Introduction in Essay
One of Junot Díaz’s works is the essay The Dreamer, which tells the reader about the story of his mother. The essay is written in such a way as to show the unusual, difficult and stubborn life of a person who tries his best to realize his dreams. It is necessary to analyze this essay from the point of view of identifying the protagonist in order to understand what artistic tools Diaz uses to represent the protagonist’s personality.
The Protagonists’ Characteristics
The protagonist of the work is the author’s mother, whose actions, in turn, are analyzed by the writer. The girl tries to fight the hardships of life, going towards her dream of becoming a nurse. The seven-year-old heroine herself, due to her age, does not perceive herself as a person going through great hardships and having a very determined character (Diaz, 2012). She has a dream, which she wants to fulfill so much that she is not ready to leave in the face of possible difficulties.
Representation of Culture
As for the culture of the heroine, she is presented in the book as oppressed. This is well illustrated by the author herself, showing the long and many attempts to learn English, which failed. As an innocent little child, she found the strength to “kneel beside a stagnant puddle of water, put her mouth in it and drink deeply” and call the police, who “handcuffed her [mother]” in order to be free to do what she wanted (Diaz, 2012). This description indicates that the heroine had to cope not only with hardship, but also with neglect and mistrust from society, as well as a certain amount of oppression. The heroine became free, but she was not born. In addition, the sad ending is that the girl never reached her dream, despite her best efforts. This, again, shows that the heroine’s right to do what she wants to do, to get the profession she needs. This is not shown in a straightforward way, but through indirect descriptions.
Writing Language
Díaz’s writing language is extraordinary, the meaning is hidden between the lines. In other words, the writer is not trying to tell a moral or to express a thought through text. The main theme of the work is how Junot Diaz’s character and his mother’s story influenced him, made him become strong and not give up on what he wanted. In other words, the central message of the essay is the idea that nothing in the world is impossible, but there are many people who give up or do not believe in themselves. The author emphasizes that he kept trying and succeeded, as did his mother, so others can do it too. Epithets and speech patterns are another important way to convey the message and atmosphere of the story. Through colorful descriptions of emotion, feelings, and the world around him, the reader can experience a happy or a cruel moment. Díaz is skillful in the choice of words, for example, when describing the girl’s attempts to learn English, not only recounting the process, but also characterizing the mental state of the heroine.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be noted that the structure of the book is confusing because it includes commentary by the author. Together with these comments, the reader can explore the psychological and cultural portrait of a seven-year-old girl who finds herself alone in a harsh world, with only a dream in front of her. The colorful epithets used by the writer to characterize the atmosphere and the time in which his mother finds herself, allows to immerse readers in the story and understand the complexity of the situation, but, at the same time, the heroism of the girl. Thanks to this power of language and artistic techniques, it becomes clear that the heroine is an example for both the writer himself and for many other people.
Work Cited
Diaz, Junot. (2012). The Dreamer. Web.