Identity Crisis Through Intergenerational Trauma in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

With racial harmony being the zeitgeist of many political rhetoric across world, discourses on understanding ethnicities and nations that go through troubled history are as important ever. Intergenerational trauma is ubiquitous in discussing fictional works involve themes tantamount to significant events like World War II, segregation, gender discrimination family institutions, strife, which core narrative Junot Diaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life Oscar Wao. objective this research fill gap left previous presence trauma, where most focus only intergenerational aspect plot contributes not Oscar’s struggles with Dominican identity crisis resulted from said trauma. methodology will be using exploring Mervyn Bendle’s four modern problems crisis, first self seen an inner place can examined by narrator, second idea human potential, third crumbling hierarchy, lastly, change self-definition. concludes main character’s he both American a Dominican, result fear towards long deceased Republic’s infamous dictator, Rafael Trujillo. was reinforced protagonist’s upbringing, causing him bear consistent resentment society his brief lifetime. It suggested future examine other or communities affected similar traumas fiction, so much greater case built gaining better insight how such external tormentor burden generations come.