Ngoc's Corner of Language Arts 10th
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Tender Bar Blog Post #3
In this story, up to about pages 200, there are several ethical issues that the main character faces. J.R. Moehringer, all his life, was given the impression that he should hate his father because of what his mom said. His father had left him and his mother penniless and his mom just despises his father. His mom would tell him, "You're going to be a lawyer. That way I can hire you to sue your father for child support, Ha" (Moehringer 33). Ever since, he had started to severe relations with his dad, and working to become a lawyer like his mom had dreamed. However, there were certain problems. When he wanted to fill out for YALE applications because the paternal figures of the bar insisted he do so, he needed his father's address. He put "NOT APPLICABLE" but he kept on hesitated about it. Later when he was interviewed and asked about his name, J.R. he didn't want to say that it was his father's because he was ashamed of his dad. He didn't want all his work to be his dad getting credit for it His mom then arranged for him and his father to have time together. They spent time together and Moehringer began to like him. Soon it was time for his father to go. He was going to ask him why he left him and his mom penniless. He didn't have the guts to do so. "I thought I might confront him. Why did you leave my mother and me without a penny?" (Moehringer 150),he thought in his mind. However, later on he gave up on the idea of becoming a lawyer and suing his dad because he didn't want to betray his dad. He didn't want to help his mom and betray his dad. However, because of this, in his mind, he thought that he had betrayed his mom.
In his later years, he had become a bum and a failure in life. He didn't care much, but he did feel something. He did feel like he was a traitor to his family. He stated, "I stopped phoning my mother...I was distancing myself from unfulfilled promises, from the awful guilt I felt over failing to take care of her" (Moehringer 279). In this quote, we are able to see that he feels like he is a traitor to his father and his mother. He was failing to support her financially and he had given up her dream of suing his father. He had to make a decision over family members. Whether his mom was more important or his dad was more important. It seemed like he was neutral, but he seemed to fail and betrayed both of them. However, it seems like he felt like he betrayed his mom more since she had raised him for all his life and put ambitions into his head, but he failed her. By trying to make himself feel better, he began to "embargo" his mom. He didn't talk to her because he didn't want the guilt to build up inside of him.
Through all of this, we can see that J.R. Moehringer doesn't like to stand up to his problems. He seems to go straight into things without knowing it and he doesn't like to go against anyone. He failed to go against his mom or his dad. This tells us that he would most likely be someone who is quiet when it comes to standing up against society because he would not stand up against his own family to make a difference in their lives.
In his later years, he had become a bum and a failure in life. He didn't care much, but he did feel something. He did feel like he was a traitor to his family. He stated, "I stopped phoning my mother...I was distancing myself from unfulfilled promises, from the awful guilt I felt over failing to take care of her" (Moehringer 279). In this quote, we are able to see that he feels like he is a traitor to his father and his mother. He was failing to support her financially and he had given up her dream of suing his father. He had to make a decision over family members. Whether his mom was more important or his dad was more important. It seemed like he was neutral, but he seemed to fail and betrayed both of them. However, it seems like he felt like he betrayed his mom more since she had raised him for all his life and put ambitions into his head, but he failed her. By trying to make himself feel better, he began to "embargo" his mom. He didn't talk to her because he didn't want the guilt to build up inside of him.
Through all of this, we can see that J.R. Moehringer doesn't like to stand up to his problems. He seems to go straight into things without knowing it and he doesn't like to go against anyone. He failed to go against his mom or his dad. This tells us that he would most likely be someone who is quiet when it comes to standing up against society because he would not stand up against his own family to make a difference in their lives.
posted by Ngoc/Jimmy at 7:42 PM
1 Comments:
I think that the main individual of this book does have serious issues coping with guilt. From what you said, he didn't want to betray either his mom or his dad. When I look at this though, it seems to me that this person is guilty of betraying himself. He allowed himself to fall apart at the seams. Too preoccupied with living up to a moral standard, he ruined his own life.
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