In Junot Diaz's novel Drown, one of the most prevalent themes throughout the book is how reality is a departure from the imagined and idealized versions created by the characters in the story. This is true of both people and society--both serve to disappoint expectations at critical points throughout the story.
The stark contrast between the real and the imagined is best demonstrated by Yunior's and Rafa's remembrances of their father and their shining hopes for his triumphant return after he left them for America. "Rafa used to think that he'd come in the night, like Jesus...Too real to be believed. He'll be taller, Rafa predicted. Northamerican food makes people that way" (Diaz, 87). Both Rafa's and Unior's imaginings of their father, so altered by his time in America that he returns a rich, kind, heroic person despite their previous experiences with the cruel, violent, and unforgiving father they knew before, are hopes that are severely disappointed by the return of their actual father. With regard to his personality especially, their father remains fundamentally the same: a domineering, violent man who cheats shamelessly on his wife and continues to shame their family.
The departure of reality from its idealized version is also true of the experiences of their father, Ramon de las Casas, with American society. He arrives in the United States with an idealized version of the country in mind, and with the intention of setting of to New York to strike it rich and fulfill the fabled American Dream. "Nueva York was the city of jobs, the city that had first called the Cubanos and their cigar industry, then the Bootstrap Puerto Ricans and now him" (Diaz, 167). As he pursues his new life in America, he finds himself living in a much harsher reality than he imagined, where he cannot afford rent for a place on the living room floor of an apartment at one point. Later, when Ramon tries to start over with making an entirely new family in America, he finds that he cannot make that work either. In some ways this is evidence for the argument that one can take the man out of the country, but you cannot take the country out of the man--Ramon still lives his life in the same way that he did in the Dominican Republic, and despite his change in situation, his hopes for a more successful life are dashed.
In the case of Ramon de las Casas, the illusion of the American Dream is shattered; however, like Yunior and Rafa, these imaginings and desires play a crucial role in sharping their hopes for a better future altogether, which is something they cling to as a result of their broken family and impoverished lifestyle.
I also agree that the unrealized expectations of Diaz's characters is a prevalent theme throughout Drown. Many times throughout the stories characters believe in ideas that are too good to be true. Hannah touched on how Ramon's return into his original family's life was a great let down for Rafa, Yunior, and their mother. I would also argue that Hannah's claim works both ways. In the book it is said that as Ramon's life with Nilda failed he began to view his original family as "his saviors" 204). Upon his return I am sure he was disappointed to find that Rafa no longer respected him, Yunior didn't know him, and his wife was too disappointed in him to ever love him in the way she did before. After five years of hardship, Ramon returned to find that his family was growing accustomed to living without him. Before he left America Ramon also began to view his first family as "a regenerative force that could redeem his fortunes" (204). On returning to the DR and finding his family worse off then ever before I wouldn't put it past Ramon to have felt let down, or even betrayed. This could also help explain his quick return to cheating, abusing, and his eventual second departure from their lives.
ReplyDelete*I have an older edition of the book so my page numbers may not be accurate for your version
I think the theme in Drown is something a lot of immigrants go through. One parent, typically male, tries to immigrate to a “promise land” and after finding success, comes back for the family. This process is much harder and rarely is successful. In the last story Negocios, the reader discovers how hard it was for Ramon de las Casas to work crazy hours and make little money. He has to hitchhike everywhere and ends up losing himself. He marries another person and builds a whole new life. Despite all of the mistakes Casas makes, Yunior never lashes out on him or criticizes his failure of the “American Dream”. Throughout the stories he tries to understand his father’s mistakes and tries to get alone with him. For example, in the story Fiesta, Yunior uses his carsickness as a way to bond with his father. I believe Yunior still wants to believe in the “American Dream”. His ultimate goal was to learn from his father, so he would not make the same mistakes. This can even be related to those of us who are not immigrants. The short stories of Drown remind readers that there is light. People can come back and surprise us and life can get better.
ReplyDeleteReading Drown, I too came to the conclusion that their picture of America, what they imagined it to be, was their version of hope. Hope that one day their lives would be better. And while deep down they must have known that their life could get better, they would never be great. Without their imaginations, however, life would only get worse. Many immigrants over the past centuries had come to America with those same hopes and dreams and aspirations, knowing that while few succeeded, there was still a chance to, more than they ever had back home. So while what they dreamed of in Drown never came to fruition, they never gave up. They didn’t take America for granted because they knew how much worse it was back in the Dominican Republic. I think that while Diaz has achieved the American Dream, as a novelist and professor, he knows that many of the people that he grew up with have not. This may have been his way of not only expressing his admiration for the fortitude of his fellow immigrants and as a reminder for them to never give up.
ReplyDeleteI think reality is something that is overlooked in Drown. This work while it depicts this character's life is a work of fiction and a collection of short stories. At times reading this I had to take a step back and realize how some of it was actually ridiculous but part of the story nonetheless. I think the real message that the author is trying to convey with this however has something to do with this. He presents at times this idealized version of America where it is seen as this golden land of opportunity where then he also shows some of the harsh realities of growing up in America as an immigrant, as well as the Dominican Republic being raised basically without a father in his life. I think this kind of hyperbole though is necessary for the author to convey his point. The message that Diaz is trying to send the reader and lessons he is trying to teach through this collection of short stories shows just how important it is to realize that that idealized world full of dreams isn't always reality.
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