Yunior’s Role Models

Blog Post 3

 

Rafa and Yunior’s father have a powerful but damaging effect on him as role models. Through their constant displays of violence and adulterous behavior, they accelerate his maturity at an age that is far too early.

Violence is very common for Yunior. When he is not being conditioned “to get tougher” (Diaz 14) by his older brother, he is always in fear of his father’s violent behavior. According to Yunior, something as much as a glance from his father enough to hurt him. He mentions he is afraid of “…this one look, furious and sharp, that always left me feeling bruised” (Diaz 28). Yunior’s father is clearly a greater source of fear and pain than his brother. He enjoys actually spending time with his brother despite the aggressive behavior they constantly engage in. Both sons are subject to their father’s wrath, but considering Rafa’s extra beatings, Yunior is definitely subjected to the heaviest load of physical pain.

From early on in his life, Yunior becomes desensitized to the mistreatment of women. At the very beginning of the novel, the audience learns about Rafa’s womanizing habits. Yunior spends a lot of time with Rafa, which leads to him hearing about all his brother’s escapades with girls. “He’d take the campo girls down to the dams to swim and if he was lucky they let him put it in their mouths or in their asses” (Diaz 5). Even though he has sexual relations with many girls, Yunior’s description suggests that Rafa’s interest in girls is solely for physical enjoyment instead of emotional gain. Similar to his brother, Yunior’s father has a mistress that everyone in the family seems to know about. Yunior is fully aware of his father’s extramarital affair because he rides along to visit her one-day. When his dad and the lady go upstairs, Yunior is forced to sit downstairs alone and ponder. “I just sat there, ashamed, expecting something big and fiery to crash down on our heads” (Diaz 36). Even though Yunior is accustomed to his brother’s behavior, he does not approve of his dad’s infidelity. The combined influence of the males in his family leaves Yunior without any real idea of how to properly treat a woman. The way he cares about his mother’s well being is the only display of chivalrous behavior that Yunior expresses. 

Yunior's forced maturity is dangerous. It does not promote moral behavior and thus allows him to continue to develop criminal behavior, such as shop lifting (Diaz 97), instead.