In
some of the texts we have been looking at, the role of reading and
public facilities that facilitate it have affected characters and the
ways they see themselves.
In “The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,” Oscar “adored
Tolkien” and other authors and was “always hiding at the
library.” (p.23) Diaz makes another comparison between life in the
DR - where the only book most people have access to and own is the
bible - and in America, reading is shown as an opportunity open to
everyone, so long as they promise to toe the line and look after the
books. All books are available to every immigrant.
In
a “Small Place“, the library in Antigua used to be “one of
those splendid old buildings of colonial times.”(p.9) But tourists
do not rely on library books, they have money to buy their own books
and do not have to visit the 1974 earthquake stricken library. All
that Antigua’s people have to hold on to is the promise “REPAIRS
ARE PENDING” from the original sign in 1974. The differences in
facilities of being able to read and learn are unable to be granted
to citizens because of the problems left by colonizing governments
since independence.
“No
Telephone to Heaven” also discusses libraries as a place to learn
about the past and education.
From
these novels, their novelists are able to discuss the connotations of
a life where learning and the joys are reading are not free and
accessible to everyone. From the interview, we can see Diaz's
enjoyment in discovering that all theses shelves were open to his
perusal. Libraries and books offer new and exciting opportunities to
the lives of children and adults.
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