Essay
Tobias Wolff’s “Powder”
1992
The Night in Question (1996)
father:
48
separated from wife & son thrill-seeker desperate to spend time with his son (on Christmas Eve) fight to spend some time with him sneaked boy into Jazz club (get him to experience the world)
(see Jazz music below)
POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
thrill-seeker, adventurous spontaneous reckless, dangerous no respect for time, schedules
fights to spend time with his son on Christmas Eve tries to expose his son to different experiences
Jazz music skiing driving in snow trying to get back together wife his wife (family) spontaneous, improvisational (Jazzy) teacher: to take chances/risks to make your own path, follow your own road to have no fear of life (son’s OCD) sacrifice, fatherhood (“self-sacrificing love”) – tries to teach the son at the expense of losing wife thrill-seeker spontaneous reckless, dangerous no respect for time, schedules
childish, a man-child irresponsible (breaks promises)
“bankrupt of honor” false report to police
boy: narrator (distant from the event) rather be with mother worrier sullen, resentful, rather be elsewhere, not appreciating the time different at END – new respect for his father
(skill, sense of adventure, dedication to son/marriage, fatherhood)
OCD:
numbered hangers, homework in advance fears the unexpected, spontaneity must plan everything ahead of time
(gets it from his mother)
Could it also be a result of his parents’ separation, fighting, pending divorce???? their marriage: opposites attract father = free-wheeling mother = strict, careful, orderly relationship is doomed
Billy Joel’s “A Room of Our Own” separation/divorce = difficult for children
Christmas: setting (wintertime - snow) plot (to get the boy home for Christmas Eve) characterization (father’s motivation, pain of separation/desperation) traditions (vs. obligations) changing times (fathers separated from sons at Christmas, fighting
1992
The Night in Question (1996)
father:
48
separated from wife & son thrill-seeker desperate to spend time with his son (on Christmas Eve) fight to spend some time with him sneaked boy into Jazz club (get him to experience the world)
(see Jazz music below)
POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
thrill-seeker, adventurous spontaneous reckless, dangerous no respect for time, schedules
fights to spend time with his son on Christmas Eve tries to expose his son to different experiences
Jazz music skiing driving in snow trying to get back together wife his wife (family) spontaneous, improvisational (Jazzy) teacher: to take chances/risks to make your own path, follow your own road to have no fear of life (son’s OCD) sacrifice, fatherhood (“self-sacrificing love”) – tries to teach the son at the expense of losing wife thrill-seeker spontaneous reckless, dangerous no respect for time, schedules
childish, a man-child irresponsible (breaks promises)
“bankrupt of honor” false report to police
boy: narrator (distant from the event) rather be with mother worrier sullen, resentful, rather be elsewhere, not appreciating the time different at END – new respect for his father
(skill, sense of adventure, dedication to son/marriage, fatherhood)
OCD:
numbered hangers, homework in advance fears the unexpected, spontaneity must plan everything ahead of time
(gets it from his mother)
Could it also be a result of his parents’ separation, fighting, pending divorce???? their marriage: opposites attract father = free-wheeling mother = strict, careful, orderly relationship is doomed
Billy Joel’s “A Room of Our Own” separation/divorce = difficult for children
Christmas: setting (wintertime - snow) plot (to get the boy home for Christmas Eve) characterization (father’s motivation, pain of separation/desperation) traditions (vs. obligations) changing times (fathers separated from sons at Christmas, fighting