, Research Paper
The father son relationship is very important. A growing boy needs a strong fatherly presence in order to become a “man”. The plays, “I Never Sang for my Father,” and “The Owl Killer,” and the short story “Notes to a Native Son,” show this. The lack of communication and basic affection from their fathers directly affected the sons’ mental health, including self-esteem.
The father in “I Never Sang For My Father,” Tom, was very mentally and physically abusive. Many times during the story he acted very self-centered. He was once a politician and loved it very much. The relationship with his son, Gene, was not a good one. Due to Tom’s abuse early in life, he and Gene were never able to have a positive relationship. Gene also was never able to really stand up to his father. Probably due to a fear of him he had developed early in life.
Even with this fear, Gene proved to be not be too damaged by his abusive childhood. I believe that his low self-etheme came from this upbringing. Still he had a kind of respect for his father because he had provided for his family. Though in this case the father son relationship was not good. The son’s loving relationship with his mother helped take the place of the bad relationship with his father.
Noah, the father in “The Owl Killer,” was much worst a father. His relationship with his son, Lamar, was so terrible that it led to strong psychological problems. He abused his son to the point that he developed a stutter when his father was present. Noah also mentally abused his son. He would keep treats from his children when he knew wanted them. He would call them names and show them no affection. These all led to Lamar’s breakdown.
Lamar was very troubled from his terrible childhood. He started strange hobbies and isolated himself in his room, stuffing owls. He eventually killed and mutilated a man. I think that his last act of violence was to try to obtain some power he couldn’t get from his father. He was also trying to hurt someone like his father hurt him. The relationship between Noah and Lamar was one based on hatred. This hatred led to Lamar finally shoving his father’s head into a furnace.
The short story “Note of a Native Son,” was about the author’s relationship with his father and the hatred that James Baldwin’s father and himself both possessed. James Baldwin never really knew his father intimately. He lived with him throughout his childhood, but they hadn’t really spoken. His relationship with his father was almost non-existent. They didn’t communicate. I think this left a void in his heart. He had not spoken to or even really appreciated someone whom was probably a great person.
The relationship between a father and a son is very important. It can lead to a lot of different things, positive or negative. Still it depends on the person the son is. A bad relationship can cause a child to be a killer, a person with low self-esteem, or a world-renowned writer.