Blog Post 4

In the Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao the most important character is one that does not even have a name. This character is the so called "faceless man" and he shows up many times throughout the book. However it seems as though this character only appears when someone is in trouble. I feel as though the shadowy figure represents the loss of identity that Dominicans face under this terrible dictatorship. In class some said that it represents the helplessness of the Dominicans and I tend to agree with this idea. But I would like to take it a step further and say that the faceless man is almost mocking the characters in the book, reminding them of what they have become. A human who has lost their individuality and personality. The faceless man is a figure that challenges others to stand up for themselves, to not become what he is. This seems impossible under a dictatorship but I believe it is better to stand up for yourself even if the consequences are harsh and this is what the faceless man is trying to tell the characters in Oscar Wao.