One of the predominant strengths of Díaz’s novel is how it
wholly immerses the reader in a foreign environment, and exposes the different norms,
traditions, and ways of a new culture. Through his detailed prose of Dominican
values and experience, Díaz successfully suggests “different” should not always
warrant a value judgment. Perhaps the most resonant claim in regards to this
experience is when Lola warns, “If you didn’t grow up like I did then you don’t
know and if you don’t know it’s probably better you don’t judge” (55). This
approach can be applied to exploring Dominican norms regarding relationships
and gender roles. In the novel, women are constantly objectified and portrayed
as submissive to men’s desires. Though at face value these norms manifest into
a different model of the dating scene in Dominican culture, Díaz hints at a
darker, more violent consequence of these views.
Beli’s visit to the club El Hollywood offers a firsthand glimpse into the Dominican dating scene. The Gangster confidently approaches Beli in the club, and offers to buy her a drink. She rejects this offer by turning away from him, to which he responds by “[grabbing] her arm, hard, and [saying], Where are you going, morena?” (115). By forcefully grabbing Beli and addressing her simply as “brunette,” the Gangster’s actions illustrate how women are often objectified at the expense of men. Though Beli responds violently, Díaz reveals the common cultural perception of her reaction is insignificant, as “the fight she had with La Inca upon her return was far more significant” (116). By downplaying their first encounter, Díaz suggests the commonplace role of passion and violence in the Dominican dating scene. This is why we ultimately find Beli back in the club, and “before you know it she was standing over his table” (118). The contrast between the initial encounter and this scene illustrates a different dating scene than we are used to, where the objectification and gendering of women at the expense of men is seen as a standard. This view is complemented by the townspeople’s complacent perception of the Gangster, in that “No one in Baní knew exactly who the Gangster was and what he did … but it was enough that he was a man” (127).
However, though objectification and gendering of women is
seen as standard in the Dominican dating scene, Díaz suggests there is a darker, more tragic
side to these worldviews. Beli is consistently objectified throughout the
course of the narrative, as she is “grabbed” (115), and people are “twisting
her arm” (141) and “slapping cuffs on her wrist” (143). These terms convey a
clear power relationship between men and women, as the Gangster’s actions
suggest males enjoy a wholly superior status to women. Though the Gangster’s
actions turn violent and dangerous, Beli’s thoughts reveal a more tragic side
of Dominican norms regarding gender roles. Kidnapped by the Gangster’s
henchmen, Beli still “believed in the Gangster” (143) and “maintained the
fool’s hope that her Gangster would save her” (147). Beli’s romantic hopes
sharply contrast with men’s treatment of women in the novel. Though Beli and
Oscar continue to believe in romantic ideals, the reality of their culture
suggests the two are incompatible.
Rachel Thelen
ReplyDeleteI too noticed the unbelievable amount of violence this book connects with both the gender roles and culture of the characters in the novel. Violence is used as tool of submission between significant others and within families in the Dominican Republican culture. This is clearly confirmed by the relationships of two of the girls whose love lives Oscar comes to know. The first, Maritza, is described as “a girl who seemed to delight in getting slapped around by her boyfriends. Since it happened to her all the time” (p. 18). This pattern occurred in her life early as she was dating, and being abused, by men twice or three times her age by the time she entered junior high. Oscar’s friend Ana begins dating her ex-boyfriend again upon his return from the army with dishonorable discharge. Oscar says all they talk about was when “Manny had smacked her, Manny had kicked her, Manny had called her a fat twat” (p. 44). It is disturbing how easily these two cases are accepted by their society and families. Oscar does not communicate at all with Maritza and is still aware of how she is publically and repeatedly treated by her boyfriends. She is still a minor and no one steps in to defend her, not even her own mother. Ana’s mother also allows her 13 year old daughter to date a man almost twice her age. Ana says “My parents loved Manny…. My mom used to cook dinner for him all the time” (p.35). Mothers should not allow something like this to occur. Oscar asks Lola if she, in the mother’s position would allow something like Ana’s situation to happen to her own daughter. Lola answers “I’d kill him first…we colored folks talk plenty of shit about loving our children but we really don’t….we don’t, we don’t, we don’t” (p.35). The cycle of violence begins with mothers who are accustomed to being slapped around by men and in turn allow their daughters to be abused.