How we cite our quotes: (Act.Chapter.Section.Paragraph), (Act.Special Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
In September he headed to Rutgers New Brunswick, his mother gave him a hundred dollars and his first kiss in five years, his tío [uncle] a box of condoms: Use them all, he said, and then added: On girls. (1.1.6.51)
As in most super-masculine cultures, it's definitely not okay to be Dominican and gay. While homophobia probably isn't a major theme of the book, it is at least an undercurrent.
Quote #5
She [Beli] was that kind of mother: who makes you doubt yourself, who would wipe you out if you let her. But I'm [Lola] not going to pretend either. For a long time I let her say what she wanted about me, and what was worse, for a long time I believed her. I was a fea [ugly], I was a worthless, I was an idiota [idiot]. (2.1.1.14)
Díaz said in an interview that Beli is a type of Dominican woman he hasn't seen much in fiction: a tough-as-nails Dominican mother who nearly abuses her kids. So, if Yunior and others are examples of protytpical masculinity in the book, who are its examples of prototypical femininity? Is Beli an exemplar of femininity? Why are why not? What about Lola and La Inca?
Quote #6
At college you're not supposed to care about anything—you're just supposed to f*** around—but believe it or not, I cared about Lola. (1.4.1.3)
Here, Yunior informs us that a college guy isn't supposed to have long-term relationships. He knows he's expected to just mess around with girls while he's at Rutgers. This is a pretty common expectation for both American and Dominican young men: apparently, college is for hooking up. Then you settle down. What do you think?