Adversity In The Story Of John Purcell

John Purcell was a man who faced a tremendous amount of adversities throughout his lifetime. As we can see as this short story these adversities prove to be to great and send him down path filled with neglectful parenting and alcoholism. The Father depicts countless times where John is unable to connect with or understand other characters in this book. We are shown this with his family and friends numerous times. John repeatedly allows adversity craft his identity throughout his lifetime.

It is made clear early on in this novel that John Purcell was unable to understand the emotions other people -especially his son- feel. “Though his wife and children quarrelled often, there was no tension between at all.” is quoted that depicts without doubt that John cannot comprehend the emotion and thought of others around him. Again we see the skewed vision he has of reality when he “ Felt a warm pride as he stole glances down at the boy’’. Because he felt he had to “steal glances” we can clearly tell he doesn’t understand the role a father should play in his son's life. John clearly is unaware of how a father should act around his son, that tells us he never had a father figure throughout his childhood that showed him the

When John was asked if he attend church he would regularly respond with “Not since i marched with the army”. Warfare was obviously another adversity he faced in his lifetime which he allowed to shape his identity tremendously. John before the war was a man who regularly attend church but he allowed the war to shape his identity by changing his religious beliefs. He also allowed this adversity turn him into an alcoholic and almost abusive father. The story portrays John as a tough and lean man before the war but as now let himself become fat and unathletic. This is yet another example of how John let the war shape his