Dysfunctional Families In Cana Essay -- essays research papers

Dysfunctional family relationships form the basis of many Canadian short stories. Often, tragedy is the obliterate result of severe family breakdown. In other cases, personality defectsare directly traceable to poor family dynamics. In the stories Hurt, Fall of a City, and The telephone set of Hollyhocks there were very profound family problems.The difficulty in the father/son relationship in Hurt reflects a role reversal. Even thoughStevie is tho a young boy, he took care of himself and his father. Stevie made his ownmeals and when his father was inebriated, he ...went down to the store and got him acouple bottles of vanilla to sober up on. (pg. 195) In a family situation a young childsuch as Stevie should not have the responsibility of taking care of his parent. Moreover, even when Stevies father was sober, Stevie could do whatever he liked withoutconsequence. Skip described such a freedom when he said that Stevie went to schoolwhen he precious to go... (pg. 193) This lack of r ules or an authority figure demonstratesthe dysfunctionality of this family. Also, Stevies father was a violent alcoholic. Skipobserved that somedays Stevies father would be ...pounding on the walls with his fistsand nemesis and crying all at the same time... (pg. 195) The parent/child role reversal , the lack of structure, discipline, and authority in the home and the violent episodesdemonstrate the pointedness of dysfunction in this family.Fall of a City depicts the dysfunctional...