Oscar Wao chapter 6

Brittany Harper writes:

1. The title of Chapter 6 is "Land of the Lost," which is the title of a television show about a family trapped in an alternate universe.  How does the title of Chapter 6 relate to Oscar's life?

2. Why does Oscar feel like he is "the permanent bachelor"?

3. What does Oscar's first kiss and first beating symbolize?

4. On page 303, Oscar realizes that the family's curse ("fuku") might be true.  Do you think Oscar's life experience is based on a family curse or on the poor decisions he continuously makes?

Oscar Wao questions pp166-210

Dana Cox

 1.Oscar and Jenni are seen as strange by other Latinos. Oscar because of his nerdiness and Jenni because she is goth. What effect does this shared experience have on Oscar?

 2.Does the rejection Oscar feels from Jenni further contribute to his detachment from his culture?

3.How does Oscar's detachment from some aspects of his culture contribute to his suicide attempt?

4. Oscar's belief that the fuku was responsible for his suicide attempt and Yunior's rejection of that idea when he says "that's our parents' shit" is an example of the differences in the relation of the characters to their Dominican culture. In what ways do these differences affect these characters in society?

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (pp. 51-165)

Melanie Matos


1. Before Lola discovers the lump on her mother’s breast, she explains, “And at that moment, for reasons you will never quite understand, you are overcome by the feeling, the premonition that something in your life is about to change...you don’t know how or why you know this thing but that you know it cannot be doubted” (53).

If Lola had an intuition that the “bruja” was present, why couldn’t she support her mother? Why did she want to run away?


2. From the outset of the novel, Diaz mentions the fuku – a curse or doom that Yunior and his family encounter throughout their lives. How has the “fuku” affected Yunior and his family, especially Lola?

3. Despite horrible circumstances and not fully knowing the Gangster, Beli still hoped for a future with him. How powerful is love and commitment in chapter three?

4. In a discussion with the Gangster, Beli states that she wants to be free just like him. Are either of them truly free?

Terryann John

Brief Wonderful World of Oscar Wao Questions(pages 1-50).

1. Why does Diaz incorporate so much science fiction concepts in his novel?

2. Why such an abnormal depiction of the family members throughout the chapter?

3. Does Diaz depict the family as having any deep connection to their cultural heritage?

4. Is Oscar and his family more concerned about assimilating into American culture or upholding their own cultural background?

5. Why such a strong emphasis on the Trujillo regime in the novel?

6. How does stereotyping play a role in the novel?

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Chapter 1

1) Throughout the first chapter, there is an overwhelming desire for the male characters to find a girlfriend. At one point, Oscar asked his mother if he was ugly and she responded, “Well, hijo, you certainly don’t take after me.” How does Diaz portray Dominicans in this novel?

2) What do you think of the explicit language Diaz uses? Is it necessary?

3) How does Diaz’s novel relate to what we have been reading so far this semester?

Questions for James Baldwin readings

1. What does Baldwin mean when he says smiling and grinning is "part of the American Negro's education ...that he must make people 'like' him?" Does this idea of over-smiling work in affecting social acceptance, according to Baldwin?

2. Baldwin closes his essay with a bold declaration that "[t]his world is white no longer, and it will never be white again." What does he mean by this and do you think this is true today?

3. For Baldwin, Racism can even stem from good intentions, or at least innocent "curiosity" and "wonder" (as expressed by the majority of the village's inhabitants). Does unintentional racism still exist in America, or is it solely a manifestation of Baldwin's perspective as a visitor to a foreign land?

4. Why does Baldwin stress a "difference between being the first white man to be seen by African and being the first black man to be seen by whites?"


-Ocean