Fuku - mentioned frequently in the book - is pretty clearly the idea of a curse. Yunior, extremely sexually active and quite popular with women, thinks that Oscar is even more into girls than he himself is. She asks Yunior to take care of Oscar and to make sure he does not do anything drastic. Our Reading Guide for The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz includes a Book Club Discussion Guide, Book Review, Plot Summary-Synopsis and Author Bio. -Graham S. The first month that the two boys room together. Blame the fukú—a curse that has haunted Oscar’s family for generations, following them on their epic journey from Santo Domingo to the USA. Yunior stays inappropriately focused on Lola, even when one of his “best friends” is in the hospital, another sign that he is not yet mature enough to have true relationships with other people. Yet Yunior’s feelings do not change. Don't be alarmed, dear readers; as the Domincan Republic's most feared dictator, Mr. Trujillo hovers over the entire novel. Yunior first reveals his name in a piece of dialogue from Lola, suggesting that he never wanted to tell us his name in the first place. The feeling that Oscar has at last found a kindred spirit comes to an end as Jenni moves on and Oscar catches her with another boy. Already a member? Rather than dying, he suffers two broken legs and a dislocated shoulder. Trying to figure his life out, Oscar attends counseling. For her part, Lola is still stuck in the same pattern of denying herself opportunities in order to care for her family. At the end of the twenty-seven days, Oscar is taken to a cane field and shot by two men who work closely with the capitán. Life is not easy for Oscar Wao. He is the only important thing in her life. Love becomes a transformative force, providing Oscar with the will power to better himself that he lacked when he thought he was undesirable. Oscar takes no notice and receives a harsh beating when the … One night, as he is walking the streets alone, he is beaten severely. Though he claims to be interested in Oscar’s fukú story, it is clear that Yunior is interested in Oscar himself, and especially the ways that the two young men are incredibly similar. She clearly has standards above the “player” persona that Yunior puts on. Nottyboy Jan 25, 2013 04:40AM. Melvin, another Dominican student, begins to call Oscar by the name “Oscar Wao.” The name sticks to the point that Oscar even answers to it. Terms in this set (56) Oscar de León. Find a summary of this and each chapter of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao! Kind of like Sauron in The Lord of the Rings. Chapter 8 and Epilogues Summary and Analysis, Essential Quotes by Character: Oscar de Leon. ©2021 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. One day Oscar flatly refuses to go running. Oscar goes berserk and tears down Jenni's posters. The narrator seems to feel a lot of remorse for how he used to act, and scoffs at his old belief in his extreme popularity. Though Yunior emphasized how sad it was that Oscar started answering to a nickname, he does not see the tragedy in his own self-imposed nickname. He recognizes that the world is not perfect, but faces up to it anyway. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Teachers and parents! Trujillo is one scary dude. Yunior undermines this act by refusing to take credit for calling Oscar “friend” by only recalling this scene from Oscar’s perspective. Created by. the brief wondrous life of oscar wao chapter summary Epilogue - This introduces the question of personal responsibility, something that Oscar deals with over and over throughout the novel—how responsible he is or isn't for his own unhappiness. 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