The trauma an individual endures throughout their early stages of development is crucial to how they end up navigating the rest of their life; this is clear in Richard Wagamese’s novel Medicine Walk. The narrative revolves around two main characters, Franklin Starlight and his father, Eldon Starlight. Together they embark on a journey in which the goal is for Eldon to pass on to another life. Through this journey the audience, as well as Frank, are let in on why Eldon is the man he is today, which is not the most stable. Eldon is a raging alcoholic, avid smoker, and has a quick temper, which prevents him from being a good father towards his son; let alone being there for his son. All this derives from his parents’ desertion and death when …show more content…
An article called Mother Wound vs. Father Wound: The Differences and 5 Steps to Heal Them by Paige J. Brettingen from Everyday Health supports this narrative. She states, “Mothers with their own unresolved wounds may [give] their sons an inappropriate level of responsibility.” Explaining why the death of Eldon’s dad took a toll on her and Eldon had to pay for it. With each sip he took, Eldon was making his life more difficult for men, delaying the healing process and eventually making it difficult to arrive. This is undoubtedly challenging for Eldon, but it is equally difficult for his child, Franklin. He had to deal with all of Eldon’s baggage and generational trauma since his father could not resolve them. Again, Brettingen found the words to illustrate this: “emotional neglect is more likely passed down because that was the generational messaging within the mother’s family as a child.” This certainly instilled disdain in Franklin for his father, never allowing for a healthy relationship between them, especially because Eldon neglected him the same way his parents did. To add to this, Franklin’s rare visits to Eldon never helped his father’s case. For example, Eldon made love with a mistress in front of Frank when “it was supposed to be a camping trip” (136). Once again, avoiding his reality and causing more suffering for
From death to drug use “The Ascent”, teaches a crucial moral lesson in how decisions affect more than one individual. In Ron Rash’s, “The Ascent”, he tells a story about a boy named Jared who has a rough life due to his parent’s decision making. While Jared is on Christmas break he begins to explore in the woods. As he was exploring he discovers a crashed plane that went missing recently. As the story continues Jared reveals little details, or inner thoughts that his young mind does not understand what is happening around him. Rash’s use of naïve narrator, critical foreshadowing, and imagery to create an effective setting that leads to a character revelation.
The are only so many ways an author may sum up the course of a human life within just a few pages. Eudora Welty has the awesome talent of being able to do just this. In her stories “Where Is the Voice Coming From”, “A Visit of Charity” and “A Worn Path”, Welty uses the reoccuring themes of characterization, confrontation, journey, and insight into ones mind to convey key aspects of her stories. Through characterization Welty shows individuals who experience confrontations, and as a result complete a type of journey.
Allende portrays Esteban as having a strong and harsh character in the novel, The House of the Spirits. Yet, after leaving, his mother and sister, and starting a new and independent life, Esteban changes much. For the first time he is successful and wealthy. He feels as if he has no problems, mainly because he does not have a family to weigh him down.
In Eudora Welty’s short story, “A Worn Path,” Phoenix Jackson shows love, strength, and determination as she overcomes many dangerous obstacles when traveling to get her sick grandson necessary medicine.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase”. People should determine the importance of that step, as well as how the impact of society can affect them. Consequently, they must move forward and be proud of the determination they have to succeed. There are many obstacles that can stand in someone’s way and dim the light of their willingness to prevail. In Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path”, it is evidently demonstrated how societal issues can intensify the reader’s observation and respect for the character, Phoenix Jackson, in her determination and perseverance to fulfill her commitment to her grandson.
The Journey of Life As I began to read this short story about a painful and tedious trek an aged grandmother endures she has made for the last three or four years to the city with one intention in mind, to get a medicine for her chronically ill grandson. On a cold December day, she repeats the same journey again. As we read, it appears to be about a long journey the woman has made throughout the entire story, but by carefully examining the theme, it tells us that there is a greater message than just a long trek. In the story “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty, an old woman whose human spirit is full of dedication, dignity and high morale overcomes tremendous obstacles of life in the name of love. Phoenix Jackson is the protagonist of the story who is an African- American woman, old and probably disabled.
The physical injury (moderate ones, of course) and the loss of his vehicle had not prevented Ben from continuing his journey. Since he was determined to reach his hometown by all means, Ben’s trip turned into one full of twists and turns. Ben Givens met many people who had helped him and whom he had helped, especially those who were on the verge of death. The old man, feeling despair and melancholic because of the excruciating cancer, doubted the significance of living at the beginning of the story. However, the people he met on the road, the stories he learned from them, and the past memories over which he lingered gradually affected Ben’s mind; they reminded him of the mystery of life’s endurance. Somehow, Ben started to reevaluate the significance of life and death; he reconsidered about his current situation and started to question his own motive. As a result, Ben’s trek into the wilderness of eastern Washington turned into something more than a journey to commit
Moving into the world involves different pathways to new experiences and gaining a deeper understanding of oneself and others. Transitions act as a catalyst for individual transformations, as significantly seen in J.C. Burke’s novel ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ and as seen in Ian Mudie’s poem “My Father Began as a God”. The Story of ‘Tom Brennan’ focuses on a family who comes to understanding that laboriously overcoming the obstacles and challenges of the past, can enhance self-growth and deepen, as well as renewal the perceptions of one’s life and of others. The poem 'My father began as a God' is about a man's self-reflection on his own life, and also a reflection on his father's life and values that he role modeled to the speaker as a child.
Throughout the novel, the father and son face many hard obstacles due to the rugged, gruesome setting. Although they could easily make many decisions without a moralistic outlook on life throughout their journey in post-apocalyptic world, the father wants and tries
She experiences many family problems between her parents such as consistent arguments and alcohol addiction from her parents. Along with that the path to becoming a doctor is notoriously difficult with all the effort you need to put in. Despite these obstacles Dawn is able to fulfill her dream and travel all around the world as a missionary doctor.
His father had a negative experience and was raised not having his family's love, because of this, his ability to form and maintain proper relationships is damaged. “She seemed
Returning to his parent-child connection, it was said that his father was extremely violent against both his mother and his kids, and that he saw his mother as weak because she "allowed" herself to be assaulted. In addition to being misogynistic, his father seemed to think that men should be in charge and that women should stay at home and take care of the
The doctor emerges as sympathetic and keen to human behavior, which is the characteristic that we all know about a good doctor. However, he appears prejudiced and undeniably blunt. The writer’s selection to use interior monologue as reflects his understanding about conversation and gives an insight into the characters of some of his patients, and his assessment of his experiences. The writer uses pathos to depict the parents as cooperative yet distrustful and nervous, which the doctor finds obstructive. However, his respect for the parents changes since the...
In the short story “A Worn Path,’ the first characteristic of realism is that the story takes place on a December day in both the wilderness and in a town. Throughout the setting, Phoenix Jackson is a believable character with an ordinary life who overcomes multiple obstacles that an ordinary person would come to face. Phoenix has poor eyesight and is not wealthy in the slightest way, and her sick grandson needs her help getting his medication.
After years of extensive medical schooling and work, Perowne understands the need to see the world in the most efficient light. Each time that Perowne works, he takes the value of a life in his hands. One wrong step means huge consequences for both Perowne’s patient and Perowne himself, forcing Perowne to think logically at all times. In his life, this logical mindset makes it so there not time be for outside pleasures of literature and art, because it does not feed into a logical life path. Perowne’s work has consumed his life so thoroughly that it affects his everyday thoughts and reactions to the events around