As a teenager all you want is your family to be normal. Unfortunately most of us are not that lucky, and that is the case in “Shooting Dad” The narrator tells us about her very annoying and embarrassing relationship with her father. The two could not be more different, or have two totally different points of view on the world and politics. He a gunsmith, who belongs to the NRA, and shoots crows from the front yard, and his daughter the musician and artist and has the “go green” mentality just never could get along in those oh so painful teenage years.
The narrator was not just embarrassed by her father being a gunsmith it terrified her. She hated guns and could not fathom the idea of ever shooting and killing an animal just for fun. She tells us of the years her father spent in the garage making his guns, and her in her room which was known as the “obstacle course of musical instruments.” These years were especially hard on their relationship. They could not understand each other and they were equally stubborn, unwilling to recognize and accept each others differences. It was not until she was a grown adult, no longer living under her parents’ roof that she was able to realize that someone had to give, and it was going to have to be her.
Her father had been working on an eighteenth century cannon for quite some time, and it was an ambitious project that took many years. It was the biggest project he had ever taken on, and with his daughter feeling like she needed to be a “better daughter” saw this as an opportunity to try to understand his love of firearms. She thought it a good idea to call up her father and ask if she could come visit and watch him shoot off his cannon. To her amazement she had a blast! She enjoyed every minute of it and found the explosion of the cannon exciting. It was then that she realized how much her and her father were alike. As she describes they are “both smart-alecky loners with goofy projects” They may love different things but they share the same type of passion for that which they love.
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I'm really happy that finally they could find something that they had in common. I know that it must have been hard for them because everyone is different. My dad works on cars and loves cars to death but that doesn't mean I have to be just like him. We are a like i other ways. Its just sad that it had to be like that for so long.
ReplyDeleteKelly wrote: "It was not until she was a grown adult, no longer living under her parents’ roof that she was able to realize that someone had to give, and it was going to have to be her."
ReplyDeleteI did not read the essay from this point of view at all. I did not think that she was "giving in". Thank you for showing me another way to look at it. Just like the two girls saw their loves differently we each read and see these essays from our own view.
Hi Kelly,
ReplyDeleteThe point you make about teenagers wanting "normal" families got my attention. I hadn't considered the idea that part of Vowell's issues with her dad could be some of the usual issues that come with growing up--testing boundaries, exerting one's sense of self, being embarrassed by parents, wanting people to be or do as we think, etc. Thanks for the new perspective.
Lauren :)
Oops, posted too soon. I also meant to say that it's easy to focus on the political differences in this essay, without noticing the ways her struggles can be typical for teens. :)
ReplyDeleteGood job Lauren. I like how you used the every day teenage struggles to relate to this writting .Havent we all been there with our parents? Even if your parents are hard core republicans that have guns in your kitchen you can still relate to her writting. Great closing sentence also.
ReplyDeleteYah i really agree with preston, i liked how you said in the beginning.."As a teenager all you want is your family to be normal. Unfortunately most of us are not that lucky..." that right there got my attention becasue it brought me back to when i was younger! great response!!
ReplyDeleteNiki