Sunday, July 12, 2015

What is the summary for Chapter 2 of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao?

The second section, "The Moronic Inferno," deals with Oscar's high school life at Don Bosco Tech. Oscar found life at this all-boys Catholic school run by Salesian Fathers and Brothers stressful to say the least.

In his sophomore year, Oscar weighed a good two hundred and ten pounds which would increase by another ten pounds whenever he was depressed. At school he was like most other kids, "throughout high school he did the ususal ghettonerd things." His main interest was "the end of the world," and he voraciously read all the available books on that topic: "he devoured every book he could find that dealt with the End Times." However, there was one very serious shortcoming, "he didn't date no one. Didn't even come close." This despite the fact that he was inside a very passionate and affectionate lover. Sadly, no girl in the neighbourhood was aware of his capacity for love and affection.

Being a Dominican negro his virginity and his lack of girlfriends was often the topic of discussion at home.  Every one had some advice or the other to offer to him. Oscar's sister, Lola would warn him rather ominously, "you're going to die a virgin."

Oscar's sister, who had been raped by a senior when she was only in the sixth grade, was well versed in matters concerning love and sex. She had cut her hair short and was quite a rebel, who would "say anything to anybody." She would often advise Oscar, who true to his character wouldn't listen to her. The narrator would later get to date Lola in college. Currently however, Lola was dating "a failed welter weight boxer Golden Gloves boxer." Lola's three friends--Gladys, Marisol and Leticia--dated the macho weightlifting types. The three "sex kittens" provided enough titillation for Oscar when they visited his sister. Much to Oscar's discomfort, completely oblivious of his presence but well within his hearing, they would loudly prattle on and on about their sex lives. In short, "he was one of those niggers who didn't have any kind of hope."

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