense of being to entirely different levels.
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