We had the option to read one of several stories. Today we will read and discuss “How to date a brown girl (black girl, white girl, or halfie)” by Junot Diaz

Read the story, and write about your reactions as you read.

offensive: only cares about getting girls into bed, also stereotyping: based on who they are that will determine how he treats them.

shocking

commentary about race: not someone we’d want to spend time with

ending: silly, circles back to beginning

You: instruction manual. sterilizing. removes his personality.

“Tell her that you love her hair, that you love her skin, her lips, because , in truth, you love them more than you love your own.”: if he can’t love himself, no wonder he can’t properly love anyone else

race/racism: shared across genders, immature

local vs outsider

“easy” vs. “uptight”

Is this:

• cautionary: you have to be careful with how you present yourself to other people
  • protagonist is very careful about he presents himself, how others read him
  • women: hey, watch out for guys like this! (or is it?)
• social critique: about race, about class, cultural background
• bragging: does the author want us to think this is cool? this is what we should want to be like?
  • but bragging is a way to show insecurities