A recurring theme in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
that intrigued me was the references and comparisons to comic heroes and
villains. One discussion question regarded the four characters and their
hypothetical relation to heroes, specifically whether they paralleled comic
heroes or not. Oscar is an intriguing character because of the very different
attitudes people take towards him, especially the differences between family
versus school and social life. When he is with his sister and mother he is seen
as a positive member of the family who doesn’t really fit in anywhere else
besides with them. The rest of the world rejects Oscar and all “shudder or
cross their arms when he walked near” (23). He is simply viewed as “a loser
with a capital L” (17). This leads me to classify Oscar as the “unreliable sidekick”
(think Robin/Incrediboy)- the hero that no one takes seriously or has any faith
in, except for perhaps a few close friends.
Belicia’s
story so far somewhat resembles a comic storyline: the rough upbringing, the
brush with near-death, and the unique personality. These factors lead me to put
her in the “antihero” category (think Wolverine/Punisher), someone who does
what is right but is rough around the edges, does not get along with others,
and who uses questionable methods. She is adamant about keeping her family
together, to the point of using her cancer as a means to trick her daughter
into coming to her aid (70). She is also a firm believer in her rights as an
independent person. Belicia backs this belief up using excessive physical
force, such as when the gangster touches her arm and she “threw her drink, her
glass, and then her purse at him- if there had been a baby nearby she would
have thrown that too” (115). Yet these methods do not detract from her inner
values, which are exemplified when she tells Lola “just know that I would die
for you” (72).
Yunior
was another easy comparison for me, for his story so far is completely one of
the “mercenary” superhero/superhuman (think The Comedian/Deathstroke). This
type is motivated not by morality, but by their own independent needs and
desires. Abelard shows this when he decides to leave Oscar, saying that “I’d
never seen him more unhappy, but there was a part of me that didn’t care”
(189). Also, his initial move-in with Oscar can’t really qualify as a heroic
act since it was either Oscar or “live at home or on the street” (170). It is
possible that he is forming a moral connection over time however, judging by
his decision to move back in with Oscar at the end of the chapter.
Other, less supported, comparisons that I made include Lola to the “apprentice/superhero in training”,
someone who never measures up to her expectations of her superiors. La Inca
also seemed to me to be a translation of Obi Wan from Star Wars: the old, flawed mentor who
fears the regime and loses their pupil (Belicia). I think these comparisons are
important because they help to connect with the characters, which I find especially
important in this novel because I know so little about Dominican Republic
culture or history.
Rachel Thelen. "Wonder Woman."
ReplyDeleteI found this question that you are posing to be particularly interesting as it was not something I had previously considered. I wanted to see if I could come up with a superhero fitting for Lola. The first hero that came to my mind was Wonder Woman, mostly because with her straight-ish black hair and tall strong structure of an Amazon. She fit exactly my mind’s image of Lola. As I was not too familiar with much beyond the physical appearance of Wonder Woman, I did some research via the internet. What I found was a collection of uncanny similarities between the two women that go far beyond appearance.
Wonder Woman carries a weapon called the Lasso of Truth which can be compared to Lola’s metaphorical Lasso of Truth of her tongue. When her mother attempts to beat her for cutting off her hair and burning the wig that was thrown at her, she stops her and answers her mother’s cry of “This is how you treat your mother?” with “This is how you treat your daughter?” (p.55) She does not hesitate to speak up and say what she really thinks. Wonder Woman fights for love, peace, justice and sexual equality.
Wonder Woman’s personality changes slightly depending on who is portraying her, but “what has remained constant is her ability to feel compassion and give love without discrimination” (Wikipedia). This clearly points to Lola’s relationship with her brother. Under Lola’s hard exterior, there is a soft spot in her heart for her brother. She is always sympathetic to whatever sort of trouble or situation he is in, to the point where his pain is her own. She returns to a loving pet name, “Mister” whenever she is worried about him. She immediately returns from Madrid when she hears of Oscar’s attempted suicide and immediately rushed to Oscar’s bedside.
Wonder Woman fights for love, peace, justice and sexual equality. She is seen as a feminist just like Lola is. Lola cuts her hair off and makes changes for no man after the scarring event of her past. She refuses to be seen by men as less than an equal or someone that could be pushed around. She does what she believes is right just like Wonder Woman does which is why I believe Lola signifies Wonder Woman in this story of super heroes.