In the novel The Brief Wonderful Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, the character Lola experiences a traumatic event that changes the way she where she perceives herself in a strict Dominican society. At a young age, Lola discovers her mother's breast cancer, which means her mother, Beli, has breast cancer. This realization of death alters Lola's perception of life forcing her to become the person she has always wanted to be and live the life closest to her dreams. So, this experience begins his journey of self-discovery. The novel presents Lola as a figure who learns to protect herself from life's painful experiences through her unyielding determination to change herself. From embracing the frightening changes in her life and using these changes to create a better self, Diaz uses Lola as a character who motivates contemporary readers to take charge of their lives regardless of the negative experiences they have faced. Lola is a symbol of positive change. Through her conflicting emotions of fear and hatred toward her mother, the persistent feeling within her that forces her to change, and her inability to let go of her desire to become a better version of herself, Lola teaches the North American middle class that it is possible to overcome your deepest scars to create the life you desire. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Lola's determination to change her life stems from her troubled relationship with her mother, Beli. Throughout her childhood, Lola was unable to express her true self due to her mother's specific views on what a daughter in a Dominican home should be like. This is explained when Lola says, “from the ages of two to thirteen… I was the one cooking, cleaning, doing the laundry… writing letters to the bank… I had the best grades in my class. I never caused any trouble…I stayed at home and made sure Oscar was fed and everything was okay…I raised him and I raised me” (Diaz 56). Doing countless household chores and taking care of her brother Oscar, Lola did not have a normal childhood where she could play with her friends or learn more about herself as she was too busy trying to be a good daughter. Lola was forced to be her mother's “perfect hija” (Diaz 56), that is, the perfect child, because in her mother's eyes “this is what you should do” (Diaz 56). As a result of all this pressure, Lola grew up feeling mixed emotions towards Beli. Now, Lola fears and hates her for all the physical and emotional pain she put her through. However, Lola chooses to use this pain to motivate her to become a stronger person. She shows this when Lola says, “she dug hard, looking for my seams, she wanted me to tear like always, but I didn't weaken, I didn't want to do it” (Diaz 60). Beli constantly tries to tear Lola away from her dreams by forcing her to be the perfect Dominican daughter where Lola is unable to do what she wants, such as cutting her hair short or dressing like "a punk girl" (Diaz 54). Because Lola has felt enough pain from her past, she tries hard not to give in to her mother's demands and strives to be the person she always wanted to be. For Lola this process of change is not easy due to her innate fear of her mother. This fear is expressed when Lola explains how she feels when she leaves the house for the first time. “The next morning I was on the bus going to the Shore… I was so scared. I couldn't stop shaking. I waited all the way downthat the heavens would open and that my mother would bend down and shake me” (Diaz 63). Even though Lola feels fear, she doesn't let this emotion stop her from moving forward. Lola's complicated feelings towards Beli motivate her to change her living situation. The lingering feeling inside Lola forces her to change the way she sees herself and the world she lives in. When Lola feels the knot in her mother's chest, her perspective on life immediately changes. From this traumatic event, Lola realizes how death can happen to any person at any time. This realization begins Lola's uncontrollable feeling to change her life. This moment is described by Lola when she says: “a knot right under the skin, tight and secret like a weave. And in that moment, for reasons you will never fully understand, you are overwhelmed by the feeling, by the premonition, that something in your life is about to change” (Diaz 53). This premonition that Lola experiences after discovering her mother's cancer tells her that change is coming. He doesn't understand exactly what the feeling is, he only knows that "it cannot be doubted" (Diaz 53). Lola chooses to take advantage of this inevitable change and apply it to the way she sees herself. A physical change brought about by this sensation is described when Lola says, “one day I was walking home with Karen Cepeda… and out of nowhere I said, Karen, I want you to cut my hair. As soon as I said it I knew it. The sensation of blood came to me again, the rattle” (Diaz 58). With this feeling lingering inside Lola, she decides to change her appearance by cutting her hair. Lola undergoes many physical and emotional changes throughout her life due to this dominant feeling. While some of these changes are negative, such as the fact that Lola is unhappy while living with her first boyfriend, Aldo, in the end, each change brings Lola closer to understanding the life she wants. From these experiences, Lola learns more about herself and what she deserves, which allows her to be the person she wants to be and live the life she wants. Lola's inability to let go of her desire to become a better person allows her to transform into the person she's always wanted to be. At the beginning of her life, Lola was not her true identity. This is demonstrated when Lola says, “I looked at the girl in the mirror for a long time. All I knew was that I never wanted to see her again” (Diaz 59). Every time Lola looked at her reflection, she felt as if who she was did not match her ideal self as she was not in full control of herself. This lack of control was the result of her inability to escape her mother's perception of what a perfect hija should look and act like. However, because Lola can't let go of her desire to be a better version of herself, she forces herself to face many physical and emotional changes. These changes include moving to Santo Domingo, starting a serious relationship with Max Sanchez, and allowing her friend Rosio to dress her like a “real Dominican girl” (Diaz 71). These situations created by Lola's dedication to finding her true self, allow her to discover the person she wants to be. It is in Santo Domingo that Lola realizes she is finally happy. Furthermore, through these life-changing experiences, Lola learns an important lesson. He explains this lesson when he says: “if these years have taught me anything it is this: you can never escape. Never. The only way out is in” (Diaz 209). Ultimately, Lola realizes that to become a better person and finally feel free from the pain of her past, she must look inside herself to understand her own wants and needs. Thanks to these changes caused, 2007.