Drown
I thought right from the start that this story was going to be interesting, it hooked me right from the start. There is stuff going on throughout the story, such as shoplifting, drug dealing, abandonment, lack of self confidence and homosexuality. I felt an attachment to the main character, Junot? I don't think they ever mention a name. His dad seems to like to abuse him and his mother, she seems mentally broken down and beaten emotionally. I am choosing to focus on homosexuality because I sense that lies at the root of Junot and Beto's issues.
His focus seems to Beto and he reflects on him very often. He visits his house and frequents places that they used to go together. Junot seems lonely and drifting with nothing to occupy but himself and his drug dealing and his mother. We discussed in class how Junot never seemed to consent to Beto but I think that had nothing to do with his feelings toward him. He cared for him deeply, that much is obvious. "Days we spent in the mall or out in the parking lot playing stickball, but nights were what we waited for." p 1666 pa.5
Junot didn't seem to like a lot of people in fact all I can see is two; his mother and Beto. Junot loves them both but awkward at showing affection probably because of his father and mother's relationship. His home life is rough at best but he enjoys his time with Beto. He was a year younger than him and I believe he needs a psychiatrist to work out his feelings. Beto and Junot probably don't see themselves as homosexual but what they experienced was sexual. What might be experimentation I see as very real feelings for Junot but not knowing how to express them made it difficult for the two people closest to him.
I was a little worried about the ending of the book because it seemed as if Junot's mother was giving up and giving in, suicide perhaps? Thinking that her husband drugged her, she just fell asleep and started dreaming. What is to become of Junot's future? He has potential but I don't see anything coming out of it because of his neighborhood and his relationship with his father. Junot's career, I fear is Crime.
