Father Figures in Latino Literature

Father Figures in Latino Literature

The Impact of Fathers child's relationship with their father has a profound effect on how they view the world for the rest of their lives. When one compares the father figures in Junot Diaz's Drown and Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John, one can see the dysfunction that results in the mind of a young person when they have a father that is not present in their lives.

Less than Perfect Father

Junot Diaz's Drown explores the emotional turmoil that defines adolescence. The story consists of a series of stories centered on a boy who grew up in the Dominical Republic and later moved to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. The father figure in Drown acts like the perfect, faithful patriarch of the family. However, Diaz soon learns of his father's infidelity and understands that there will be consequences as a result of his father's actions. The main character develops a sense of impending dread for the consequences of his father's actions. Although he is a child, he knows that his father's actions will be the downfall of the family.

Often, in cases of infidelity, the parent at fault will consider the children to be ignorant, thus creating an emotional safety net for themselves. In drown, the father considered the young boy to be ignorant of his actions, but in reality, the young boy understood more than his father gave him credit for and the father's actions caused the character excessive grief.

The father's actions in Drown are selfish. The father, upon moving to the United States, lost his entire life's savings. He wishes to marry a U.S. citizen as a fast ticket to becoming an American citizen himself in order to gain access to the prosperity that is supposedly open for the taking of all American citizens. He thinks about his family in Dominica, but continues with his plan, regardless of the consequences or whom it will hurt in the end.

In Drown, the father is anything but the perfect father figure. When the family finally arrives in the United States, they must endure his violent temper. His infidelity tears at the soul of the young immigrant. The father figure in Drown shows absolutely no sympathy when the main character becomes carsick. His lack of compassion for anyone but his own interests is astounding.

The father in Annie John presents a more traditional role model, preferring to give up his previous mistresses for the security of family life. Regardless of his past sins, this father presents a more traditional image of the perfect father who demonstrates public faithfulness to his wife and family. These two images of father demonstrate the differences in outcome for children who have a strong father figure in their lives and those that do not.

Differing Gender Roles

By comparison, Annie's father in Annie John appears as a gentle and compassionate man. Like the father in Diaz's Drown, the family had its roots in Dominica and moved to Antigua as immigrants. Annie's father was much older than her mother, which means that he had a "past" that frequently haunted him. His mistresses prior to his marriage and establishment of a stable relationship often taunted him on the street. Annie's mother takes on a traditional Antiguan role, taking care of the domestic affairs and his more sensual needs. The story contains an underlying traditional family theme with traditional gender roles.

The family in Drown reflects a dysfunctional family where the father is virtually absent from the lives of the children. When he is present in their lives, he is a negative influence and presents a poor role model. In both of these stories, the father sets the example of what is expected in gender roles. In Drown, the father minimalizes the role of the woman, as his wife is of no apparent purpose in his life. His mistresses fulfill his needs, while the mother lives the life if a virtually single mother, toiling to make ends meet.

In Annie John, gender roles are also clearly defined. We learn from this story of the double standards that exist between male and female roles. Annie's mother considers her discussion with a group of boys on the street as inappropriate and chastises her for it. Yet, it is considered typical, and acceptable male behavior, by the boys. This scene highlights the inequalities in gender behavior between men and women in Antigua. Men are expected to be sexually promiscuous, while women must remain chaste and pristine.

Matter of Perspective

In Annie John, the women who taunt her mother on the street are those that have committed the same sexual act Annie's father, yet it is view differently in light of the need to raise their children without a husband. They are framed in a different light from the expectations of Annie's mother and of Annie herself. The actions of the women on the street are seen as having an element of compassion; they are trying to provide for their children. Their sexual acts are considered justified in their desire to provide food for their children.

In Drown, the actions of the father in taking a citizen of the United States are seen as selfish and self-serving. He would not provide for his family by his actions, but rather, would lead to their ultimate destruction by his actions. This is a key difference between the father and Drown and the father in Annie John. The father in Annie John did what is "right" by his wife and children, while the father in Drown betrayed his family through his actions. This is a key example where the same action can be framed in an entirely different context, depending on the surrounding circumstances.

The women in Annie's father's past are "justified" by their situation, whereas the father's actions in Drown are not justified by his situation. The actions of the father in Drown are not justified because they only serve to gratify his own needs, while those of the women in Annie John are used to serve the needs of others. This is a prime example where the same actions can be seen in an entirely different light, depending on whom the beneficiary of the actions happens to be. When the beneficiary of the actions is the person, to the detriment of their families, the act is framed in a bad light. However, if he beneficiary is a loved one and the actions help their situation, then these actions are not judged so harshly.

Yunior, the main character in Drowned, describes his situation as extremely impoverished. When his father left, his situation became even worse. His father gave them false hope that some time soon, he would come and get them to bring them to America. However, when Yunior's father left, it is almost as if he distanced himself from the hardships that could now be placed behind him.

The Aftermath

As one examines the roles and actions of the fathers in Drown and Annie John, it becomes apparent that the actions of the father can have a profound effect on their children. However, in the end, both children had to leave home to become what they were to become in life. Their fathers affected their lives and what they would become, but in the end, it was the children themselves that would have to make the decisions that would shape them into what they would become. This demonstrates that although the father figure is a central figure in children's lives, they are not the only influence that affects how a child will grow up and what they will become.

Both Yunior and Annie are in the throws of adolescence as they attempt to make sense of their world. Both are immersed in the conflict between teen-age rebellion and their desire to be a good person. One can see many similarities between the two characters. However, there are also difference in their attitudes towards their future. Yunior sees the future as bleak, largely due to his father's actions and the effect that he knows it will have on the family. Annie sees her family as representative of her security in childhood.