Exploring Parent-Child Relationships - Copy
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Nov 24, 2024
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Examining Parent-Child Relations in "Shooting Dad" by Sarah Vowell and Brad
Manning’s "Arm Wrestling with My Father"
Vowell and Manning's works utilize descriptive details to examine the complexities of their parent-child relationships. However, Vowell's usage of vivid as well as evocative language surpasses Manning's relatively restrained approach. Vowell encompasses physical descriptions and figurative elements, like military terminology and the concept of a "DMZ," to depict her relationship with her father. On the other hand, Manning emphasizes physical activities, like arm wrestling, to depict the nuances of his bond with his father. While both authors offer unique insights into the nature of their parent relationships, Vowell's utilization of more vibrant descriptive details sets her apart in terms of vividness as well as depth.
Vowell adopts various approaches to portray her relationship with her father, incorporating numerous physical descriptions to engage the reader. Interestingly, despite being a Democrat, she uses military terminology to depict their relationship. For instance, Vowell states, "You could have looked at the Democratic campaign poster in the upstairs window and Republican one in the downstairs window and seen our home for Civil War battleground it was" (Vowell 152). Using phrases like "Civil War battleground," she effectively conveys the emotional
tension between her Republican father and her artsy Democrat self. Instead of simply stating the presence of two posters, one Republican and one Democrat, Vowell delves deeper and expresses
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her perspective on their relationship by likening it to a Civil War. Another term she employs to describe is "DMZ" (Vowell 153). Vowell’s house is like a war zone, with the living room and Kitchen being the Demilitarized Zone. This metaphorically emphasizes that these areas are peaceful territories without confrontations during the ongoing conflict. The final descriptive element Vowell employs to portray her connection with the father when she declares, "When I blow what used to be my dad into the earth, I want it to hurt" (Vowell 158). This statement marks
the point where they discuss putting her father's remains in a cannon. Her refusal to cover her ears signifies her maturation and willingness to acknowledge her father's beliefs as a form of protection.
In contrast, Brad Manning primarily utilizes physical descriptions to depict his association with his dad. Manning highlights ways his father's facial expressions change during their arm-wrestling contest. Indeed, Manning states, "And with squinting eyes, he would laugh at
me, a high laugh, through his perfect white teeth." Manning employs physical attributes to capture the emotions he experiences during their interactions. His father's laughter and perfect white teeth reflect Manning's sense of standing up to his father yet feeling belittled by him. Another example of Manning's use of descriptive language to depict their relationship is the phrase, "downcast eyes, my reddened, sweating face." This description signifies the challenging nature of Manning's relationship with his father. He would give his best effort every time they engaged in an activity, only to lose. By describing himself as becoming red and sweaty, Manning
effectively conveys the physical toll and emotional strain associated with these endeavors.
Sarah Vowell as well as Brad Manning employ techniques of description to portray their relations with their parents. Vowell achieves this by illustrating their environments, such as the posters on the windows and the notion of a Demilitarized Zone in her home. On the other hand,
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Manning focuses on physical activities, such as arm-wrestling matches and other physical endeavors, to convey their relationship. Vowell utilizes a more excellent array of physical descriptions to portray her father's relationship. Both authors grapple with the complexities of the father-child relationship, initially viewing it through the lens of a child but gaining a deeper understanding as they mature. "Shooting Dad" employs more descriptions compared to Manning’s essay. This is evident in Vowell's use of vibrant and evocative descriptions, effectively capturing the dynamics between her and her father.
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Works Cited
Manning, Brad. “Arm Wrestling with My Father.” Vowell, Sarah. "Shooting Dad."
Seeing and Writing
2: 152-158.