“Reunion” by John Cheever is a short story about Charlie who hasn’t seen his father since his parents’ divorce. So on his way back to his mother’s house he schedules a lunch with his father. Yet Charlie’s view on his father changes when his father continually has problems controlling his bad attitude. In “Powder and “Reunion” the authors use father/son relationships, point of view and conflict to portray to the reader that almost all father and son relationships have their flaws. In the two short stories it seems as if the sons’ relationships with their father were quite different, but they also had their similarities because both of them cared for their son.
In his essay “Working at Wendy's”, Joey Franklin conveys that he works at Wendy's because he feels that, even though the job may seem demeaning, it is something he has to do for the benefit of his family. Franklin uses short stories or anecdotes from earlier in his life or from those whom he works with to prove this point. Franklin in the end shows that he is willing to do anything to provide for his wife and son. Franklin's feeling of embarrassment begins when he recognizes a member of his Boy Scout troop who also works at Wendy's. This disgrace carries on throughout the story as Franklin is embarrassed and uncomfortable working at a fast food restaurant because of his high qualifications.
The father, regardless of his own cares, makes the effort on those winter Sundays to try to make things a little easier for the speaker. Unseen by the speaker, the loving father has gotten up early and brought warmth into their home and into the speaker’s day. Also, when the speaker states, “and polished my good shoes as well” (12), the feeling once again is presented of this father doing all he can to take care of the speaker and show his love through his actions. David Huddle states in his essay, “somewhat remarkably, the poem’s thesis-that the office of love can be relentless, thankless, and more than a little mysterious” (553). That statement describes that the unconditional love of the father is taken for granted from the speaker.
His winters used to be cold, both in feelings and in atmosphere. His Father was a reserved man, and didn't say his feelings to his son outright, but when the son looks back he understands that all of the things his father did for him were out of love, and he is saddened by this realization that came too late. The meaning of the words: Blueblack: color. Cracked: broken in the skin. Ached: painful.
He had no similar interests with them and their lifestyle was one that he didn’t like or want to be a part of. He wanted to be as far from the person they wanted him to be as possible, someone with a fancy education and flashy lifestyle. He also did not want to be dependent on his family members, wanting to be as independent as possible. In addition, Chris’s family unit is extremely unstable. He grew up with parents who constantly fought, resulting in him as an adult having no concept of what a necessity a family is.
Here and there he will make small references for the kid even though his belief is cloudy. The kid had a lost childhood; if the dad were gone what would he then have a reason to stay alive then for? The father could also have found a presence of God in his son, “If he is not the word of God then God never spoke.” (5) Its obvious he knows about God and was possibly previously a believer, but he has gone literally gone through hell in this toxic wasteland, so he could have lost that connection to Him. Why would God be doing this to us, maybe there isn’t one? It’s hard to know what he actually thinks but through him we see the previous faith being installed in the son.
John Allen Professor Robert Kane English 101/Section 1769 22 September 2014 Definition Essay: Fatherhood, Final Draft. Fatherhood has been succinctly defined as the state of being a father, though in my own first-hand experience, it is far more than one can define with a total of 6 words. The full gravity of the state of fatherhood did not begin to really sink in until my oldest son Christopher was about one week old. I found myself utterly overwhelmed with a sense of pure joy and love for Christopher as I held him one day while simultaneously realizing that my own parents had the same feelings for me. Flashing back to my youth (which was half filled with self-destructive, anti-social behavior), I saw my father in an entirely different way.
He does not see his alienation because he is so used to it. Gregors guilt kills him knowing he is now no of use. As the novel progresses, Gregor tries to rebuild himself that he had lost by living for others and ignoring his desires. He cannot, however, escape what he sees as his family duty, and continues to serve his family by doing his best not to trouble them Gregor manages to escape his sense of duty only in the last chapter, when he realizes that his family has been neglecting him. Gregor's search for his identity seems hopeless, but, because he never had an identity to start with.
He needed to be treated as if he was a part of the community and maintains an ability to make a difference. However, the teachers all shoved him away refusing to hear his heart crying out for love and acceptance. He had no idea who he was as a person nor love to guide him through life. Paul’s father could have made the biggest impact on his suicide. More than anyone, a boy needs his father to approve of him and teach him how to be a man.
He describes him like a thin, pale, indefinite wraith. There is a part of Charlie that feels uncomfortable, or unsafe because he can’t look for safety with both of his parents. Also his father’s dislike and indefinite movements made Charlie a little scared. He never new where he was, and sometimes it was in the middle of the night. In spite of that, he can still see some things they have in common, and Charlie’s love for his father is not seen until his father is in a difficult situation.