...queerness, shamelessness, and familial relations within this selection, it is his use of language that proves most intriguing. Rather than simply describing the struggles of adapting to a new language or customs, Diaz portrays how, at an early age, he manipulated language as a tool to makes sense of his new hybrid identity. The use of language in Junot Diaz’s Drown is spare and unadorned, often rendered in "Spanglish," an unpredictable mixture of both English and Spanish. Diaz uses Spanish words in the midst of standard English sentences to fortify the differences between Dominican and American cultures. Although, the integration of street slang with Spanish may confound the typical reader, it accurately depicts the taxing experience of new immigrants struggling to make sense of new phenomena in the United States and engages the harsh reality of the multilingualism. The difference in language between the Dominican and...
Words: 1680 - Pages: 7
...In history, people often look over Latin America and their fight for independence is often forgotten. One instance of a disremembered independence is the Dominican Republic’s underground revolution against dictatorship under Trujillo. In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez retells the story of the Mirabal sisters and their sacrifice for change. The four Mirabal sisters (Patria, Dede, Minerva, and Maria Teresa) work as a unit along with others to raise awareness against oppression. Although Dede is the only one to survive, the sisters are well known in Latin America for their efforts. In Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s speech, “The Solitude of Latin America,” his statement rings true when he explains that “In spite of [a history of violence],...
Words: 867 - Pages: 4
...Today all the Mirabal sisters are honored and recognized as heroines in the Dominican Republic for exposing Rafael Trujillo true colors. He was a cold person who thought that everything was on his time. He also thought that he could make everyone like him and do what he said, but little did he know that he was going to meet a person that change all that and lead to his death six months after the girls died. There’s a lot you will get know about the sisters and what they did to try to get freedom in the Dominican Republic and how they were punished for trying to gain their freedom. What they did took a lot of courage, love and, sacrifice and a lot of hearts were broken throughout everything that happen. Patria the oldest sister she was the sister...
Words: 731 - Pages: 3
...LS 312 Ethics and the Legal Environment Unit 7 Assignment Amanda Card December 28, 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility and Stakeholders Clean Power Company faces many ethical dilemmas in moving its operations to the Dominican Republic on the Chavon River. There are U.S. employees who may be affected if they do not or cannot go to the new location. There are considerations for how new employees in the Dominican Republic will be compensated. These are economic concerns, though there are some legal concerns as well, for employees in the U.S. who are laid off. Ethical concerns surround running the sewer line directly into the Chavon River and whether wages offered to new employees will have enough of an impact to improve the quality of life. Philanthropic concerns include the building of the new school for the children in the community along the Chavon River. There are ethical issues from a legal perspective that surround the routing of the chemical waste into the Chavon River. Though the river is clean and large enough to handle waste, there may come a time in the future when it will not be able to absorb waste from Clean Power Company. Though Teltec has stated that running the waste directly into the river should be acceptable, there may be regulations in the country that Clean Power is not aware of. The organization must research this, to ensure it will be in compliance. Those who may be laid off in the U.S. operation are eligible for...
Words: 1217 - Pages: 5
...behalf and for the media to do less. These Americans who are affiliated with Baptist churches in Idaho went to aid Haitians after the Jan. 12 earthquake. They were arrested for trying to take 33 Haitian children to the neighboring Dominican Republic. The Americans claimed the children were orphaned but some of the children said they had parents. The Americans are charged with kidnapping and criminal association. The detainees worry that their arrest is taking focus from the quake disaster. American officials say they intend to let the Haitian justice system take its course and the Haiti prime minister is considering letting them be tried in the U.S. I feel that these fellow Americans had good intentions but took it to far. Just because the Haitian government is in crisis does not mean that the laws should be ignored. We have seen kids being allowed to come and get medical help in the U.S. legally. We’ve seen couples who were already in the adoption process being able to bring their children so it’s not like there were no other options. I feel that these Americans should be held accountable. I also feel that they knew what they were doing was wrong or they would have took them to an airport not try take them across the border to the neighboring Dominican...
Words: 251 - Pages: 2
...to an area that was mainly fish and wild game. The Native Americans taught the Spaniards about the fruits and vegetables in the area. These include plantains, hearts of palm, and yucca fruit. The Native Americans also taught the Spaniards how to fish and prepare seafood. The blended cooking style of the Spanish and French is the base of Floribbean (Chef Jon, 2013).. Floribbean cuisine influence comes from the Bahamas, Cuba, and Jamaica. Floribbean variety of taste stems from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. Floribbean cuisine is called “New World Cuisine”. The food is infused with mango, citrus flavors, and Florida's exotic fruits. The use of local produce, fish, and seafood with traditional uncommon spices make the food one of a kind (Chef Jon, 2013). In the 1950’s, when Cubans came to Florida is when the most influence of Floribbean Cuisine came about (Nemes, 2007). Cubans mixed Spanish flavors with Caribbean ingredients. More influences came from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua, and other South American countries. There is a huge emphasis on using fresh food in Floribbean cooking (Nemes, 2007). There is a large variety of fruits and fruit juices used in the cuisine. Floribbean Cuisine uses ingredients such as calabeza, banana leaf, banana pepper, boniato, adobo, avocado, annatto, coconut, grouper, and guava, heart of palm, passion fruit, and plantains. Some Floribbean dishes include conch chowder, plantain chips, blackened grouper, and chicken...
Words: 520 - Pages: 3
...There are numerous health problems in small towns in Dominican Republic, because their government does not provide cleaned piped water. As a result, drinking and bathing water are usually dirty and this causes diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis, as well as skin and eye diseases. Also, they have a constant problem of rolling blackouts. Even though most places have backup generators, they still their problems are starting to get them involve in lawsuits. The American Peace Corps could do a lot to solve these problems. For example, they could work with the natives to get clean supply of piped water to individual houses or, at least, to neighborhoods by sending a Water Systems Engineer. This would make drinking water safe and reduce infections. In addition, the Peace Corps could also provide an Electrical Systems Engineer who could also work with Dominican Republic engineers to get adequate power to their homes and businesses. If the Peace Corps took these steps, the result would be a safer, healthier environment for the Dominican Republic. Furthermore, the improvements would also lead to increased employment opportunities in areas such as construction, water department, and power and electrical department. This also could establish better relations for trade with the Dominican Republic. Even though people think of its Government as corrupt, that doesn’t mean the people should be punished. Resources: 1. . (n.d) from Peace Corps Web Site: https://sjobs.brassring...
Words: 285 - Pages: 2
...The Dominican Republic is unique from all other Latin American nations in part because its heritage relates to Haitian cultural traditions rather than solely Spanish ones much like the rest of Latin America (Brown & Standish, 1999). In fact, the Dominican Republic received its independence from Haiti not Spain (Brown & Standish, 1999). This is not to say that Spanish colonial influences are not evident in the country; in fact they are widespread, particularly within the realm of architectural structures and art. The official religion of the Dominican Republic is Roman Catholicism (Brown & Standish, 1999:69). More than 90% of the citizens living in this country are Roman Catholic. There are other religions prevalent in the country however including Protestantism and the traditional religious system of native Taino Indians, who practice cohoba religious ceremonies and also Gaga, which is the Dominican version of voodooism (Brown & Standish, 1999). For this reason some cultural aspects of the religion are seen by outsiders as ‘evil' or foreign, because they are largely misunderstood. Customs in the Dominican Republic are tough to originate in part from the Cibao area, settled back in colonial times (Brown & Standish, 1999). This area brings with it many native traditions including traditional foods consumed within the Dominican Republic, discussed below. Common foods include coffee, hot cocoa, ham and cheese, fruit, papaya and friend eggs (Brown & Standish...
Words: 830 - Pages: 4
...Renta was born on July 22, 1932 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, a tropical Island in the Caribbean. Born to a very prominent Dominican Family, Oscar Aristides de la Renta Fiallo was introduced to the Arts since early age. His upbringing in the Dominican Society provided him with an extra eye for beauty and style. Influenced by his mother, Maria Antonia Fiallo, young Oscar learned to appreciate high quality fabrics and beautiful clothes in a time and in a place where only few had access to luxury. In the 1930’s, the Dominican Island was under the dictatorship regimen of General Trujillo, civil rights violations, aggressions to the poor, and restrictions were part of the everyday life in those years. Due to his family status, Oscar was able to grow in a protected, secure and calm environment. His warm and generosity showed since an early age. Carrillo gives us an inside of this side of Oscar in those years in the following passage from his book: “There were many poor people in Santo Domingo, and Oscar became friends with a boy from a poor neighborhood. When his friend came over to play in the afternoon, Oscar always gave him some food that he had saved from his own lunch” (1). We can see how growing up in a tropical paradise, full of colors and mysticism, injected Oscar with the energy and love for color that is highly acclaimed in his designs. His craft showed first at La Escuela de Bellas Artes La Merced, the Dominican national art school, which he attended with the support...
Words: 2342 - Pages: 10
...history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.”- Michael Crichton. If history is unknown to us how would we appreciate the present times? Participating to tours that shows and imparts the history of something is a great opportunity to see and reflect why and what life has been today. Last September 23, 2015, Wednesday, together with my classmates we are blessed to witness historical places like the St. Dominic Parish Church and the Bataan Tourism Center which caters different historical events and contributions of our fellow Filipinos here at Bataan. First stop is the Saint Dominic Parish Church which is known as Abucay Church, located at Brgy. Laon, Abucay, Bataan. The church is founded by Dominican Missionary Friars and built to be dedicated to St. Dominic de Guzman. This church witnessed the massacre of hundreds of Filipinos and Spaniards by the Dutch invaders. The building is more than 400 years old and one of the oldest church in the Philippines. The making of St. Dominic Parish Church was headed by Father Geronimo de Belen in early 1600s. Saint Dominic Church once suffered by a horrible damage because of the earthquake but still survived. On the later years it was destroyed by fire but was revived and reconstructed under Father Jose Diego Pelaez. This only shows how much we value our church as much as we value our creator. Second stop is the Bataan Tourism Center which is located at Roman Highway, Balanga, Bataan. Bataan Tourism...
Words: 472 - Pages: 2
...my motherland such as the beautiful smell of my island.” The decision to leave my country was the hardest decision for me because I didn't want to leave my cultural background, friends and family. However, I had to leave because my parents wanted me to study in the United States. It was a hard choice to leave my beautiful island in the Dominican Republic. I left when I was just 16 years old. I was taken to study in the United States because my grandmother was living here. My parents wanted the best for me, but I was very scared. Moving overseas to a new culture that you know almost nothing was hard for me. I had already my identity as Dominican and I didn’t want to lose that. I knew I was going to miss my favorite food the” mangu”, and my dear music “el merengue”. When I first got here I felt strange. The language that I’ve always spoken was gone” My lindo español”. Some people say that go to another school is simple however it isn't on account of it is not the same thing that is in your nation. There are new classes, another language and that is another hard step. I had a lot of friends in the Dominican Republic, however throughout my entire life, I have had only one best friend, Maria Elena. We have experienced a lot together. We have been friends since 3rd grade. She has been very supportive to me, especially when I lost my father. I have made new friends now, but I still miss her. I think the choice of my parents was great because now I have new friends...
Words: 416 - Pages: 2
...Not So Wondrous: The effects of a brutal dictatorial regime illustrated by Junot Diaz The brutality of the Trujillo Regime lasted for thirty years. Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina was named the ruler of the Dominican Republic in 1930, and continued his tyranny until his assassination in 1961. El Jefe, as he was often referred to, (meaning “the boss”) was originally an army general, and took power as a dictator following the rule and overthrow of Horacio Vasquez. Under Trujillo’s rule, the intense violence in the country became overwhelming. Though he officially stepped down as president almost ten years before his assassination, he continued his command as an unelected military dictator (“History of the Dominican Republic”). Trujillo, in true dictator form, preformed horrible acts of violence. In the 1930’s, he developed a term of racial discrimination against dark-skinned Haitians called “Antihaitianismo,” and in 1937, he was responsible for the slaughter of thousands of Haitian cane-workers. He also abused his position by taking unfair advantage over Dominican citizens. “El Jefe” had the right to any woman of his choice, regardless of their age or marital status. These women were taken without consent, abused, and raped. In order to keep his people under control, Trujillo had a way of taking care of anyone who opposed these horrible acts. Torture and murder of all who opposed was very common, and always kept quiet. One of the only truly publicized cases...
Words: 2165 - Pages: 9
...grandmother often by her family members. “Ella tiene el pelo bueno”(She has good hair), another phrase. “Tienes que tener cuidado con ella, porque tal vez trujillo se la coge” (You have to be careful with her because trujillo might want her), the scariest and most worrying of the phrases that were said to her. Early Life: In order to understand the life of my grandmother, you must understand the historical events that had occurred around the time my grandmother was born. My grandmother was born on July 1, 1940. A chaotic time period in regards to world history. So much had happened within such a small period of jtime, within the Dominican Republic, the United States of...
Words: 785 - Pages: 4
...footsteps and becomes a true mariposa. Personal and intimate encounters with the malices of society, causes the Mirabal sisters, Minerva, Mate and Patria, to become radicalized. As children, most of the sisters are quite different souls than they are when they are adults, and this change can be attributed to their mortifying experiences during life. Whether these incidences completely changed who they were, or simply enhanced the values they already had, the personal confrontations with tragedy created who they were the day that they died. Without having the girls endure these hardships, las mariposas would never have become the face of the revolution, and for all anyone knows, Trujillo and his rein could have continued to terrorize the Dominican Republic until his unjust rein ended. ...
Words: 940 - Pages: 4
...He’s getting them ready to also be thrown on to the stovetop. My mother is eyeing him just to make sure he is doing everything correctly. As I sit down at the table my mother hands me a mug with clouds of steam rising out the top. I pick up the mug and sip the sweet coffee as I shut my eyes. It was just how I like it. As the coffee runs down my throat it reminds me of being in Dominican Republic where the coffee is always perfect, and even though it is close to 100 degrees outside you still want to have a cup. The Dominican Republic, where the sun is always bright, yellow and shining. The ocean is forever clear, blue, and refreshing. The food is always fresh, well seasoned, and made with love. The people smile at you with happy and glowing faces. This is where my...
Words: 941 - Pages: 4
