analysis of the character of Olga in the novel Olga Dies Dreaming (Essay Sample)

Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Due Date Olga, Choices, and Contradictory Actions in Olga Dies Dreaming Growing up in a family where both parents are actively involved is the best feeling for every aspiring child with a promising future. In Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez, Olga survives a harsh background with a dysfunctional family where both parents are not involved in her upbringing. Olga’s mother, Blanca, leaves for Puerto Rico when she is 12 years. Her father, through frustrations inspired by the dynamic society and family issues, seeks refuge in heroin use, which causes addiction and succumbs to AIDS. Therefore, Olga and her brother Prieto are left by the mercies of the chaotic world where they have to make their own choices and pursue their goals. Through Olga’s life explorations, she makes several decisions that motivate contradictory actions, with which the reader appreciates paradox in the novel through Blanca’s initial actions, which sets the pace for a dysfunctional family. It is through Blanca’s character that the paradox of motherhood is realized. Mothers in functional families are expected to love and provide emotional support to their children during the early stages of development which cements a foundation for future growth. Paradoxically, Blanca does not uphold this rule of nature, questioning her understanding of motherhood. Blanca leaves for Puerta Rico and joins the Young Lords Party, “one of, if not the singular, large-scale paramilitary pro-socialist Puerto Rican political protest organizations” (Gonzalez). Although the decision contradicts the moral philosophy, the party sought to address significant challenges affecting the Puerta Ricans. Thus, the focus was liberating Puerta Rico by tumbling capitalism, racism, and injustices in minority establishments, as explained by Matteo. It is through Blaca’s choices and subsequent actions that she inspires a dysfunctional family. Although Olga is a product of a dysfunctional family, raised by her grandmother in Brooklyn, she makes some contradictory actions at the discretion of her free will. Throughout her life, most decisions revolve around her pursuit of achieving financial freedom, a vital tenet of the American Dream. Olga engages in many activities as a reputable wedding planner regardless of her ethnic/racial affiliations. At some point, she “realized that she’d allowed herself to become distracted from the true American dream—accumulating money—by its phantom cousin, accumulating fame” (Gonzalez). Shifting from the focus on accumulating money to a quest for fame reveals Olga’s contradictory actions, and she regrets the consequence. Regardless of her frustrations emerging from accumulating fame, her decisions can be vindicated through a close analysis of her business. As a wedding planner, it is impossible to accumulate money without fame, which precedes wealth and financial freedom. With increased incidents of social injustices against members of minorities, suggesting that she should follow her mother’s steps is a good endorsement. Through such cases are prevalent, she struggles with accumulating wealth through her wedding planning activities. With the help of her family members from Brooklyn, Olga secures several clients, and a seamless transition to financial liberty is inevitable. However, she realizes that she can no longer satisfy her clients as the goal of accumulating money influenced her business decisions by comparing her lifestyle with wealthy customers. Consequently, “Olga raised her prices, inflated her bills, increased her markups” (Gonzalez). Here she made the worst decision that would influence her fate. She noticed that her daily schedule was tedious and stupid. Judging her actions and citing poor decisions is worthwhile, although it reveals her commitment to the lifestyle of the rich in a civilized society. Despite separating from the family, Blanca shapes Olga’s decisions, which motivate her contradictory actions. Blanca, through her letters, communicates to Olga that financial success is a “White Man’s construction” (Gonzalez). Thus, striving for financial freedom and wealth accumulation was not necessary. Olga then seeks vengeance thro...