Misplaced Loyalty Essay

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Tracy Rodda Mrs. L. Fountain English 101 10 April 2012 Misplaced Loyalty The short story Fiesta, 1980 by author Junot Diaz is remarkably similar to many families today. The theme of this story is dysfunction and infidelity. In this writing the author tells the account of a family of five that migrated to New York in the United States from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The main characters are Papi (the father), Mami (the mother), Rafa (oldest brother), Junior (middle brother) and Madai (youngest sister). Papi the father of the family is the bread winner, a terror to his family and having an extramarital affair with a Puerto Rican woman. The father has exposed both sons to his affair with this Puerto Rican woman; the exposure to this secret affair affects both sons emotionally, although in different ways. The role of the head of household is a very important leading position; infidelity in addition to abusive behavior can have families in a state of rigid tenseness in the presence of their leader, this type of dysfunction affects the future of the entire family. In Fiesta, 1980 the family was preparing to go to a party, in celebrations of their Aunt Yrma and Uncle Miguel’s arrival to the United States from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. They were waiting on their Papi (the father) to arrive from work, so they could leave for the gathering after Papi got dressed. They were all sure to be completely dressed and ready to go because according to Junior “If Papi had walked in and caught us lounging around in our underwear, man, he would have kicked our asses something serious” Diaz 171. This statement alone shows tension in the family, because of the father’s desire for them to be completely dressed, and displays Mami (the mother) as not having a voice. Once Papi arrived “he didn’t say anything to nobody, not even to Mami. He just pushed past her, held up
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