Chapters 4-6 Reflection #2

When I first read the chapter, “Aguantando” in Junot Diaz’s “Drown,” I felt a sense of sympathy for Yunior who has never seen his father for most of his life. I would not be able to imagine what my life would have been like if my father was not present in my own life. My father was a person who taught me how to diligently do my academic work and taught me to always persevere and improve my flaws. In Yunior’s case, it’s unfortunate that his father had not returned to the family as promised, as though he was neglecting the family. When I read this portion of the text, I felt convinced that the father was neither a decent father or even a good husband as he had left his wife to expect his return, only to be met with crushing disappointment. In this sense, it is not strange for everyone in the family to feel displeasure when the father sends a letter to them, again promising that he would return to bring them over the United States. Considering the information given to the reader about the father and his relationship to the family in this chapter, it can be said that the father’s absence had such a large influence on the children’s growth that, by the time he actually would bring them to the United States, they had grown to be critical of their father. However, despite their low expectations for their father, they imagine how the father would one day return to their barrio and would revitalize his relationship with the family. This is interesting in the sense that, although the siblings are disappointed by the father’s absence, they still wait and have some sort of respect for him in the hopes that everything will turn out to be ok once he returns.
The next chapter, “Drown,” presents an interesting perspective on homosexuality via Yunior’s narration and his relationship with Beto. In the chapter, Yunior’s relationship with Beto began as a trusting relationship between two friends. It would seem that Yunior gave more credence to Beto than to his own father, who he regarded as “a real asshole.” This was shown when Yunior keeps shoplifting with Beto, ignoring his father’s warning about getting caught and getting tossed away like a “bad piece of meat.” As the relationship continues, it becomes evident that the relationship is gradually changing in ways that Yunior is uncomfortable with. At one point, when the two were watching a porn movie in Beto’s house, Beto had begun to touch Yunior in a sexual manner. This causes Yunior to leave the house in panic as he attempts to understand what just happened. At this point, it’s interesting how despite the fact that he does not want to become pato, or gay, Yunior greatly valued his friendship with Beto and so kept in contact with him despite the incident.
“Boyfriend” is a chapter that presents an unknown narrator. It is likely that the narrator is Rafa, given that both share a history of having relationships with multiple women. However, the narrator could also be Yunior at some point in his life because like this chapter’s narrator, Yunior had also reflected on his past relationship with a woman. A possible reason why the narrator this time is unknown may be that the author wants to draw attention to how the narrator possesses characteristics reminiscent of both Yunior and Rafa. It’s interesting to learn of the possibility that at some point, Yunior or Rafa had a relationship similar to the Boyfriend and Girlfriend described in the story.