About Me
Monday, February 23, 2009
Fanon #2.5
A world away, in a different man's lifetime, Thomas and his mother visit his brother in prison. It is unclear what landed him there to begin with, but what is clear is that much time has passed already since his conviction. His brother, Rob, talks of how much the visits mean to him and how he knows the pain it causes his family to come to the prison. He says "I understand how hard it is for anyone to visit this goddamn place, especially now that she's old and crippled and I hate to think about all the trouble I'm still causing youall" (54). Rob has been in prison for a long time and Thomas and their mother have been visiting for a long time as well. This is enough to put a strain on anyone and Rob recognizes and appreciates their efforts. Their mother is a recovering cancer victim as well, but her love for her younger son still keeps her able to come and see him and her hope to see him walk out jail a free man keeps her going as well. Rob tells her, "Remember, Mom. You promised me you ain't going nowhere before I get outta here" (58). Thomas, Rob and their mother all share a bond of love that helps them all support each other. Without the aid of Thomas, his sickly mother could not come to visit her son. Without his family, Rob would lose all reason to live. And the hope of Rob's return to society is a reason for both Thomas and their Mother to stick around as well.
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2 comments:
It's great that you focus on the interwoven family connections in this post. Love, the binding force for this family, allows the family to stay together. It seems to me that this is the greatest strength that they posses. I wonder if this bond will fall apart sometime in the plot of this book. That would make things interesting.
I think it is very effective that the author does not divulge how long a time it has been since the man was convicted, because it adds to the dreary and uncertain tone of the writing. I would be interested how this man's conviction and imprisonment would affect his relationship with his family, whether they would hold the same trust and love for each other that Erik mentions in his post.
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