Character

At the beginning of the novel, Jack Wolff lives underneath the weight of his the absence of his father and Dwight’s oppressive behavior. However, as he grows older he is able to escape the grasp of these burdens and discover his true self-worth. When Jack was growing up he imagined “good reasons, even romantic reasons, why he had taken no interest, why he had never written to me, why he seemed to have forgotten I existed” (121). From his point of view, Jack believed that it was himself and not his father that was at fault and allowed himself to feel a sense of inadequacy and low self-worth. However, this view changes after Jack’s first child is born. He writes, “…something hard broke in me, and I knew that I was more alive than I had been before” (121). Jack’s love for his son allows him to realize that it was not his own insufficiency that distanced him from his father, but instead his father’s choice. While this brings Jack grief, it also allows him to gain a greater sense of self-worth.
Besides his father’s rejection, Jack is also troubled by Dwight’s tyrannical conduct. Jack describes Dwight’s behavior, “he (Dwight) never let me out of his sight. He stuck close by and acted jovial” (99). Jack’s tone suggests he is annoyed and fearful under Dwight’s constant presence since he knows Dwight’s good humor is merely a pretense and not a true indicator of Dwight’s true oppressive nature. Later in the story, Jack “said things to Dwight [he] never would have said to him before” (231). This is because Jack experiences a change in point of view and refuses to allow Dwight to further manipulate and intimidate him. Although at first Jack lets his father’s absence and Dwight’s domineering nature become a significant burden, he later learns to change this outlook and gains a greater sense of self-worth by not letting outside forces shape him and instead allowing his true character define his life.