Skip to main content

In Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia, what is Jesse's relationship with his father? Please explain using the Point, Evidence, Explanation method.

Point: Jesse and his father do not have much of a relationship, but the relationship that they do have is not terrible. I don't want to make it seem like the relationship is dangerous, inappropriate, or abusive. It's not.


Evidence: The reason that there isn't much of a relationship is because Mr. Aarons is not home much. He leaves early for work and returns home late. He doesn't make a lot of money and must...

Point: Jesse and his father do not have much of a relationship, but the relationship that they do have is not terrible. I don't want to make it seem like the relationship is dangerous, inappropriate, or abusive. It's not.


Evidence: The reason that there isn't much of a relationship is because Mr. Aarons is not home much. He leaves early for work and returns home late. He doesn't make a lot of money and must work long hours far from home to support his five children. That means he doesn't have a lot of time or energy to spend with Jesse. Consequently, Jesse longs for any time he can spend with his father. He wants more than anything to make his dad feel proud of him, which he thinks in the following passage of the novel:  



Maybe Dad would be so proud he'd forget all about how tired he was from the long drive back and forth to Washington and the digging and hauling all day. He would get right down on the floor and wrestle, the way they used to. Old Dad would be surprised at how strong he'd gotten in the last couple of years.



There is a small problem with the relationship that goes beyond not spending enough time together. The "problem" is that Jesse loves to draw and do art. He is not interested in football or driving trucks like other boys his age. Mr. Aarons isn't supportive of Jesse's talent. He doesn't see how it is a useful skill; therefore, Jesse is scared to show his father his real talents and interests.  



When he was in first grade, he had told his dad that he wanted to be an artist when he grew up. He'd thought his dad would be pleased. He wasn't. "What are they teaching in that damn school?" he had asked. "Bunch of old ladies turning my only son into some kind of a..." He had stopped on the word, but Jess had gotten the message. It was one you didn't forget, even after four years.



Explanation: The two already don't spend enough time together, but the relationship is made tougher by Jesse having to hide parts of his true self. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What are some external and internal conflicts that Montag has in Fahrenheit 451?

 Montag, the protagonist of Fahrenheit 451, faces both external and internal conflicts throughout the novel. Some examples of these conflicts are: External Conflicts: Conflict with the society: Montag lives in a society that prohibits books and critical thinking. He faces opposition from the government and the people who enforce this law. Montag struggles to come to terms with the fact that his society is based on censorship and control. Conflict with his wife: Montag's wife, Mildred, is completely absorbed in the shallow and meaningless entertainment provided by the government. Montag's growing dissatisfaction with his marriage adds to his external conflict. Conflict with the fire captain: Montag's superior, Captain Beatty, is the personification of the oppressive regime that Montag is fighting against. Montag's struggle against Beatty represents his external conflict with the government. Internal Conflicts: Conflict with his own beliefs: Montag, at the beginning of th...

In A People's History of the United States, why does Howard Zinn feel that Wilson made a flimsy argument for entering World War I?

"War is the health of the state," the radical writer Randolph Bourne said, in the midst of the First World War. Indeed, as the nations of Europe went to war in 1914, the governments flourished, patriotism bloomed, class struggle was stilled, and young men died in frightful numbers on the battlefields-often for a hundred yards of land, a line of trenches. -- Chapter 14, Page 350, A People's History of the United States Howard Zinn outlines his arguments for why World War I was fought in the opening paragraph of Chapter 14 (referenced above). The nationalism that was created by the Great War benefited the elite political and financial leadership of the various countries involved. Socialism, which was gaining momentum in Europe, as was class struggle, took a backseat to mobilizing for war. Zinn believes that World War I was fought for the gain of the industrial capitalists of Europe in a competition for capital and resources. He states that humanity itself was punished by t...

Where did Atticus take the light and extension cord in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus brings the light to the courthouse jail so that he can protect Tom Robinson.  Atticus learns that Tom Robinson, his client, is in danger.  A group of white men want to prevent the trial and lynch Robinson. He is warned by a small group of men that appear at his house.  He refuses to back down.  Atticus knows that the Cunninghams will target his client, so he plans to sit up all night with... Atticus brings the light to the courthouse jail so that he can protect Tom Robinson.  Atticus learns that Tom Robinson, his client, is in danger.  A group of white men want to prevent the trial and lynch Robinson. He is warned by a small group of men that appear at his house.  He refuses to back down.  Atticus knows that the Cunninghams will target his client, so he plans to sit up all night with Jim if that’s what it takes to protect him.  Atticus tells the men that he will make sure his client gets his fair shake at the law.  “Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till ...