dominican masculinity
Madison Mock
Writ 201
11/15/14
Dominican Masculinity and Its Downfall
In reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz, there is a large emphasis imposed on both male and female gender roles of the Dominican Republic. Gender roles are social and behavioral norms that, within a specific culture, are widely considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex. However in this book, it is apparent that there is an extreme machismo attitude that is expected of men from the Dominican Republic. Consequentially, the women are degraded and are used no more than as a commodity. The book, mainly narrated through Yunior, encompasses many roles of each gender, but most prominently is male machismo. Machismo is defined as a strong sense of masculine pride, or exaggerated exertion of masculinity, or male-like qualities. It is derived from the Spanish word macho, literally meaning male or masculine, and through time it has come to be the defining characteristic for males in Latin America (Machismo and the Dominican Republic). Sadly, machismo falls under an umbrella term that ultimately justifies all acts by males, including what they say, think and more importantly how they distinguish themselves as men. Although the book takes place in Paterson, New Jersey, there is still an intense feeling of machismo in many of the male characters in the book. While machismo allows a man to define himself, it is evident that in the process, the importance of females are degraded and are depreciated in turn.
Thesis: As one challenges the Dominican culture through characters in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, one gains an understanding of the motives and actions of Dominican men and their converse impact on women.
Paragraphs:
History of machismo and
Gender roles of US women and men
Gender roles of DR women and men from book
DR prostitutes
Conclusion:
Sources:
"Machismo and the Dominican Republic." Machismo and the Dominican Republic. DR1, n.d.
Writ 201
11/15/14
Dominican Masculinity and Its Downfall
In reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz, there is a large emphasis imposed on both male and female gender roles of the Dominican Republic. Gender roles are social and behavioral norms that, within a specific culture, are widely considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex. However in this book, it is apparent that there is an extreme machismo attitude that is expected of men from the Dominican Republic. Consequentially, the women are degraded and are used no more than as a commodity. The book, mainly narrated through Yunior, encompasses many roles of each gender, but most prominently is male machismo. Machismo is defined as a strong sense of masculine pride, or exaggerated exertion of masculinity, or male-like qualities. It is derived from the Spanish word macho, literally meaning male or masculine, and through time it has come to be the defining characteristic for males in Latin America (Machismo and the Dominican Republic). Sadly, machismo falls under an umbrella term that ultimately justifies all acts by males, including what they say, think and more importantly how they distinguish themselves as men. Although the book takes place in Paterson, New Jersey, there is still an intense feeling of machismo in many of the male characters in the book. While machismo allows a man to define himself, it is evident that in the process, the importance of females are degraded and are depreciated in turn.
Thesis: As one challenges the Dominican culture through characters in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, one gains an understanding of the motives and actions of Dominican men and their converse impact on women.
Paragraphs:
History of machismo and
Gender roles of US women and men
Gender roles of DR women and men from book
DR prostitutes
Conclusion:
Sources:
"Machismo and the Dominican Republic." Machismo and the Dominican Republic. DR1, n.d.