Arm Wrestling With My Father Analysis

Comparative Essay 2
In the short stories “Arm Wrestling with My father” by Brad Manning and “Shooting Dad” by Sarah Vowell, both authors depict scenes communicating their individual relationships with their fathers. Manning uses description and narrative to depict his relationship with his father, he explains that he carries a competitive nature along with his father and he feels oppressed by him. Manning show that within his struggle with his father he grows a physical relationship with him and as he grows into an adult, his differences become clear to him and his competitions with his dad ends in an anti-climatic wrestling match. Vowell uses analogies and comparisons to depict her relationship with her father. She shows the obvious differences between her and her father, in terms of political views, interests, and hobbies. As the story progresses she
Manning opens his story by expressing the oppression he feels from his arm wrestling match with his father “a high laugh through his perfect white teeth.” Manning says his father’s teeth are perfect but not in a positive way, he feels embarrassed and disappointed, probably creating resentment in his relationship. His father never attends his orchestras and only shows up to his lacrosse games “he would be there in the stands, with and angry look, ready to coach me after the game on how I could do better” even when he shows up he seems upset and is ready to criticize him. As Manning grows he becomes less competitive and he has a rematch with his dad in which his father loses the match, leaving manning disappointed and concerned for his health. Manning states that his mother would be the only one to send him cards when he was away, as he says goodbye to his parents, his father gives him a soft and long hug unlike the normal bear hugs they have, and he ends the story by saying maybe now he can expect a card from his