Father and son
Father and Son -Bernard Maclaverty
“Father and Son” is a short story which is set in a time of war and ends in the death of one of the main characters. Bernard Maclaverty transfers real life problems in the story. The main theme of the story is father trying to communicate with his son but cannot do so. Due to the techniques used by the writer we get an idea that the end of the story is going to be tragic which is moreover supported by the nature of the characters.
This story is set in a small house in the city of Belfast which is located in Northern Ireland. The area they live in is full of noises:
“The sound of ambulances criss-crossing the city.”
This shows that the characters are living in a violent area and we know that the violence is going to spill over into the household. Another quotation that shows how the area they live in:
“The door swings open and he pushes a hand-gun beneath his pillow.”
This conveys us that the area is very terrible, that a young man keeps a gun to protect himself against any harm.
The story has 2 first person narrators – the father and the son. The writer has given insight of each character and shows the problems that father and son show in communicating. Thoughts show that both care for each other. Example:-
Son thinks,
“I will sleep for him.”
Father thinks
“I love him so much it hurts.”
The son is imaged to the audience as a druggie which is shown by him saying
“I have not touched the stuff since I came back.”
So this means that he has now stopped taking drugs since he came back from being in London. Previously, the son has been in London and it has been known that he was up to no good. The son thinks of his father as a wreck:
“He is an old woman.”
The son would reply to most of his father’s questions abruptly and by swearing at him. I think of the sun being selfish and secretive person for the son doesn’t care for anybody
“Father and Son” is a short story which is set in a time of war and ends in the death of one of the main characters. Bernard Maclaverty transfers real life problems in the story. The main theme of the story is father trying to communicate with his son but cannot do so. Due to the techniques used by the writer we get an idea that the end of the story is going to be tragic which is moreover supported by the nature of the characters.
This story is set in a small house in the city of Belfast which is located in Northern Ireland. The area they live in is full of noises:
“The sound of ambulances criss-crossing the city.”
This shows that the characters are living in a violent area and we know that the violence is going to spill over into the household. Another quotation that shows how the area they live in:
“The door swings open and he pushes a hand-gun beneath his pillow.”
This conveys us that the area is very terrible, that a young man keeps a gun to protect himself against any harm.
The story has 2 first person narrators – the father and the son. The writer has given insight of each character and shows the problems that father and son show in communicating. Thoughts show that both care for each other. Example:-
Son thinks,
“I will sleep for him.”
Father thinks
“I love him so much it hurts.”
The son is imaged to the audience as a druggie which is shown by him saying
“I have not touched the stuff since I came back.”
So this means that he has now stopped taking drugs since he came back from being in London. Previously, the son has been in London and it has been known that he was up to no good. The son thinks of his father as a wreck:
“He is an old woman.”
The son would reply to most of his father’s questions abruptly and by swearing at him. I think of the sun being selfish and secretive person for the son doesn’t care for anybody