The Boat by Alistair Macleod
The Boat by Alistair Macleod
The narrator loves his father and shows appreciation for him because his father had chosen a career that he enjoys and benefits from, “rather than selfishly following forever your own dreams and inclinations.” (Pg 275) Although he appreciates him and loves him, he does not idealize him or his way of life. This may be due to him "withering away", such as when he is constantly seen by his son smoking, and listening to the radio in bed, his son may see this as taking life for granted. Additionally the narrator wants a better education than his father had. In which case he follows through with his dreams of education and becomes a professor.
The symbolism for of the boat has been transformed in this story into evasiveness. Such as the narrators father, Ernest's need to escape. Ernest's typical routine consisted of lying in bed smoking cigarettes and listening to the radio and if not that he was escaping by going out on the boat.
Changes that the narrator undergoes through the story is that the narrator had grown up with a parental figure, thus thrusting him into growing up to quick and fending for himself. This compelling him into distancing himself from his mother and questioning his father. He begins to understand at an early age that life isn’t as appealing as it looks to be. In consequence he doesn’t have the father - son relationship that others seem to have.
There a few examples of imagery in this story that affect the five senses one of the most used is sight, the narrator describes every memory, moment and expression in such detail that you can picture it perfectly. Such as “The brown larvae of tobacco shreds and the grey flecks of ash covered both the table and the floor beneath it. The once - varnished surface of the table was disfigured by numerous black scars and gashes inflicted by the neglected burning cigarettes of many years."
Hearing also had and affect as well, it gives you the sense of
The narrator loves his father and shows appreciation for him because his father had chosen a career that he enjoys and benefits from, “rather than selfishly following forever your own dreams and inclinations.” (Pg 275) Although he appreciates him and loves him, he does not idealize him or his way of life. This may be due to him "withering away", such as when he is constantly seen by his son smoking, and listening to the radio in bed, his son may see this as taking life for granted. Additionally the narrator wants a better education than his father had. In which case he follows through with his dreams of education and becomes a professor.
The symbolism for of the boat has been transformed in this story into evasiveness. Such as the narrators father, Ernest's need to escape. Ernest's typical routine consisted of lying in bed smoking cigarettes and listening to the radio and if not that he was escaping by going out on the boat.
Changes that the narrator undergoes through the story is that the narrator had grown up with a parental figure, thus thrusting him into growing up to quick and fending for himself. This compelling him into distancing himself from his mother and questioning his father. He begins to understand at an early age that life isn’t as appealing as it looks to be. In consequence he doesn’t have the father - son relationship that others seem to have.
There a few examples of imagery in this story that affect the five senses one of the most used is sight, the narrator describes every memory, moment and expression in such detail that you can picture it perfectly. Such as “The brown larvae of tobacco shreds and the grey flecks of ash covered both the table and the floor beneath it. The once - varnished surface of the table was disfigured by numerous black scars and gashes inflicted by the neglected burning cigarettes of many years."
Hearing also had and affect as well, it gives you the sense of