Díaz’s book, “The Brief Wondrous
Life of Oscar Wao”, provides a real sense of war through the trials of life.
The novel explores various characters who each face problems of their own. In
particular, one character who must fight her own war in life is La Inca. The
author describes La Inca as one who “had a mind like a mongoose” (p. 157). The
theme of the mongoose floods the book. While it might seem odd, the footnotes
explain how the mongoose was a creature who was a sort of enemy to authority
and an ally to the common man. The mongoose could survive and persevere through
much tribulation. The mongoose is also the creature that is renowned for killing
snakes which are commonly recognized as a representation of evil. In this
sense, the mongoose is a kind of hero.
In this phrase within the novel,
this short excerpt sheds light on the character of La Inca and her approach to
life. La Inca is a woman who is a fighter. She withstands tribulation and is
relentless in survival. She is also a character who is an ally to the common
man. An example of this can be seen with Oscar. He can be seen as a kind of
average person who deserves no special attention. La Inca, however, shows
special care to him, and Oscar’s time living with her is one of the best times
in his life. In manners of looking after her daughter and granddaughter, La
Inca is the type who will “fight off the snakes” to protect those whom she
loves (or feels compelled to care for). In a war full of violence, pain, and
war (in terms of personal struggles in life), La Inca is a warrior and a hero
to other characters.
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