Parent’s Control
Parents have reams of control over their children’s identity as shown in the stories, “Through the Tunnel” and “Marigolds” through the parent’s actions towards themselves and towards their children. How they treated themselves and their children taught the children’s new identity.
In the short story, “Marigolds” by Eugenia Collier, main character Lizabeth’s identity is thoroughly developed through her parent’s actions throughout the entire story. Her parents arguing bitterly over money and her fathers fear of not putting effort into his family and their needs lead Lizabeth to take a new path on her identity journey. It had been “Twenty-two years, Maybelle, twenty-two years,” ‘he was saying,’ “and I got nothing for you, nothing, nothing.”(Collier 36). Her
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Jerry’s mother had a specific type of parenting that led Jerry to a new brave and courageous identity. She had said “Of course, Jerry. When you’ve had enough, come to the big beach. Or just go straight back to the villa if you like.”(Lessing 4). Her way of parenting gave Jerry the opportunity to start a new journey on self-discovery, and begin to drastically change his identity. Towards the end of the story, Jerry had become a new kid; he was brave and he didn’t fight his mothers requests. Her opinions were clear and “She was ready for a battle of wills, but he gave in at once. It was no longer of the least importance to go to the bay.”(Lessing 51). Her willingness to let him continue all the way until the end exemplifies how parents do have control over their child’s identity. If she decided days earlier that she didn’t want him to do it anymore, he wouldn’t have listened, but his identity would change in a different way. He would be going against his mother’s wishes, instead of going without verbal