Week 1 Post B

Dear Mr. Tobias Wolff,

Your memoir, "This Boy's Life" has so far been a fascinating read and has kept me eager to keep reading on and on. It must be tough for you to deal with the problems between your mom and dad. It is also interesting that you were close to both of them. A quote that does a pretty good job of explaining this situation is "My mother didn't tell me what went on between her and Roy, the threats and occasional brutality with which he held her in place. She was the same as ever with me, full of schemes and quick to laugh. Only now and then there came a night when she couldn't do anything but sit and cry, and then I comforted her, but I never knew her reasons" (14). This shows that although you were aware of the occasional beatings you didn't know what was wrong with the relationship your parents had, and you were close to your mom, but also enjoyed the company of your father. "He always seemed glad to see me. If I was lucky he would put a couple of rifles in his Jeep and we'd drive into the desert to shoot at cans and look for ore" (13). It is also tough for me to tell whether or not your father is truly a bad person. I mean he beats your mom and didn't give any money to the two of you even though the judge ordered him to. Yet, if he didn't care and love you and your mom he wouldn't have come back to both of you. What is your true personal opinion on your father? Well I'll leave it at this for now, and I look forward to your quick response. After all you write to your pen pal twice a week when your only suppose to write once a month.

Best Regards,

Hamish