How to Date a Brown Girl (Black Girl, White Girl, or Halfie): An Analysis of the Literary Devices - Essay Example

 “How to Date a Brown Girl (Black Girl, White Girl, or Halfie”: An Analysis of the Literary Devices The short story “How to date a brown girl (black girl, white girl, or halfie)” by Junot Diaz stands apart for its exceptional literary qualities. The short story appears in the form of an advice apparently aimed at a Dominican boy living in a poor neighborhood on how to date girls from different ethnic and economic groups. Evidently, the short story details a variety of prejudices based on gender, locality, ethnicity, and economic status. The writer manages to keep the story throughout funny by the effective use of persona, style, tone, irony and explicit and varied languages. In other words, it is a satirical work based considerably on the use of irony. The first point that deserves attention is the use of persona. Evidently, the writer appears himself as the person who gives the advice. Moreover, it is for the reader to identify that the writer is a Dominican, living in a poor background, with a lot of experience in failed dates. This gives the entire story a sarcastic look because the narrator gives directions on how to handle girls with a lot of confidence. This use of persona, and addressing the reader in second person (you) seems an effective strategy in showing authority in what the writer says, and this is necessary to add to the ironic content of the story. The most important feature of the short story is the excellent use of irony in various situations. In most of the instances, irony arises when what the advisor says with absolute authority is mere misconception or prejudice. Firstly, the well-experienced narrator is a mere teenager whose nuts are in danger of getting squeezed. The story presents a narrator who hesitates to “go to the Union City to visit that tia who likes to squeeze your nuts” (Diaz, par. 1). When this teenage advisor proceeds with his misconceptions and prejudices, claiming authority, there arises irony in its most beautiful form. The first instance of irony is seen when the advisor says “He’s gotten big, she’ll say” (Diaz, par. 1). Evidently, the one who is preparing to date girls is still not mature enough to get his nuts fully protected and so is the advisor because only experience can make someone speak with so much of certainty. Secondly, the advisor is aware about the so many embarrassing things, which deserve to be hidden and cleared, giving birth to some tragic irony. To illustrate, the advisor says, “Clear the government cheese from the refrigerator” (Diaz, par. 2). Again, depending upon the place where the girl is from, the nature of precaution changes. If the girl is from the same locality, the cheese can be stacked “behind the milk” but if she is from the Park or Society Hill, presumably upper class area, the cheese should be transported to the cabinet above the oven, which is highly untraceable. Yet another example is the humble effort made by the writer to hide his ethnic identity by taking down “any embarrassing photos of your family in the campo” (Diaz, par. 2). In addition, the writer does not forget to share the piece of wisdom that the cousins who are present in the photo will not be angry as they are now old enough to understand the importance of hiding the photo. As the story proceeds, one comes in touch with finely developed irony. For example, the advisor does not hesitate to warn the teenager of the unpredictable nature of females and the possibility of getting no benefits at all; maybe she “won’t flow over at all and the next day in school she’ll say sorry, smile and you’ll be stupid enough to believe her and ask her out again” (Diaz, par. 4). Even if the girl turns up, some might not allow you to touch them, and one should be prepared to face this eventuality. However, the advisor shares the knowledge that you are assured of some reward if it is a white girl. In total, the advisor is someone who has had a lot of experience dating and failures. It is from this wisdom gained through experience that the advisor speaks. The second important feature of the story that makes it particularly funny is the tone of the story. The tone is a perfect example of playfulness. To illustrate, the writer does not hesitate to start the story with the claim that the advisor’s nuts are still not fully protected from getting squeezed. This gives the reader the insight that the great points analyzed ahead are viewed only from the point of view of a teenager who is eager to date girls, and who has just started seeing the real world. It is this playfulness surrounding the story that makes the advisor find Howie, the Puerto Rican kid with two killer mutts, as the only nemesis (Diaz, par. 12). The teenager is capable of hiding all the embarrassing things at his home, date a girl, and stay back at home cheating all other family members. However, only luck can make him escape the clutches of Howie. Again, the silliness of the thoughts is evidenced by the writer through this playful tone seen throughout the story. Finally, the specialty in the use of language cannot be ignored. The writer has used explicit language throughout the work, making it very similar to the language one is likely to hear on the street. In addition, it makes the reader feel that the thoughts are directly taken out of the heart of a teenager who is perplexed and excited by the possibilities of the world. To illustrate, the advisor claims, “If she’s white girl you know you’ll at least get a hand job” (Diaz, par. 3). In addition, the advisor warns that the girl will “cross her arms, say, I hate my tits” (Diaz, par. 20). Admittedly, the language makes the story look like an uncensored piece of thought from the mind of a teenager. In addition, in order to give the reader a feel of living as an ethnic minority, the writer uses a mixture of languages. To illustrate, mother says, “Go ahead and stay, malcriado” (Diaz, par. 1). This mixture of languages plays a role in making the reader understand how confusing and complex life becomes when one lives as an ethnic minority. Evidently, it is this feeling of cultural inferiority that is the foundation of the story. In total, Junot Diaz has utilized various literary devices like satirical irony, persona, tone, and explicit language in order to make “How to date a brown girl (black girl, white girl, or halfie)” an excellent piece of satire, viewing the various forms of prejudice that exist in the mainstream society through the eyes of an ethnic teenager. Works Cited Diaz, Junot. How to Date a Brown Girl (Black Girl, White Girl, or Halfie. Read More