I will argue that machismo is the proper way in which a macho, or a male figure, will carry on a conversation or physical interaction with a woman[LJ1] . Perhaps then, masculinity can be seen as dramaturgical model, in a sense that the male is acting with macho characteristics in order to fulfill the expectations of his audience. However, if a macho fails to follow the social norms and expectations that are imposed deeply on him by society, then both the male and society in general question masculinity. This suggests that masculinity is then an indicator of a man’s aggressiveness, toughness, and action of promoting violence. Given this, it is expected of most Latino males to act as the “alpha”, or head, of the family and portray strength and fierceness through their actions. There are multiple ways in which machismo can be represented and developed by different male figures. Such variation of machismo and their machos can be seen in Junot Diaz’s collection of short stories, Drown. Drown illustrates the machismo values that are present in a Dominican family. From an abusive father to the prodigy of the family, machismo (make the machismo either all capital or all not, except at start of a sentence of course) is an ongoing cycle of male arrogance that is quite present in Hispanic families. Junot Diaz invites us to explore how previous Hispanic generations of males, in this case Papi and Rafa, continue to pass on the ideology of being macho to the younger generation like Yunior through their actions of male dominance. Machismo remains a problem in today’s society because of its coercive power that acts upon individuals’ actions and behavior.
Diaz uses Papi to show that machismo can only be acquired through the teaching of the principles by and to a male figure. In most Hispanic families, males are often the core of the family and control the overall actions and dynamic of the household. It is the macho side of a male that eventually creates certain expectations for...