Family Isn’t First
In the novel When I Found You by Catherine Ryan Hyde there is a baby found in the woods. His name is Nathan Bates. He lives with his grandma for a majority of his life after being abandoned by his parents. He gets into some trouble his grandma is fed up with him. Eventually she wants to give him to the man who found him in the wood, Nathan McCann. He takes him and tries to give him a better life. The boy still gets into some trouble but also learns a lot about his past. This novel illustrates a dysfunctional family.
First, Nat’s father left town abandoning Nat. Nathan tells Nat the truth about his father jumping bail and leaving town. Nat says, “I c[an] find him. Maybe I can live with him” (Hyde 120). Nat thinks there is some hope he can unite with his father. Nat does not comprehend that his father left town knowing he was there. His father clearly
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Nat asks Nathan what he has to do to make him give up on him. Nathan says, “[t]here’s nothing you c[an] do. I will never wash my hands of you” (Hyde 118). Nathans response shows that he took Nat in knowing he will be in his life forever. There was no doubt in Nathans head that through the good and bad, he will be by Nat’s side. He wants Nat to understand although people may have left his life, he will always be there. Nathans showing him that he sees potential in Nat changing his life for the better. Nathan brings Elenor to juvenile hall to visit Nat to tell him they are getting married; his reaction was not that great. Roger says, “[t]hat guy give[s] you everything. Saves your ass the day you were born. Comes to see you every visiting day” (Hyde 154). Rogers trying to make Nat see he has a good person in his life right now. Roger sees Nathan does more for Nat than most parents do for their own children. He is trying to make Nat be grateful to have a guy like that in his life, and that he doesn’t take Nathan for