Raquel Diaz Character Analysis in The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace

One of Robert Peace’s closest friends, Raquel Diaz is a Puerto Rican Yale student who, much like Robert, struggles with the condescending (and in some ways racist) atmosphere at Yale. After graduating, she and Robert remain close friends, and she seems to think of Robert as an older brother—someone she can vent to and talk with about her feelings. Raquel delivers a moving eulogy at Robert’s funeral.

Raquel Diaz Character Timeline in The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace

The timeline below shows where the character Raquel Diaz appears in The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...supporting them and giving them a chance to vent. One important friend for Robert is Raquel Diaz, a Puerto Rican woman who treats Robert like an older brother, and often “vents”... (full context)

Robert spends the summer living with his friend Raquel Diaz, who’s stressed about her future. Robert has always had a way of getting along... (full context)

...embarrass Yale med school. Perhaps knowing this, Robert doesn’t tell anyone what he’s doing, including Raquel Diaz. (full context)

Raquel Diaz, meanwhile, falls in love with a Yale graduate named Simon Rodriguez. Simon is about... (full context)

Meanwhile, Raquel Diaz is living in New York while her soon-to-be husband is in medical school. Robert... (full context)

...often mean” with the women he’s dating. He yells at his girlfriends over the phone. Raquel Diaz often tells him “the only thing that will save you is a good woman.”... (full context)

Robert begins dating Inayra Sideros, Raquel Diaz’s aunt. “Ina” is only a year older than Raquel (Raquel’s mother and grandmother got... (full context)

...Millien. Rene lives in Brooklyn and works as a digital artist. The two meet at Raquel’s thirtieth birthday party in Soho, New York; Rene is an old friend of Raquel, but... (full context)

...Set gang has subsided. Nevertheless, he continues to carry a gun in his car—something that Raquel Diaz finds outrageous. One weekend, Robert and his old friends have a barbeque, and invite... (full context)

...knew Robert. Jeff mentions being Robert’s roommate, and how much he enjoyed Robert’s big grin. Raquel Diaz gives a long eulogy about Robert’s kindness and supportiveness. Robert is buried in Rosedale... (full context)

Raquel tries to raise money for Jackie’s funeral expenses. To her fury, many of the elite... (full context)

On what would have been Robert’s thirty-first birthday, Raquel and Rene visit Jackie. They provide her with nearly five thousand dollars in donations—almost enough... (full context)