Race and Culture in the Literary Work of Wendy Chang and...

Race and culture, constantly interrelated, have long been key components of everyday life and social order in society. With many various cultures and races slowly churning into a large melting pot, there are still many limitations to which particular races have inherited constant discrimination and marginalization. In a country that pride’s itself of liberty and justice for all, there remain instances of discrimination that are faced by individuals that don’t fit the â€Å"model minority†. Legal and cultural borders have been erected and have forced some in and many out of the American ideal. Wendy Chang and Junot Diaz’s work delineate the ways in which race and culture play a role in assessing and shaping American identity through the development of a hybrid culture, the institution of homeownership and the ultimately the practice of polyculturalism. In attempts to solidify a sole American entity, there are various cultural and legal boundaries that individuals face on an everyday basis, particularly post-colonial immigrants. In Junot Diaz’ The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Oscar de Leon’s disconnection from the society around him is continuously portrayed. Born and raised in New Jersey to Dominican parents, Oscar De Leon’s experience is an example of how cultural borders play a role in everyday life. Oscar struggles to reconcile into the American culture, and also fails at blending into the Dominican culture he inherited from his immediate family. Oscar instills a sense