The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Main Ideas

• Fukú — a curse that haunts the de León family for generations.
• Identity and cultural heritage — an exploration of Dominican culture and the immigrant experience.
• Love and tragedy — romantic and family relationships that often end tragically.
• Isolation and loneliness — the main characters often feel isolated and misunderstood.
• Fantasy and reality — a blend of science fiction elements and real life.
• Historical trauma — the impact of Trujillo's dictatorship on the characters' lives.