Eng-106
Essay#2-Final Draft
Prof: Lisa Karakas
February 18, 2013
Comparing And Contrasting The Two Short Stories Of “A Conversation With My Father” And “Everything That Rises Must Converge’’
In the essays “A Conversation With My Father” and “Everything That Rises Must Converge,” I was able to find a good amount of comparisons, and also differences in the relationship between the parents and their children. ‘‘In A Conversation with My Father’’ we noticed how Grace, seeing her father in his ill state, was trying to please him in every way. Creating a simple story about a woman and her trouble life. But her not so optimistic persona had an effect on her father. But the author’s main goal was to please her bedridden father wish, so even if it wasn’t her usual all style she made attempts to give the story the life that her father had in mind. (31) With “Everything That Rises Must Converge,” Julian was taking his mother to the local YMCA. But a simple bus ride, reveal to us the readers that Julian’s mother, was “self-centered, racist against African Americans, and had an over the top figure which he despised.” (402) He wanted her to be more open-minded, and to notice how things and the people around them have changed. But when the situation takes a new turn, after Julian’s mother decides to give a “nickel to an African American kid. (409) Julian himself proves to be self-centered and naive.
In “A Conversation With My Father” Grace’s father expected her to be more vivid, and alive with her stories. But she ended up showing her father a plain, dull story. He even made that clear saying “Doesn’t anyone get married in your stories?” (32) The woman in her story was alone, and sick having nowhere to turn. Reminded her father of his own situation, and Grace walked right into the trap without even noticing it. “No Hope The End.” (34) When her father said that, he reminded himself that he too was sick, and hopeless.