The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

PART 1, INTRODUCTION-CHAPTER 2

Reading Check

1. What is a fukú?

2. Where does Oscar de León live?

3. Who is Lola?

4. Who is the narrator of Chapter 2?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. In what way does the narrator present Oscar as unusual for a Dominican man?

2. Who is Ana Obregón? Why does Oscar stop spending time with her?

Paired Resource

“Machismo and the Broken Man”

• This article discusses the dangers of masculinity or “machismo” in Dominican culture.
• It connects to the theme of The Damage Caused by Personal and Political Masculinity.
• How does cultural masculinity impact men and women in different ways? How is masculinity portrayed thus far in Díaz’s story?

PART 1, CHAPTER 3

Reading Check

1. Who is Belicia Cabral?

2. What does La Inca do for a living?

3. What does La Inca do to help Belicia when she is abducted?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Belicia end up an orphan?

2. How is La Inca related to Belicia? Why does she take Belicia in?