"This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" is very similar to Smoke Signals. Regardless, I was still able to find a new meaning when reading the story. Victor and his father have had a falling out. They have only talked a few times within a span of a few years. We can see just how distant they are as father and son. When Victor hears that his father has passed away he's still impacted by the news. "There [is] still a genetic pain" (59) that he feels. This shows us a lot about Victor and about human nature.
Even though Victor hasn't shared a close relationship with his father, he's still saddened by his death. We can discern the love that he continues to have for his father. This still continues to be the man that made it possible for him to be born. Not only does he feel sad, but he also wants to do what he can to travel to Arizona to pick up his father's ashes. He swallows his pride and accepts the help that Thomas offers him. Thomas and Victor have hardly talked and yet the situation calls for an exception. It's a matter of setting old feuds aside and moving forward so that Victor can be a good son.
This can not only be said about Victor, but about people in general. We can never fully close out people that we have once loved. This is especially true when it comes to our immediate family. Even if we've had a falling out, we still continue to care. If we hear about some unfortunate event that has occurred to them, we tend to feel a certain amount of compassion and hurt. If possible we try to do what we can to help them out. Victor's reaction to his father's death supports this well. He never stopped loving his father.
Sarahi:
ReplyDeleteI learned along time ago to keep the family baggage out of the family ...and that I have lived miles from my family at times in my life and have always once a month sent a card to each one...this is not always easy to keep up with but once you build a place in your life for it...it doesnt seem like anyting but what you do.
Many people I hear say...I love my family but I wouldnt be as near as close to them if I still lived with them...this breaks my heart, because I agree with your comments you always care about your family no matter what the following out is. I also agree this shows with Victor with his father in this story he never stopped caring which showed in this story during his dad dying. thanks for your reading!! Daye
Hi Sarahi,
ReplyDeleteI hadn't considered how Victor swallows his pride when he accepts help from Thomas. That's a great insight.
Your post has me seeing Victor in a new light. Regardless of his anger and resentment, he puts those things aside to fulfill a duty to his father and mother by retrieving his father's ashes; he wants to "be a good son".
The quote you include about the "genetic pain" is great! Victor might not be able to voice his pain, and he may not even be conscious of it, but he feels it nonetheless because it's "genetic".
Thanks for sharing your insights.
Take care,
Lauren
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ReplyDeleteHello ! wow I really enjoyed reading your post and looking at the story from your perspective. When I read the story, I was more concentrated in all the differences that the movie and the Story had. However, I did noticed that in the story Victor is more open to show his emotions and is not that mean to Thomas. I really liked your paragraph where you wrote about the unconditional love that we have for our family members !
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing,
Natalia
Hello. After reading your dialogue, I really came to understand more as to why Victor went out to get his father or should I say why he felt the obligation to retrieve his fathers ashes. It is true what you say that no matter how family may have been while you were growing up, there is still a little of love deep inside you towards them.
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