Abstract
This study proposes the silence that defined Junot Díaz, as revealed in his New Yorker (2018) essay “The Silence,” also permeates his fiction. I explore how the artistic and ideopolitical function of silence in Drown (1996) informs violence and masculinity. The representations of sound and its absence, though seemingly innocuous, articulate hierarchies that reinforce and contest masculine codes, while gestures transform them. Drown’s stories are “moment of truth” narratives predicated on the rupture of silence and subsequent protagonist development. This essay elucidates Yunior’s complex relation to silence and his evolution from vocal boy to reticent adolescent and, eventually, to the author-narrator of the collection’s stories.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
