This story has a great title"Shooting Dad". As I started to read this story all I could think of was the title. The way she described all of the things her father was to her, Republican with NRA stickers all over the car. Then I thought about the title and wondered is she going to shoot this guy. The story is very familiar, the younger generation not understanding the values of the older. It happened to my Dad and his Dad, to me and mine. This is the same story. I am surprised at how the story tied the title in. I never thought that she was going to shoot ashes.
The way that the writer starts the story, her and her father always disagreeing, many if the younger generation can relate too. As the story progressed the story became easier for me to realize with. As we get older we want to be OK with our parents, maybe because we start to realize that "this" is not forever, who knows. The story became more moving as it went along, and at the end when she realized that she and her father were the same person, made me chuckle out loud. The title "Shooting Dad" was made clear in the last paragraph when the reader realizes that the daughter is going to shoot the ashes of her father out of a cannon. The fact that the writer doesn't agree with firearms has an ironic ring when she says that she wants the cannon to hurt when it is fired.
Hi Benjamin,
ReplyDeleteI remember holding on in anticipation the first time I read this essay to see what would happen, and I was also surprised by the ending. What I like about this reading is the way Vowell hooked me into her story with the title and with her experiences. I wanted to know what would happen to the characters. Then, she completely turns things around in the end to provide a happy ending I didn't expect. Thanks for your insights!
Lauren
Hi Benjamin,
ReplyDeleteI too was caught by the title before reading the story, it definately kept me interested and eager to learn why it was titled that. To me, the title "Shooting Dad" doesn't only mean she was going to shoot his ashes in the hill though. I think that's how the narrarator described her dad, and how she will remember him, as always shooting, so that's her "shooting dad."
One of the things I liked in your response was when you talked about realizing that parents being themselves won't be forever. The narrarator knew this and stepped out of her Democratic lifestyle to spend some quality time with her father where she learned what her father surely knew all along.
Hi Benjamin,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your response to this and liked the way you wrote. The title too caught my attention and I could also relate with how's its hard to understand your parents sometimes. Great job.