During the first three chapters of the book Drown by Junot Diaz, we can see the theme that I have come out with the reflection that not everyone has a perfect family. Moreover, I have seen how the characters play well the duality of being. For example, Rafa, who is Yunior’s older brother, is two different people inside and outside of the home. The same situation goes for the father of Yunior, who has a double life outside the home. Last, Yunior’s mother is not the same person when her relatives surround her, and when she is with Yunior’s father.
In the case of Rafa, he does have a good relationship with Yunior when he is not around his friends. Otherwise, when he is outdoors, he shows another type of personality. Rafa acts as someone without control when his parents are not watching him. In addition, he often demonstrated some sex appeal to his father.
From the other side, Yuinor’s father acts as a “real” husband at home and a lover outside of the home. He rules when he is at home, but when he is with the Puerto Rican woman, he changes drastically.
Yunior’s mom seemed to have conservative ideas of everything that happens to the family. In other words, what happens inside the family stays inside. Moreover, she is reserved with her husband even though they had spent a lot of time together.
I think Yunior’s family situation is terrible in the sense that his father is unfaithful to his mother, his mother acts very submissive, and his brother Rafa is a promiscuous teenager without manners. Besides, Yunior is greatly influenced by Rafa’s decisions and keeps his father’s secrets from his mother. Without forgetting that there is no confidence in the family. There is not much parental affection, that can become very problematic in the future.
On the other hand, I find Yunior as a very lonely character. Yunior always wants the acceptance of his family. He wants to be accepted by Rafa, like any child who has older siblings. He looks for Rafa as his role model, and he always tried to get attached to him, as he described in the first chapter. On the other hand, Yunior wants to be accepted by his father. Nevertheless, Yunior’s father is a total jerk who treated him more like an annoying bug than his son. Lastly, Yunior wants to be accepted by his mother. He seeks his protection and love when he finds rejection in his father and brother.
