Junot Díaz: Fiesta, 1980

Junot Díaz In His Own Words

 

“Fiesta, 1980”

Every voice counts: group discussion

The three two pages of “Fiesta, 1980” allows the reader to get a glimpse of Yunior’s family dynamic and where are the characters standing at this point in their life’s story. Expand. (23-5)

How would you describe Yunior’s dad? What effect he has on his children and wife? (25-27)

How every family member reacts once they arrive at the party. (30-34)

How the interaction with the other kids permits to learn about Yunior and Rafa’s personality apart from their parents?

What information emerges from the memory of the first day he met the Puerto Rican woman? (34-36)

 

Individual Questions

Describe how the party evolves.

Yunior says that he and Rafa had gotten used to circumnavigate their dad’s affair. Explain. (39-40)

Why do you think Yunior tries to imagine his mom without his dad? (41)

Beyond the “smell of the upholstery” what other interpretation one can give to Yunior’s constant nausea and vomiting? (27-29, 43)

 

Citation Example 

As presented by Mamadou Badiane:

As Badiane (argues, explains, shows, contends, holds, asserts, points out, etc.):

(Coinciding, agreeing, in accord, etc.) with Badiane:

As defined by Badiane (the Oxford dictionary; Wikipedia*; etc.):

*While convenient, Wikipedia goes unchecked for long periods of time. Trolls make jokes;  Information tends to have mistakes or is insufficient, in brief, it is not the most reliable source.

As contextualize by Badiane:

“Even though it is true that the first Negrismo poets were white, and although as Jackson points out, they were more concerned with the external cultural expression of blacks, I do not think his reasoning explains Negrismo poetics. Although some of the first white poets did not deal with social problems in depth, this does not diminish the value of their poetic creation in any way. In addition to a style that is differentiated by the massive use of jitanjáfora, the treatment of black motifs was necessary to initiate a questioning of identity.” (102)

“Although some of the first white poets did not deal with social problems in depth, this does not diminish the value of their poetic creation in any way” (Badiane 102).

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02

 

Comments 26

  • Explain your plan for the Research Paper:

    Theme:

    Research Question:

    Thesis Statement:

  • Explain your plan for the Research paper:

    Theme: Enough is enough, physical and emotional abuse needs to end!

    Research question: Should physical or emotional abuse be tolerated even if it’s someone you love and care about the most?

    Thesis statement: Physical and emotional abuse should not be permitted or acceptable even if it’s coming from a spouse or a family member. No one should feel obligated to seek help or attention if they’re in endangered.

  • Theme: Social Inequality

    Research Question: What are the impact or effects of social inequality on people in the society we are living in?

    Thesis Statement: Social Inequality should end, for a better society, and a country as a whole. People should not be divided or discriminated on how much money someone make or has, their color, race and gender.

  • Theme: Compare and contrast
    Research Question: Imagination, Where does make believe end and reality begins?
    Thesis: “The diasporic imagination really is its own superpower.”

  • Theme: Masculinity
    Research Questions: How masculinity impacts our sorrounding?
    Thesis : The physically and emotionally abuse of masculinity.

  • Theme: Defense Mechanisms
    Research Question: Why do individuals feel the need to wear masks when dealing with others?
    Thesis: Humans use masks to help fit into society’s norms and become accepted in certain classes.

  • Theme: Violence and abuse against women
    Research Question: 1. How do social norms promote violence against women?
    2. How does abuse not only affect the victim but also those around?
    Thesis: The abuse and violence against women a social issue that doesn’t knows geographic boundaries.

  • Theme : Social classes in “The Masses are Asses”

    Research Question: How is the clashing of social classes going on during the 1980’s in the South Bronx represented in “The Masses are Asses”?

    Thesis: Social classes are represented through the use of characters and their personalities in the play “The Masses are Asses”

  • Theme: poverty in the Bronx during the
    70s in the latino community. Masses are Asses

    Research Question: what are some of the reasons why there was poverty in the south Bronx.

    Thesis: To disscuss the difficult problems that occurred during the 1970s in the South Bronx in the latino communities.

  • theme: Lack of resources in cypress hills Brooklyn

    research: what are the main reasons cypress hills as a community is not doing as well as others

    thesis: what are some solutions to help the urban community of cypress hills Brooklyn

  • Theme: A real man chooses to honor, love, respect, adore and be faithful to one woman.

    Research question: How does a father character affect the whole family?

    Thesis: Father is the one of the cornerstone of family same like a mother. So his every walks has impact in the life of his children and his life partner.His decency towards his woman make him real hero in front of his children and society.

  • Theme: The highlights and challenges we face by pretending something we are not.

    Research Question: Why do certain people choose to live their lifestyle pretending what they are not?

    Thesis: By pretending we build our confidence, live in a positive environment, have hope and dream big.

  • Theme: “Poverty and happiness”
    Research: Can money buy happiness – myth or reality?!
    Thesis: To discuss how money is related to happiness

  • The Research Essay is ON THE LITERARY WORKS we examined together. Thus, some clarification:

    The research essay is NOT:
    . a personal essay (an essay in which you talk about your experiences)
    . an opinion piece (an essay in which you discuss your opinions on a subject)
    . a sociological essay (an essay in which you analyze a social phenomenon in the abstract or based on data collected)
    . an ethnographic essay (an essay in which you do direct research and interviews on a community, a cultural group among other immediate possibilities)

    The Literary Research Essay IS:
    . an analysis of any of the following literary texts: The Masses are Asses by Pedro Pietri; Aguantando; Watching Spider-Man in Santo Domingo; Fiesta, 1980; How to Date… or Alma by Junot Díaz, based on a topic FULLY connected to the texts.

    . An essay in which you are going to work on your citation skills. You are going to work with primary sources (Pietri; Díaz) and at least two secondary sources on their work and themes: one academic (books or scholarly articles) and one from the internet.

    Other Instructions:
    Five pages
    Double Space
    Times New Roman
    Font 12
    A work cited page

  • Theme: analysis of the effect of a diaspora on perception of media, Junot Diaz, Watching Spider-Man in Santo Domingo.
    Research question: why do those in diaspora perceive media differently than those who aren’t?
    I haven’t come up with a thesis yet.

  • Theme: Identity / Coming of age in a foreign country

    Research Question: How does Yunior explore/grow into whatever it is to be Domincan as an immigrant in the US?

    Thesis Statement: Yunior explores his identity by means of fiesta (Fiesta, 1980), dating (How to Date a Browngirl..) and the contrast to his lifestyle in DR (Spiderman & Aguantando ).

  • Theme: Migrating and adjusting to the environment.

    Research Question: How exactly does one fit into an environment they are entirely new to and how long does it usually take? Does one ever stop feeling like a immigrant?

    Thesis: Eventually one overcomes their struggles. The reason for the migration is that one is usually trying to get away from something.

  • Theme: The Masses are Asses. Pretending everything is ok does not make it ok. Having this knowledge, one must not be influenced but stand up for their beliefs

    Research Question: Why do we allow others to influence us

    Thesis Statement: Everyone should explore their possibilities and not be influenced by others. The world is vast. Much to be explored and learned

  • My topic will be on Pedro Pietri Play the Masses are Asses. I will analyze Pedro description of both characters imaginary positons while avoiding their reality in their Bronx apt. I will argue in my thesis why the woman in the play wanted to abandoned the man’s plan. What her breaking point was, and prove that a female will be a “RIDE & DIE” for the right cause. Until you ask her to RIDE & LIE to herself.

  • Theme: Imagination versus confronting reality

    Research Question: Safety valve, and if imagination becomes an exit to not confront the reality?

    Thesis: The imagination is a powerful key for many people to achieve goals. However, it can also be a way to avoid the reality, living a life of fantasies.

  • Theme: Abuse/Neglect and Effects of Immigration

    Research Question: Negatives/Positives on missing family members. Compare people’s character after years of living in another country.

    Thesis Statement: Believe its hard to not be influenced by one’s surroundings.

  • theme: imagination and psychological coping mechanisms
    research question: how far can your imagination take you from the truth?
    thesis statement: the mind and reality can have a fine line that can easily be passed

  • Theme: Intersectionality
    Research question: How does socioeconomics effects urban communities as shown through Pedro Pietri in the Masses Are Asses?
    Thesis Statement: Urban hardships faced by Latinos confronted thru political satire

  • Theme: Coping mechanisms

    Research Question: Are superheroes a dangerous obsession for some people? Or can they serve as a useful vehicle to overcoming adversities.

    Thesis Statement: Shifting the focus of painful experiences to fantasy

  • Theme: Imagination and reality.

    Research question- How does your imagination take a toll on your reality.

    Thesis Statement: Your imagination can really have a negative effect to your reality .

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