Dr. Ramirez
Study Guide
Oscar Hijuelos. Simple Habana Melody

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What is the setting of the text so far?
Who is the author? Is he American?
How does Hijuelos combine real and fictional references?
How does music become part of the project of nation-building?
How does Hijuelos romanticize the notion of home?
How does Hijuelos locate Habana as part of a larger cultural scene? Be specific.
What role does Rita play in Israel's life and what real counterpart exists for her character?
In what way is Levis a contradiction in terms? That is, how is he both pious and self-indulgent?