Mississippi Trial Sparknotes

Father to son relationships are a major part of growth and maturity because they teach the son useful skills for life, and the father learns how to properly understand their son’s life and the things changing in the world. Learning how to argue and learning how to agree are important parts of life that this relationship is good at teaching. Fathers and sons that are facing conflict is one of the major themes of Mississippi Trial, 1955, this is illustrated through the relationships of Hiram and his father; Hiram’s father (Harlan) and Hiram’s Grandfather (Earl); and R.C. and his father. One of the father son relationships shown in Mississippi Trial, 1955 is between Hiram and Harlan, his father. Hiram thinks that his father wants nothing to

and his father, who we do not learn the name of. In this case, R.C. lives with his sister and father. His father is presented as an old, drunk man who is angry with R.C. for trying to leave him. The most important part of the relationship is that it is quite violent. We can assume that R.C.’s father is this way because of his drunkenness when R.C. tells Hiram “Anyway, Pa don't like it, and he kept yellin', Ya run out on me, boy! What he means is that he couldn't take my wages no more to buy booze”(Crowe 198). R.C. also tells Hiram the last time he tried to leave the house to work, his father didn’t like the idea and he started to beat him. R.C. says "He caught me a good couple times and I just took it. That made him mad, so he throws the belt down and starts with his fists. Hittin' me in the face, kickin' me, screamin' like a crazy man" (Crowe 199), to show the anger his father has towards him. This is a very unfortunate possibility for father and son. The son wants to go out into the world; the father says no; the son fires back with a response that angers the father; it all goes downhill. It is safe to assume that if R.C. and his father ever meet again, the outcome will not be pretty for either side. R.C. does grow from this bad relationship with his alcoholic father. In fact, he changes his whole view on life and says he wants to have some peace and fun while he still has time. His whole reason for working, and working in Jackson no less, was so he could get out of the shack and find better people to be around. Violence has a massive impact on growth, but is not the best of methods to solve problems or teach a