Shreya's Short Story Blog

So far, we’ve met Yunior’s family in three of the five stories in Drown (“Ysrael,” “Fiesta, 1980,” and “Aguantando”). I think the dynamics within this family are interesting to think about. For one, we get to see the relationship between Rafa and Yunior change as they get older. Another example is that the four of them seem to have a lot of family loyalty, despite the fact that they are not very close. In the first story, “Ysrael,” Yunior and Rafa have a very strong relationship, even if this only exists when they are in the campo. Yunior looks up to his brother and wants his approval. He is also very excited that he and Rafa are going on this adventure together, without anybody else. Back in the city, they wouldn’t get an opportunity to bond like this, as Rafa would be too busy with his friends. In “Fiesta, 1980,” when the family is in New Jersey, we see that Rafa and Yunior aren’t very close anymore. They do seem to share some thoughts about their father’s affair, bu...

One of the most distinguishing features of Lorrie Moore’s stories is her use of the second person. She uses this point of view to imitate how-to and advice books where the narrator helps the reader solve an issue in their life. She uses imperative sentences to command her reader, who is in a sense also the protagonist, through a problem they’re facing. But, her stories are parodies of real self-help books as the subjects Moore writes about are ones that most people don’t want to find themselves in, such as “How to Be an Other Woman.” They don’t seem to handle their situation in the best way, either. The use of the second person also helps the reader connect with the narrator much more than if the story were written in the first of third person. Take, for example, the story “How.” The narrator is stuck in a relationship that she doesn’t want to be a part of anymore. At the same time, her boyfriend does everything he can to try and save their relationship. Eventually, aft...