If I could get any sort of feedback from this essay it would be great!
How does the memoir allow Wolff to shape our impressions of characters in This Boy’s Life?
Tobias Wolff’s limited first-person narrative structure in his memoir, This Boy’s Life, disallows readers from having an unbiased impression of characters, rather only his own opinions. Due to this, Wolff has the power to illustrate and manipulate characters the way he wants, essentially shaping the readers perception of them. He is retrospective of his adolescence, allowing him to draw sympathy from what he has endured as well as reflecting on past mistakes. He also focuses on Rosemary’s dreams and ambitions, while highlighting the plight and adversity she faces. The memoir also allows Wolff to antagonize characters such as Dwight, while providing a clear distinction to him in Mr. Howard who is recognized as a hero by Jack.
By it being his own memoir, Wolff is given the opportunity to depict his past mistakes while also generating sympathy for himself. He begins the memoir by mentioning their “car boiled over again.” This immediately illustrates the repetitive nature of bad luck Jack has endured in his life, while also foreshadowing the unfortunate events in his near future. Thus, readers are lured in to feel a sense of sympathy for him. He later realises that he lives in “perpetual dusk” highlighting the lack of hope he has. Furthermore, creating the impression that Jack was a victim of his surrounding and his current circumstances did not truly reflect who he was. Wolff’s “memory has its own story to tell” allowing him to generate feelings from readers how he sees fit. He does this throughout the memoir by highlighting the recurring nature of misfortune in his youth. In addition, he regarded himself as an outsider in his youth, forced to conform to fulfil social expectations. He “practiced looking cool” and even indulged in violence to feel masculine. All of this was in efforts to identify with his surroundings and seemingly fit in with the nature of 1950’s America which demanded males to be aggressive. Here Wolff depicts how it was vital and normal for young males to act against themselves in order to be viewed as manly in society’s eyes. Due to the narrative voice of the memoir being from a child, the desire for Jack to fit in can be empathized with because it is important to belong in adolescence. Although, Wolff also includes excerpts of him talking as a mature adult where he recognizes that it is better to be with “a crowd than to be along.” Thus, adding justification to his desperate need to belong in his environment rather than being an outsider. Following the linear nature of the memoir, Wolff is also able to admit to his faults in his youth as he grows up. Jack knew Chuck “despised” him “for not apologizing” and Jack himself was not content with his actions. His inability to apologize suggests that he was not mature and was unable to own up to mistakes. This shows the reader the detest nature of Jack when he is confronted. However, due to the honest narrative tone here, the readers are shown a more sincere side of Wolff where he accepts that he has faults. Ultimately, Jack’s thoughts and reflections of his younger self create a character to sympathise with, although having flaws.
By dedicating sections of the memoir to Rosemary’s history and current circumstances, Wolff gives reasoning for her behaviour and attitude. Wolff goes into depth about Rosemary’s past with her father which had a significant impact on her future life. He would constantly “spank” her even if she had not misbehaved which in turn “left some marks on her.” This indicates that some of the negative characteristics and tendencies that Rosemary has are not her fault, rather her father’s. Wolff reveals this anecdote to negate any blame that may be directed at Rosemary for Jack’s lack of discipline. She can also be seen as one of the most positive, and motivated characters in the memoir. She had “dreams of transformation” and believed in the better possibilities for herself and Jack. Also, she bought Jack “souvenirs” even when she had “no money for them,” consoled Norma after a breakup and fixed Pearl’s “bald-patch.” By doing this, he was able to evince virtuous traits of a mother, showing readers her reliability and helpful nature. By constantly revealing the deeds Rosemary’s committed, Wolff intends to embody a pleasant and considerate woman. However, Rosemary’s internal aspirations and dreams are left unfulfilled because of the predicaments she faces. By using roads and highways, Wolff is able to confine as well as limit Rosemary to the area of Chinook, hence showing she is trapped by her circumstance. The gloomy and ominous setting of the “camp” reinforces the negativity that is prevalent in her life. Thus creating a sense of compassion for her. After escaping from Dwight the “mask was gone” and she looked “young and pretty.” Wolff makes this sentence short and succinct to draw reader’s attentions to the fact that she is free of the disastrous life that plagued her. He uses Rosemary’s character to explore how his mother was able to stray from the social norm of women being limited to housewives, instead she was able to take care of Jack and be self-sufficient for large portions of the memoir. From a “paper millionaire” family to abusive partners, Rosemary lives an unwarranted life, but her ability to strive past it defines her as a strong, independent character.
By using specific narrative tones and structure, Wolff is able to vividly contrast the influence Dwight and Mr. Howard had in his youth. Because it is his memoir, Wolff intentionally does not reveal background information on Dwight. Therefore preventing readers from being given reasoning for his mannerisms. He makes it clear that Dwight tries “too hard” from the moment he is introduced to the memoir. Wolff even dedicates the section, “A Whole New Deal” to Dwight’s menacing power and threatening presence. The narrative tone surrounding Dwight is daunting and hostile, with Wolff using words like “sullen” and “grunted” to describe his actions. Readers are then given the hint that Dwight’s presence is foreboding an unpleasant future. Dwight then proceeds to intentionally “run over” a beaver, in attempts to exert his power. This not only signifies his motivations for dominance, but the beaver also represents Jack at Dwight’s mercy. He is also seen to be using “white paint” to cover up the reality of his life. By doing so he creates an unnatural and untrue setting that does not reflect himself, hence the paint wears off. The memoir allows Wolff to use this representation to go against Dwight concealing his true nature. In turn, negative connotations are drawn to Dwight and his way of life, portraying him as an unlikeable character. Conversely, Mr. Howard is used as a clear juxtaposition to Dwight and the remaining men in the memoir. Unlike Dwight, a more positive narrative tone is used around Mr. Howard to describe him. Words like “lively” and “buoyancy” give an encouraging impression of the man to readers. Jack wanted people from school to see him “pull up in the Thunderbird” showing that he respected Mr. Howard’s position in the world. Also, owning a Thunderbird suggest that he is a man of socio-economic status and stability, opposing the other men in his life. This positions readers to see Mr. Howard as a reputable man that should be liked. To add to this, he is seen as the closest character to achieving the American Dream, because of his wife, social status, and wealth. He also contradicts social conventions of this era as men tried to exude masculinity, rather Mr. Howard was imbued by knowledge and education. His positive influence in Jack’s life and his astute personality causes him to be praised through narrative tone. Thus, Wolff intends to transcend a noble impression of Mr. Howard to readers. Additionally, He talks about the Dwight and Mr. Howard at different lengths to signify the detrimental or beneficial impact they had on his life. Wolff exemplifies a protagonist in Mr. Howard while constantly criticising Dwight’s demeanour through narrative tone and structure.
Throughout the memoir Wolff describes and dwells on specific traits of characters, to create the perception of them in his favour. He is able to reflect on his past and be introspective to show growth and allow readers to empathize as well as have compassion for Jack. Similarly, he rarely degrades Rosemary as a character as he wants to shed positive light on her and the ability she had to overcome hardship. Meanwhile, the characters of Dwight and Mr. Howard are distinguished in order to illustrate the different types of men in the 1950’s. Wolff is able to manipulate character’s actions to allow them to be seen how he wants.
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