Krysten Plahm
Visiting Writers Paper
EN393
Immigrant Nation
Immigration is one of the most heated topics throughout the world. The topics of
poverty and racism also surface once this sore subject is discussed. All of these aspects
that come with immigration can be viewed as either beneficial or damaging towards the
ultimate goal of the United States, ‘The American Dream’. Junot Diaz’s Drown, is a
collection of short stories that tell of the contemporary misery and urban despair that can
grow from poverty and distance from one’s own cultural setting. It also illustrates how
immigration affect’s the characters on a day to day basis. Jeffery Hunter, author of
Contemporary Literary Criticism writes, “Themes of poverty, drugs, sex, and family,
turmoil link all of these short stories” (1). Immigration occurs within the United States as
well. The topics of race and poverty are sensitive subjects around the country. As of now
though, The United States is unaware of the fact that they have only benefited from this
cycle of immigration. Assimilation and change comes with this immigration cycle. These
aspects have only benefitted the United States for the future.
The immigration history of the United States is comparable to the Dominican
Republic’s history. The issues of poverty and racism that are faced by the characters
within Drown are quite similar to the ones faced by the immigrants of the United States.
Diaz’s short stories reflect the experiences that immigrants go through within the
Dominican Republic, New York, and New Jersey. They are all human beings just like the
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citizens of the United States and deserve an equal opportunity to become successful for
the future. Therefore immigration within the United States is an intrinsic part of the
American Dream and it should be allowed to continue with little to no problems at all.
Poverty and racism within the Dominican Republic has had many affects on its
country. The people of this country struggle to find the bare necessities for their survival
and unfortunately are very judgmental of one another. This paper will first focus on the
problem with poverty within both the United States and the Dominican Republic. Then it
will be directed towards the racism found in both countries and how it affected the
countries individually. Lastly it will discuss how immigration within both countries is
evident and how the United States benefits from this never ending cycle. Connections
between racism, poverty, immigration and the character’s experiences within Junot
Diaz’s novel Drown will be related to throughout this claim.
Poverty within the Dominican Republic is a huge problem within this country.
People are suffering everyday and are willing to do just about anything for their survival.
Even though the Dominicans were apart of this horrible situation, they were able to make
the best of it back in the day. Susan E. Brown’s article, Coping with Poverty in the
Dominican Republic, discuses how the Dominicans dealt with the poverty issues within
their country. She writes, “These villagers were relatively successful peasants living in an
underdeveloped society” (1). Since they were living in an ‘underdeveloped society’ the
Dominicans were automatically labeled as immigrants because they did not have the
same economic status as citizens of the United States. These citizens did not have an
understanding how desperate the Dominicans were when they were coping with their
poverty.
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In Junot Diaz’s Drown, Yunior recalls about how poverty is apart of his life. It is
what he is used to and that he was able to look at the brighter side of things. Diaz writes,
“We were poor. The only way we could have been poorer was to have lived in the campo
or to have been Haitian immigrants…We didn’t eat rocks but we didn’t eat meat or beans
either” (70). This description of Yunior’s life is only a glimpse of what he went through
within his life of poverty. This lifestyle has seriously affected the decisions that Yunior
has chosen for himself. For example, Yunior turns to alcohol and drugs to escape the life
that he lives in. He chooses to run to his current love interest, Aurora’s, home to drink
beer and smoke heroine in order to escape from his reality. His decision to partake in
drugs and alcohol shows that people in poverty have nothing to live for and just live for
the next best thing. For Yunior’s case, drugs are the most important thing within his life
at the moment because of his current situation with poverty.
Even though the Dominican Republic has had trouble with its poverty situation,
the United States has suffered economically as well. The Great Depression was a
devastating experience for all Americans. There are even people today who can still
recall what they went through when they were in poverty. There were many factors that
contributed to this horrible time period. Lonna Douglas’s viewpoint of within her article
Causes of the Great Depression: History in Dispute, discusses these main factors and
how all of them are to blame. “The Great Depression was caused by a decline in spending
and consumption in the United States, not simply by the stock-market crash or the
mistakes of the federal reserve” (1). All of these factors contributed to the significant loss
of money from all of the citizens. People were desperate for money in this moment in
time. At this point people from the United States could relate to those in the Dominican
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Republic because of the lifestyles that they were forced to leave given their current
situation. The Great Depression is a time period that will never be forgotten by any
citizen of the United States. It reminds the Americans that they should take advantage of
the life they lead today because without a stable financial background they would be in
the situation that some Dominicans live today.
In Drown, the short story “Anguantado” discusses how Yunior is constantly
reminded of the fact that his father left him to go to New York for a better future. The
reasoning behind his father’s departure was because of the current economic situation
they were living in. He believed that he would be able to start over with a new life and
never look back at his past again. His father’s departure had affected his home life as
well. Yunior recalls, ‘“She worked at Embajador Chocolate putting ten-twelve hour shifts
for almost no money at all” (83). His family suffered greatly after his father’s departure.
His mother was barely making ends meet in order to provide for her family. Yunior
thought if he had the chance to move to the United States, he would be able to live a more
successful life like his dad. Unfortunately, his dreams never came true.
Racism within the Dominican Republic is common throughout the country. One
simple comment can single out and individual within a blink of an eye. This judgmental
nature comes from the racial legacies from different cultures. In David Howard’s
Coloring the Nation: Race and Ethnicity in the Dominican Republic, discusses how racial
legacies surfaced in the Dominican Republic’s past. Howard writes, “Racial legacies are
of primary importance of the Dominican Republic where cultural, linguistic, and
religious differences are limited” (2). This limitation has affected the citizens because
they are limited to freedom of expression of their race. Howard continues, “Racial
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differences are manipulated through the unequal standing and significance given to the
European, African and ingenious ancestries” (2). Racism is a huge problem within the
Dominican society. It is freely expressed throughout the country without any restrictions
against it. People push the limits to their ‘freedom of speech’ and think that they are able
to say whatever they want to whomever they want. Singling out those of a different race
within the Dominican Republic is unacceptable and rude. People need to understand that
everyone is a human being and that they deserve to be treated as an equal.
Racial comments are evident within Junot Diaz’s novel Drown. Yunior feels as if
he is able to call a person by their race and rather than their name. For example when
Rafa described Yunior as a young boy he would refer him to as “It’s the Haitian” (5)
instead of his name. He did not feel as if Yunior was worthy of being called by his name
and it was his only solution to making Yunior feel as if he was a part of a lower class
compared to him and his friends. Another instance where racial words were used within
the novel was when Yunior asks about where Aurora’s partner is, his choice of words are
“That’s all that nigger does” (49). Yunior uses the word ‘nigger’ quite frequently
throughout the novel when he refers to certain people. This word is one of the worse
derogatory descriptions one could call another person. The section in Drown labeled
“How to Date a Brown Girl, White Girl, or Halfie” is solely based off of description of
one’s race. He describes different dating scenarios that include women of different race.
“The white ones are the ones you want the most, aren’t they, but usually the out-of thetowners are black, black girls who grew up with ballet and Girl scouts who have three
cars in their driveways. If she’s a halfie don’t be surprised that her mother is white”
(145). His descriptions of women of different race are based off the color of their skin
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throughout this section. Racism is common throughout Yunior’s life and it was normal to
call someone by their racial identity.
Racism is not only common within the Dominican Republic, but the United States
as well. Immigrants are frequently judged by the color of their skin or ethnic background.
Some of these immigrants are even denied a job from companies just because of their
cultural identity. They are always looked down upon within society and are never given
an opportunity to be successful within the United States. The names Negros, Mexicans,
and Asians are just a few of the many common names that are used to describe an
immigrant of a different race. Another label for discrimination is called Racial Formation.
In Michael Omi’s and Howard Winant’s book, The Inequality Reader, describes how
racial formation works. They write, “Racial formation is the sociohistorcial process by
which racial categories are created, inhabited, transformed, and destroyed” (199). Racial
formation is frequent throughout the United States because people choose to label each
other by the color of their skin instead of recognizing that they are from a different
cultural identity.
The solution that helped this problem of racism in the United States was ‘The
American Dream.’ It was instilled in order to have all men and women to be created as
equal. Its main purpose was to build a cohesive American experience so that no man is
left behind and that they were all provided with an equal opportunity to be successful and
prosper. Another important aspect to the American Dream is that it provides the
opportunity for one’s children to grow up and receive and American education. With this
education, these children will be able to explore different career opportunities and have
the chance to be successful for the future. Overall, the American Dream provides an
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opportunity to give people the freedom of choice regardless of their class, religion, race,
or ethnic group.
Towards the end of the Junot Diaz’s Drown, Yunior and his family have the
choice to choose between two paths in life, The American Dream or the immigrant life of
a Dominican Republican. The first path is The American Dream. This path represents his
father and his possible success within the United States. Yunior hoped that this American
Dream could change his father and that he would return for his family to bring them back
to the United States. He even dreamt about his father’s success. “A man with swinging
hands and eyes like mine. He’d have gold on his fingers, cologne on his neck, a silk shirt,
and good leather shoes” (87). This description about his father’s potential success in the
United States matches the description of a person who is living the American Dream.
Yunior hoped that one day he would be able to escape his poor lifestyle of the Dominican
Republic and live the successful life of a citizen of the American Dream. Instead of being
with his father, Yunior has the choice to stay with his mother within the Dominican
Republic.
Even though Yunior lacks an appropriate father figure in his life, his mother is the
one who has sacrificed everything in order for them to survive within this lifestyle. The
only benefit for choosing this path for Yunior is that he is a part of his cultural identity.
Even though he is not financially stable, he is able to live the life of a true Dominican
Republic. During this time though, the American Dream sounds more appealing
compared to living in a poor area in the Dominican Republic.
If Yunior had chosen the path of the American Dream, he would have been able
to benefit the United States greatly. Even though immigrants who have entered into the
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United States are looked down upon, society does not realize how much of an advantage
they are to this country. Steven J. Gold’s article Immigration Benefits America, suggests
that immigrants who enter into the United States will shortly change its minority and
majority society. He writes, “Immigrants provide American society with social,
economic, and demographic benefits” (1). Immigrants are able to enhance the business
world of America. Gold mentions in his article, “These newcomers find employment in
well-paid occupations for which there is considerable demand” (2). The demands for
these well-paid occupations are essential for American citizens because these immigrants
are providing them an opportunity for a new career. Gold states, “Such educated migrants
work as scientists, technicians, engineers, economists, professors, physicians, nurses and
entrepreneurs.
The work of these skilled immigrants is also vital to the provision of a wide range
of services including healthcare, transportation and public works associated with the
standard of living and quality of life that Americans have come to expect” (2). The
success rate for these immigrants is possible once they are engaged within their career
opportunities within the Untied States. In regards to benefitting the United States
demographically, immigrants are able to help American businesses expand their clientele.
Gold writes, “Over and above their professional know-how, foreign- born workers often
possess linguistic, cultural, and technical skills and contacts that permit American
companies to sell goods and services abroad. In this way, their presence fosters American
firms’ access to global markets” (3). An immigrant’s cultural background gives these
businesses and advantage because they have the communication skills in other languages
that some American citizens may lack. Another aspect that immigrants help the American
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society is that they can increase their intellectual skills by attending a prestigious school.
Increasing their education inside the United States helps these immigrants understand
more about society as a whole. They will be able to understand and improve their social
skills so that they are able to communicate with one another in the same language.
Providing immigrants with a higher level of education benefits the United States because
they are able to create well - rounded people who are able to adapt to American culture.
Yunior’s dreams and aspirations to be a part of the American Dream are apparent
in Diaz’s Drown. He frequently wishes throughout then novel that his father would come
back to the Dominican Republic for his family to take them away from their current
living situation. If this dream was reality, Yunior would have the opportunity to change
his old habits. Unfortunately his dream never came true and resorts to horrible choices.
He chooses to cover up his sorrows up with drugs, sex, and violence in order to escape
from his ultimate dream. This escape mechanism is not a good choice for Yunior because
he can hurt his chances for actually having a chance to be a part of the American Dream.
He needs to make the best of his current situation and just push himself harder to be a
better person in general. The American Dream can also help inspire Yunior to be a proper
role model for younger immigrants that are currently in a situation like his. His story
could make an impact on these individuals and they can work together to change the
Dominican Republic to be a better place to live and hopefully continue their efforts
towards the bigger goal in life, which is to live the American Dream.
To recap, immigrants are essential to the United State’s growth as a country. They
can contribute many different types of attributes that can only enhance the image of the
United States alone. Unfortuantely immigrants are quicly judged based off their history
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but once they are given a chance, they can change the world for the better. The characters
in Junot Diaz’s novel Drown exploit the different types of problems that an average
immigrant goes through on a daily basis. Given the opportunity to be a part of the
American Dream, they can make the world a better place. Their efforts will be able to
culturally enhance the image of the United States. It will then be educated more about
different languages and it will help open doors to new opportunities with other countries.
Allowing immigrants into this country can only change the world for the better. They
have so much to offer and only have the country’s best interest at heart.
All of the articles within this article state the fact that immigrants within the
Untied States are beneficial for its success. Their claims and suggestions for
improvement are what inspire immigrants today to go for their dreams and aspirations.
The first thing that the United States needs to do though is to help stop the racism and
poverty within the Dominican Republic. With their efforts, they will be able to provide
opportunities that will hopefully help the immigrant’s future. All Yunior wanted for his
family was to be with his father and live the American Dream.
Overall, Immigrants are an intrinsic part of the American Dream. Unfortunately
they are restricted of this goal because of racism, poverty, and the label of being
‘immigrants.’ They should not be restricted to immigrating to the United States based off
their cultural identity and ethnic background because they are the ones who can help
improve the United States for the better. They deserve an equal opportunity to participate
within the American society. Since they are surrounded by poverty within their lives, it
makes it even more difficult for these citizens to survive. The characters in Junot Diaz’s
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novel Drown reflect all of these problems that an immigrant goes through on a daily
basis.
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Works Cited
Brown, Susan E. Coping with Poverty in the Dominican Republic: Women and their
Mates. Current Anthropology © 1973 The University of Chicago Press.
"Causes of the Great Depression." History in Dispute, Vol. 3: American Social and
Political Movements, 1900-1945. Robert J. Allison, ed. St. James Press, 2000.
Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale
Diaz, Junot. Drown. Boston: Riverhead Trade, 1997. Print
Gold, Steven J.. Immigrants Benefit America. East Lansing: Springer Science + Business
Media, LLC 2009, 2009. Print.
Howard, David. Coloring the Nation: Race and Ethnicity in the Dominican Republic.
Boulder & London: L. Rienner Publishers, 2001. Print.
Hunder, Jeffrey W. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Vol. 258. Detroit: Gale
Cengage Learning, 2008. p53-99.
Omi, Michael, and Howard Winant. The Inequality Reader: Contemporary and
Foundational Readings in Race, Class and Gender. Oxford: Westview Press,
2006. Print.
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