The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Oscar is a sweet but disastrously overweight ghetto nerd who dreams of becoming the Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien and of finding love. Living in New Jersey with his old world mother and rebellious sister, Oscar struggles to fit into a culture obsessed with machismo.

Hovering over Oscar and his family is the fuku, a curse said to have haunted them for generations, following their journey from Santo Domingo to the United States. Through Oscar's story, the novel blends Dominican history, science fiction, political terror, and deeply human longing.

By turns funny, heartbreaking, and ferociously intelligent, this Pulitzer Prize winning novel explores identity, legacy, love, and the cost of telling one's own story.

1. What effect does the blending of Spanish and English have on the reading experience?

2. Why do you think Yunior serves as the primary narrator rather than a member of Oscar's family?

3. How do the footnotes shape your understanding of Dominican history?

4. In what ways are Oscar and Yunior foils for one another?

5. How does the idea of fuku operate literally and symbolically?

6. Why does Diaz reveal Oscar's fate early in the novel?

7. Who do you consider the true protagonist of the novel and why?

8. How are masculinity and power portrayed throughout the book?

9. What role do fantasy and science fiction play in Oscar's life?

10. Is Oscar heroic, foolish, or both?

11. How does generational trauma shape the characters' lives?

12. Why do you think the novel continues to resonate with book clubs today?

13. What role do female characters play in shaping the narrative?

14. How does storytelling function as power in the novel?

15. What does the mongoose symbolize throughout the story?

16. How does history influence personal identity in the novel?