The Paradox of Self-Deception in "The Sun, the Moon, the Stars" Gabriel Gonzalez College

In his story “The Sun, the Moon, the Stars”, Junot Diaz presents to the reader a couple going through a tumultuous time in their relationship. News of Yunior’s infidelity had just come to light via a letter that his mistress sent to his girlfriend Magdalena. Reacting to the situation, Yunior confesses and goes on a journey to try and win Magda back. Throughout the story, Yunior, who also serves as narrator, attempts to convince not only the reader but also himself that he is simply a good guy that made a mistake. However, even though he was sincere and showed genuine emotion while delivering his mea culpa, Yunior never quite grasps the magnitude of his actions and the repercussions that arose from it. Instead, he decides to downplay what he did in an act of self-deception, which inadvertently results in a lack of persuasion of both Magda and the reader.

Right from the start, Díaz introduces the reader to a feckless, yet self-aware, narrator. Yunior, the narrator, decides to begin the story by claiming to be a good person, even though he admits to cheating on his girlfriend; “I’m not a bad guy. I know how that sounds—defensive, unscrupulous—but it’s true. I’m like everybody else: weak, full of mistakes, but basically good.”...