In This Boy’s Life, Rosemary Fails as a Parent. Do You Agree?
- Submitted by: chivaso
- Views: 100
- Category: English
- Date Submitted: 01/27/2016 04:14 PM
- Pages: 6
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obias Wolff recalls Dwight’s violent and destructive nature, and from his first day at Chinook Toby is abused by him. Nevertheless, Toby’s unconditional love for his mother gives him strength to not only attempt to build a relationship with Dwight, but also survive his less than ideal childhood. Metaphorically, Rosemary is always present inToby’s writing and therefore this is as much her story as it is Toby’s and a reflection onher influence. Toby’s writing allows him to escape the brutality of his world, explore different versions of himself and the difficult journey of growing up and becoming a man. Wolff’s terse and laconic use of language captures the tension of his struggle during his journey characterized by a search for an identity and a struggle to become a man.
Rosemary’s unconditional love provides Toby with the constancy and support that he desperately needs. This memoir is just as much of her story as it is Toby’s. Wolff’s reference to his mind becoming a “desert” highlights the idea of him, despite constantly being confused and doubtful about most things, being sure of not wanting to leave his mother and feeling that the right thing to do for him is to stay. He sees himself as a son,but also as a protector. The poignant image of Rosemary guiding Toby’s hand with hers when teaching him to write emphasizes the fact that she played a formative role in Toby becoming a writer. Without Rosemary, Toby “could not, cannot’ write, because she is always metaphorically present when he “puts pen to paper”. The use of ‘cannot’ and the projection of the voice into the present tense captures the fact that Rosemary is just as important to him now as she was during his childhood and adolescence. The narrative voice belongs to a child, however the adult’s reflection comes through when Wolff incorporates Anton Chekhov’s aphorism “The human heart is a dark forest”,drawing parallels with the possibility of Rosemary’s silence being due to a part of her wanting solitary...
Rosemary’s unconditional love provides Toby with the constancy and support that he desperately needs. This memoir is just as much of her story as it is Toby’s. Wolff’s reference to his mind becoming a “desert” highlights the idea of him, despite constantly being confused and doubtful about most things, being sure of not wanting to leave his mother and feeling that the right thing to do for him is to stay. He sees himself as a son,but also as a protector. The poignant image of Rosemary guiding Toby’s hand with hers when teaching him to write emphasizes the fact that she played a formative role in Toby becoming a writer. Without Rosemary, Toby “could not, cannot’ write, because she is always metaphorically present when he “puts pen to paper”. The use of ‘cannot’ and the projection of the voice into the present tense captures the fact that Rosemary is just as important to him now as she was during his childhood and adolescence. The narrative voice belongs to a child, however the adult’s reflection comes through when Wolff incorporates Anton Chekhov’s aphorism “The human heart is a dark forest”,drawing parallels with the possibility of Rosemary’s silence being due to a part of her wanting solitary...