Essay Review
The essay “Blackberries” by Leslie Norris presents a family conflict between a mother and a father of a young boy. The financial difficulties the family experiences are the main cause of the conflict. The mother feels that the father does not do enough to support the family, and that she does most of the work. When the boy and his father go for a walk, they gather berries and carry them in the boy’s newly bought cap. The boy’s mother was the one who purchased the expensive cap. Therefore, she feels upset because of the fact that the cap is stained with berries. The situation mentioned above leads to a heated argument about the family’s financial ground, which causes an internal family conflict. The story reflects the conflict between the mother and the father that is based on the financial situation of the family.
The mother of the boy thinks that it was a stupid idea to carry the berries using the expensive cap. She argues it would be better if the family had enough finances. She feels that the family is struggling because the father of the boy is not doing enough. She feels that she works more than her husband. She uses the situation with the cap to inform her husband that he should work extra hard to get a job in order to support the family.
The boy’s father; in his turn, thinks that the mother of the boy is being too harsh about the cap. He claims that the cap will dry out and resume its original appearance. He argues that he is doing the best he can about the financial situation in their family. He further claims he works hard and earns enough money. I assume that the father is not proud of the fact he is not able to raise enough for the family.
The two characters are in a conflict because of their difficult financial situation. The fact that the mother and the father are arguing because of the stained proves that their financial situation is rather challenging. Also, the fact that the father is unemployed makes their condition even more difficult. The mother of the boy asks the father to look for a job in order to be in a position to provide the family with financial security. The fact that the boy is crying is a clear proof that similar situations happen often. Family conflicts are common in modern families, even in my own family. My parents often disagree about various issues. However, instead of blaming each other, they try to find and discuss solutions. Moreover, when I was younger, they used to discuss conflicts in private in order not to upset me. Discussing problems in front of offsprings may lead to the worsening of the image of a particular parent and, hence, lead to disrespect. Family conflicts may also lead to emotional breakdowns. Therefore, parents should ensure that they do not involve their children into their problems.
In conclusion, the story is a learning experience for all the families the members of which face conflicts. From my experience, parents should avoid arguing in front of their children because quarrels negatively influence children and may lead to emotional breakdowns. In the essay “Blackberries,” the boy’s father is upset because of his lack of employment. Therefore, the boy’s mother should support him, and she should avoid discussing financial issues before their son. The family that the author of the essay described is similar to real-life families. Family members often experience problems and conflicts. My experience suggests that families need to learn how to handle different issues because even minor problems may lead to complications if they are not solved.
The article was written by professional writer Eshley Durst, more her papers you can find at cheap-papers.com
