Sin Dolor

Sin Dolor is the tale of boy who lives a life without pain. Written by T. Corahessan Boyle and published in the October 18th issue of the New Yorker, this story illustrates the values of a culture much different from that of which we are used to. This idea of cultural difference may come from the fact that Boyle was born and lives in Germany and Sin Dolor has been translated from German.

In this story, the main character Damaso, is born into a life in which he feels no pain. As this is remarkable medical miracle, the narrator is left intruiged in the life of this boy Damaso. Because of his extraordinary gift, Damaso is used by his father as a sideshow in order to raise money for the family. Damaso does not complain about this as he knows it is in the best interest for his family and feels like he owes it to them. This constant abuse and explotation eventually leads to the death of Damaso. Although the narrator says he truly cares about the well-being of Damaso, he actions do not reflect his words. Just like the father, the narrator also uses Damaso trying to get a DNA sample out of him to send away to a medical lab. One aspect of the story that stood out to me was Damaso compliance with his father's wishes. Not once does he speak up and continues to do "what is best for the family." This value is not seen in American culture and the cultural difference is expressed well in Sin Dolor.