What is the significance behind the title "Shooting Dad"?
Sarah Vowell found it difficult to have a positive relationship with her father growing up. They seemed to be rivals in many instances. Their disagreements stemmed from the political views that they held but were mostly surrounding the second amendment regarding the right to bear arms. Sarah's father was a gunsmith, hence, his entire life revolved around firearms. She developed an immediately dislike for guns after her first experience shooting one at the age of six. This created a distinctive wedge between her and her father that lasted quite a few years. I think that Sarah had longed for a bond between her father and herself and this is why she decided to extend the effort to bridge the gap by asking to see him shoot off his homemade cannon. For reasons that maybe she does'nt understand herself, that gap was mended.
As a daughter myself, the need to maintain a close bond with my father is one of importance. Like Sarah, I have experienced a large wedge between my father and I until about two years ago. The longing for us to have that father-daughter bond was something so deep that I thought would never take place. I took advantage of a situation to extend myself out to my father in his time of need. Surprisingly, he accepted my help and the lines of communication opened and mended the bond that we both had longed for.
John Vowell had a passionate love for guns and this showed throughout his life. He literally was a shooter, having a houseful of firearms. After many years of rivalry between his daughter Sarah, they mended there relationship and she grew to appreciate in her own way her father's love of guns. Her appreciation for her father and what he loved was displayed in the way she carried out the ceremony of his death. Shooting her father's ashes out of his handmade cannon was the ultimate depiction of her father's life and what he stood for. The symbolization of the ceremony would have made him proud.
Hi Mandy,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you Sara an her dad had a hard time having a close relationship with each other in this story, but when I read it to me it was more amicable most of the time. I think they played a lot of cat and mouse with each other until she got older. Then she hit the teenage year and hormones probably kicked in and you know what happens then. I must admit that I really like how she protrayed their relationship it was honest, she also ended up showing us that even though they disagreed that she loved him very much and admitted that they were more alike then not. I also want you to know how happy I am that you and your father are communicating again, that brought a smile to my heart. Just like Sara and her father certain things had to before they could make amends I am glad both your stories turned how well. Take care Stacy
Mandy,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you in that their differences in political views, and the fact that Sarah's dad was a gunsmith and she did not like guns really hampered their ability to have a close relationship. It was great of Sarah to ask her dad to see him shoot of his homemade cannon. As she matured, I think that she realized that she would have to do something along the lines of that to get a closer relationship to her dad. I think it was great that she actually ended up enjoying shooting the cannon with him. I, also as a daughter, want to maintain a close relationship with my dad. We strayed apart for quite a few years. In all actuality I strayed away from my whole family for a while. I remember the day that my dad and I started to mend our relationship. I had just moved back to Santa Rosa with my daughter who was 11 months at the time. I was 18. When we were moving me into my apartment, my dad told me that he was very proud of me for taking responsibility for my actions and raising my daughter eventhough I was still so young. That meant a lot to me. That was the first time that my dad had told me that he was proud of me. Ever since then, we have gotten along great and like to spend time together whenever we can.
Hi Mandy,
ReplyDeleteYour post reminds me of something my daughter's pediatrician once told me; she said that children will want a parent's attention, be it for positive or negative reasons--all attention is good, even if it's fighting. Her point was that parents needs to foster a positive relationship with their children who will seek out their attention in any way they can.
In this instance, I wonder if the fighting and "war" Sarah and her father engaged in was their way of keeping contact with each other and getting each other's attention. If they really hated each other, they would have not cared and they would have ignored each other.
Sarah would have had a completely different experience with her father if he just ignored her. Even though they're fighting, Sarah knows her dad cares. They're able to find common ground and stop fighting because they had a relationship, albeit one of tension; had they not had a relationship to fix, she and her dad never would have found common ground.
Thanks for giving me more to think about.
Take care,
Lauren
Mandy;
ReplyDeleteInteresting point about our children wanting our attention, I believe this is natural but some think its a bad thing...or they are overly annoying I think it is part of love and children require this from their parents. Feeling isolated in your household by being treated as a child when you have grown or ignored I think it is because parents dont know how to deal with their children growing up. We all must learn how to express ourselves without making someone angry but is it right that parents have a lack of patience and dont learn to parent.empathy and compassion...being involved with your parents I believe is equally as important as them with you ...the key being communication!! Thank you for the reading!!
Daye