I Just Wanna Fit In!!

I would typically argue for this novel thus far that all of these characters are just trying to fit in.  Junot Diaz has made it evident so far that Oscar, Lola, and their mother are not your stereotypical Dominican Republican hotties.  Hispanic and Latino race individuals are viewed to be beautiful and sexually respresented individuals; however, this family seems to be the complete opposite of this portrayal.  Oscar is defined as "dude never had much luck with the females (how very un-Dominican of him)" (11).  Oscar is not a stud or future porn-star.  Diaz continues to write, "The kids of color, upon hearing him speak and seeing him move his body, shook their heads.  You're not Dominican" (49).  Lola begins to feel witchy, so she decides to start dressing in black and shaves her head, becoming gothic.  She feels that expressing her vixen tendencies is the same as expressing her affection for the opposite sex.  She is told by her mother that she will never amount to anything, so she attempts to rebel and become gothic, "for as long as you've been alive you've had bruja ways; even your mother will begrudge you that much" (53).  Beli, the mother, is so unattractive and uncool as a child she is unnoticed and ignored by everyone.  The story states, "she had no power or beauty" (81).  It seems as though this family is very unfortunate in carrying out the stereotype of the Dominican Republic ways.  Things do start to look up for this family, however, but not in the way that we would think.  Oscar goes off to college after taking the SAT's.  Lola travels to the Dominican Republic and gets her act together (for a while).  Beli hits puberty and begins to gain attention from boys.  I am unsure so far what Diaz is trying to make of these cultural stereotypes, but I am certain he is at work trying to relay a message about them.