Reflection on Pt. 1 of "Oscar Wao"

I have been excited to read Junot Diaz's Pulitzer prize winning book, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, since my English 112 professor, Bailey McDaniel, suggested it. This book has overcome my expectations and is quickly becoming one of my favorite books the more and more I read. Major strengths of the novel include Diaz's use of multiple viewpoints to depict the story. Dominican history, Oscar's life during his childhood, high school and college years, and also an account of Beli's years as a youth are just a few of the different perspectives Diaz takes in creating the novels. I find that this method adds character to the novel and also makes us understand ,a little more, where each character is coming from. Some of the weaknesses that I see so far in the novel is the usage of footnotes and foreign language. After attending Diaz's lecture I understand why he included both in the text but I think it adds an unnecessary feeling of stress to the reader when he or she thinks she must read all of the footnotes and understand the Spanish or translate it. To do that would take much longer than it would take to simply read the book. I realize Diaz did this as a sort of a game to play with the reader and him, but most people reading the book don't have time for games. A major theme that I see arising out of the first part of the text is the struggle to feel accepted in a foreign world. I see this with the struggles that Oscar goes through and also his mother. Not only is Oscar literally an immigrant, but he also feels foreign within his own skin because people don't understand him. I think that Beli struggles with these feelings of alienation as well. So far I have enjoyed the book and I am excited to read further & also to go back and reread if I have the time before I write my review.