Rex And Jeanette's Relationship Analysis

This is a pivotal moment in Rex and Jeanette’s relationship. Throughout Rex’s drunken escapades Jeanette has been the only one to fight on behalf of Rex and say that he is still trying to do what is best for his family, so it’s important that Jeannette be the one to confront Rex about his drinking problem and how it is affecting their family. Even though other members of the family, like Brian, allow their frustration to show and have come close to confronting Rex, I don’t think that anyone else could successfully do so except Jeannette. This is because she has shown incredible and unwavering support for her father over the years and when Rex gets the impression that Jeanette’s support is starting to waver he knows that what he’s allowed his drinking to become, is deeply and negatively affecting those around him.

You can tell the realization hits him the moment she asks him to stop and he says, “You must be awfully ashamed of your old man.” There’s also an aspect of Rex being hurt by what his daughter says because he has an underlying feeling of betrayal since Jeanette is always supposed to be on his side.

This is illustrated when the author says, “...when he turned to me, his eyes had a wounded look, like a dog who’s been kicked.” Also when Jeanette says, “It’s just that I think Mom would be a lot happier. Plus, we’d have the extra money.” It forces Rex to face the fact that he hasn’t supported and provided for his family and his children well enough, like he thinks a father should. He also is forced to face that he has done things that make his daughter feel uncomfortable and sad and frightened in their own house, which topples his good spirits. You can also tell Jeannette is extremely hesitant to go through with the request, the way she refuses to make eye contact with her father as she builds up the courage to ask him to stop drinking suggests that she knows the powers her words

hold. She knows that she could really hurt his feelings, she knows that she can change their lives with her words. The moments leading up to her asking him is like the moments waking up to the edge of a cliff and then she asks him and it’s like your tumbling over the side and there’s no looking back. Her words are like grenade- it’s not like she can put the pin back in before it explodes. There is definitely a feeling of suspense as if this is turning point in not just Jeannette and Rex’s lives but the whole family- things could either get a lot better from now on or a lot worse.