Grin logo
en de es fr
Shop
GRIN Website
Publish your texts - enjoy our full service for authors
Go to shop › English Language and Literature Studies - Literature

Forms and effects of violence in "The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao"

Title: Forms and effects of violence in "The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao"

Term Paper (Advanced seminar) , 2012 , 19 Pages , Grade: 1,7

Autor:in: Daniel Greiner (Author)

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature
Excerpt & Details   Look inside the ebook
Summary Excerpt Details

Occurring in many different forms in the novel, violence is an important factor in The brief and wondrous life of Oscar Wao. It seems that violence in his various forms has its origin in the Spanish colonization, which expands to shape the whole society. This colonial past - which is above all a violent past - of the Dominican Republic and the structures it has left on the current Dominican society influences the life of the characters of the novel enormously. Although the colonial period of the Dominican Republic is over, its effects are still noticeable in various forms and its structures and effects still persist.

Excerpt


Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Erasing history as a form of violence
  • Sex, gender and violence
  • Domestic violence and slavery
  • The novel as Zafa – writing as a form of counter violence
    • Language as immigrant experience
    • Diaz's way of rewriting history
  • Conclusion

Objectives and Key Themes

This paper analyzes the various forms of violence present in Junot Diaz's The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao and their connection to the colonial past of the Dominican Republic. It explores how the enduring impact of colonialism, embodied in the curse of "fukú," manifests in different forms of violence, including domestic, political, sexual, racial, and historical violence, as well as enslavement and violence against individual identities.

  • The impact of the "plantation machine" on Dominican society and its enduring legacy
  • The role of historical erasure and the manipulation of history in perpetuating violence
  • The exploration of different forms of violence, including domestic violence, slavery, and gender-based violence
  • The use of language and storytelling as a form of resistance against colonial oppression
  • The novel as a testament to the resilience of the Dominican community in the face of adversity

Chapter Summaries

The introduction establishes violence as a central theme in The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao, connecting it to the legacy of Spanish colonization and the enduring "fukú" curse. The concept of the "plantation machine" is introduced to explain the continuous impact of colonial structures on Dominican society.

Chapter two focuses on the erasure of history as a form of violence. It examines how the dominant western historiography has silenced the voices of the colonized, leaving a blank page in Dominican history. The chapter explores how the curse of "fukú" is linked to the arrival of European colonizers and the destruction of the Taino culture.

Keywords

The key themes and concepts explored in this paper include: violence, colonialism, Dominican Republic, "fukú," "plantation machine," historical erasure, identity, language, resistance, storytelling, and the Caribbean.

Excerpt out of 19 pages  - scroll top

Details

Title
Forms and effects of violence in "The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao"
College
University of Würzburg  (Neuphilologisches Institut)
Course
Caribbean Literature and Culture
Grade
1,7
Author
Daniel Greiner (Author)
Publication Year
2012
Pages
19
Catalog Number
V199527
ISBN (eBook)
9783656258490
ISBN (Book)
9783656258773
Language
English
Tags
forms brief wonderous life oscar
Product Safety
GRIN Publishing GmbH
Quote paper
Daniel Greiner (Author), 2012, Forms and effects of violence in "The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/199527
Look inside the ebook
  • Depending on your browser, you might see this message in place of the failed image.
  • https://cdn.openpublishing.com/images/brand/1/preview_popup_advertising.jpg
  • Depending on your browser, you might see this message in place of the failed image.
  • Depending on your browser, you might see this message in place of the failed image.
  • Depending on your browser, you might see this message in place of the failed image.
  • Depending on your browser, you might see this message in place of the failed image.
  • Depending on your browser, you might see this message in place of the failed image.
  • Depending on your browser, you might see this message in place of the failed image.
  • Depending on your browser, you might see this message in place of the failed image.
Excerpt from  19  pages
Grin logo
  • Grin.com
  • Payment & Shipping
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Imprint