The Role Of Good And Evil In “The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao”

Cabrals, along with many other Dominican Families, claim to have “been victim[s] of high-level Fuku” (p.154). The Cabrals are plagued with bad luck so often that it doesn’t seem like luck. They become helpless in their situation. Only one explanation can be given: Fuku. Magic realism is a way to explain the origins of the curse and how characters can get rid of it. The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao By Juno Diaz, references of Fuku and Zafa are explained through Galactus and Mongoose.

From the very beginning, power is an important theme in the Epigraph. It is written, “Of how much importance are brief, a nameless lives…to Galactus?” Galactus has a godlike appearance and uses his powers mercilessly. Assuming that Trujillo and Oscar are the two characters from the book, we can assume that Galactus is Trujillo and the “brief, anonymous” life is Oscar. Oscar is not productive, but when compared with Trujillo (the man who changed all the Dominican Republic monuments for himself), one cannot help wondering about his life’s value. In the epigraph for the second section, it is stated that “Men Are Not Unavoidable.” Trujillo’s irreplaceable. Trujillo does not exist as a person. He is a cosmic power… Anyone who compares him with his contemporaries makes a mistake. He is one of the people “born with a unique destiny” (p.204). The reader is forced to consider not just Oscar but also all of the Cabrals. Galactus is more powerful. They are not as powerful as Galactus. Magical realism is infused into the novel when real characters are given magical abilities to explain their power dynamics.

Trujillo is a powerful man, but humans such as those of the Cabral clan cannot combat him. This forces them to accept Trujillo’s supernatural cursing powers – the fuku. Abelard, who is in a state of distress, realizes the gravity of the situation and declares, “I am the father to my family!” Marcus responds, “It’s me who makes the decisions!” Trujillo has the presidency and you have the role of doctor. Abelard says, “But it’s not right!” (p. 229). Marcus is trying to convey his knowledge of Trujillo’s evil powers, but Abelard becomes enraged. Abelard understands the supernatural abilities that Trujillo uses in his interactions and says, “But it’s not human.” Abelard is fighting the power structures. Trujillo curses his family because he did not follow the advice of his friend. His lineage, two generations down the road, always “start at the same point: Abelard’s Bad Thing about Trujillo.” Cabrals previously belonged to “the Fortunate People”, and had not been affected by Trujillo. As soon as a family is affected by the power disruption, all bad events become a testament to the fuku that has been imposed on them.

Fuku’s ripple effects are widespread. First of all, there are deaths among the Cabrals. This sudden death is tragic and many. Beli was sold to a stranger in another part Azura, the youngest and last daughter. The number of horrors makes it impossible for the events to have happened by chance. Of course, Fuku is responsible. Trujillo is able to take over the entire family with his evil power. She is cursed, and the curse also affects Oscar’s depression. The pattern of the curse is linear.

The culture has a sense of helplessness, which makes it difficult to appreciate good things. The town is divided over the incident after the Elvises beat Beli. They argue about “Fuku Vs. Zafa”. Her second confrontation with the evil ruler was seen by some as a bad omen, while for others it was a blessing. “[La Inca] thought that Beli’s encounter with God on that canfield was not a punishment, but a blessing until her death. Beli said, “I saw something,” with caution (p. 152). Accepting spontaneously occurring good events would also force them accept that they can occur spontaneously when bad events are present, thus discrediting their fuku theory. In order to explain this, they create explanations. Some believe in a counter-curse and others in God. Their interaction shows that they both believe in something greater. La Inca did not believe Beli’s strength to overcome the situation on her behalf, so she believed a religious higher power. Beli’s language makes it clear that she is reluctant to accept God as a manifestation. Beli is reluctant to admit her involvement with magic. She believes that admitting a Mongoose’s magical nature, or that it was a zafa (magical counter-curse), would imply that there had been a “fuku”. It would reinforce the helplessness and need for a magical solution.

Beli refused to acknowledge it in front of others, but for her the Mongoose provided the hope and guidance she needed. She saw the chabine eye of the creature flashing through the cane stalks as she stumbled out. Yo me llamo sueno de la madrugada. The cane was not happy that she left, but it did want her back. It jabbed and slashed into her palms. It is said that the cane slashes and claws, giving it an animal-like appearance. Mongoose is called “the dream of sunrise” in Spanish. Dawn represents a fresh start and the ability to reinvent yourself. Beli interrupts with the hope of an improved tomorrow. She grasps “the faces” of the children she has promised, which gives her strength to keep going (p. 151). The various descriptions show the reader the Mongoose’s power. The Mongoose uses its power as an “ally of Man” to give hope to those who are in need and to fight Trujillo, a non-human being (p.151). La Inca also had a similar understanding of God. The Mongoose embodies the Zafa. He gives power back to the “brief namesless lives” that Trujillo was suppressing.

Oscar is unable to believe the Mongoose’s story because the Trujillo Fuku is so deeply embedded in him. Oscar did not change after seeing ‘the Golden Mongoose.’ He simply shook off his swollen brow. He says that when questioned “It’s the curse” (p.194). He is no longer able to hope. Beli did not have the same experience as the Mongoose. Oscar already knows Ybon by the time he encounters the Mongoose a second time. The Mongoose presents him with an ultimatum. “What’s it going to be, muchacho ?… MORE or LESS?” (p.301). Magic is turned into hope. This transforms the futile attitude of fuku-inflicted people to one that embraces new life. He is able, by recognizing all of his blessings and taking into account the curse that has been placed on him, to break free. Hope and the will to live are given to him. Hope is the power of survival.

The Mongoose character’s temporary hope allows them to move towards a permanent solution. Oscar finishes his novel in the final days of his life. In the conclusion, he says that “[he] believes [Lola]’s needs will be met… (Its the cure [for what is ailing [them ]…)”) (p.333). Oscar is motivated to continue living after the Mongoose gave him his ultimatum. He begins to love. He returns with a renewed sense of vitality to Dominican, now free from the effects of the fuku. In writing the novel, he hopes to permanently zafa Trujillo’s destructive curse. “The only issue [is], it never came!” (p.334). The fuku is preventing its own destruction. Two generations had to pass before the Mongoose could be understood as a source of hope. Another two may be needed for this hope to be translated into an action – the working zafa. This would return the human power that Trujillo’s super-natural power had evicted.

Fuku and Zafa manifest as the fight between Trujillo’s Curse and Mongoose’s Reprieve. They do so because they don’t have to take responsibility for their misfortune. The majority of Dominican families also believe in fuku as most had relatives who lived under Trujillo’s reign. This cycle is oppression. Oscar’s “Wonderfulness” is due to the disruption he brought about in this cycle. His comic-book obsession led him to use Galactus’s magic on Trujillo. It’s his cure for fuku, both for Cabral family members and all Dominicans who have a heritage from the Trujillo regime.