Refleciton on Diaz part 1

I must confess I might be a bit biased when reflecting on this novel because I'm of hispanic decent (Cuban), and, coincidentally, I was born and raised in Elizabeth, NJ, which Diaz mentions a few times. So, I can pretty much understand the references, language and slang he uses.

For the most part, I think the novel is strong. There's plenty of detail, and I think the footnotes Diaz offers can help clear up some confusion the reader might have. The various pop-culture references, profanity, and sexual situations make for interesting additions, and I think they help young readers relate a lot more. 

For some though, the amount of details and footnotes might be bothersome. Readers who like straight-forward texts might find this a bit tedious, and could result in the reader trailing off or losing interest. 

As discussed in class before, there is a possible theme of the mental and physical struggle of immigrants who come to the U.S. This theme stood out to me the most throughout the novel. Diaz mentions several times how hard it was for Oscar to fit in, being that he was expected to be a certain way Dominican guys usually are. Lola can't find her place, and is switching personalities multiple times. Beli has multiple jobs on and off, and has a hard time maintaining control of her family. 

And like I said in my community post, allusion is used on almost every page. From literature and film references, to famous people both from the U.S. and the Dominican Republic. They are everywhere.