We love this insight of Oscar's. Let us break it down for you, Shmoopsters. First of all, it helps to know that orcs are those troll-like creatures in Lord of the Rings)—a super ugly and not-so-smart lot—and elves are, well, elves. So Oscar worries that he and Yunior are imaging "better" versions of themselves, versions that are closer to what other people would like to see in them. That is, that they think they can "pass" for native-born, white Americans a lot more often than they actually do.

Here, Yunior informs us that a college guy isn't supposed to have long-term relationships. He knows he's expected to just mess around with girls while he's at Rutgers. This is a pretty common expectation for both American and Dominican young men: apparently, college is for hooking up. Then you settle down. What do you think?

It's true that Oscar tries to fit the mold of the Dominican male in some ways. However, we also think that he really respects women, and wants to experience love. More than societal pressure motivates him. He's kind of a romantic. Check out the last paragraph of the book if you don't believe us.