Fictive Fragments of a Father and Son

Fictive Fragments of a Son

By David Mura

I enjoyed this story because it shows the difference in generations between father and son. You can see how as the years go by, some things may change while some things still may stay the same. The fact that the boy is growing up in America does change some things, however. For example, when he mentions discovering his sexuality, he also relates to the typical American boy. It seems as though he wants reassurance that he is fitting into the norm as everyone else in America.

            The speaker mentions the women that he views “must be more beautiful than Asian women, more prestigious.” This thought of his may be different then of his father or grandfather. However, you can see what the speaker has become adapted to. By being in America, he has new views on women, who are different then what his father or grandfather are used to.

            The speaker also mentions how he has it easier then his father had it: “the beating were no different from the long distances he had to walk to school or the work he performed in his father’s nursery. They were simply proof that my fathers childhood was harsher then mine.” This also shows the generation difference of growing up between his father and him.

            However, throughout this story, it is not guaranteed that some of these things occurred. Instead, the speaker is finding some of these things and making inferences. This also shows how a child can be curious about his or her parent’s lives of when they were younger. Overall, it amazes me to see the difference in generations between a father and son, and how growing up in America may have something to do with it.