Redemption

Earlier this week, our first discussion about our new novel Everything Matters! quickly deteriorated into a no-holds-barred blame fest. As Ms. Serensky pointed out, our class has a remarkable tendency to turn everything into a witch hunt. I know for certain that I am guilty of this, as I immediately jumped into the blame game, trying to determine who was the biggest failure as a parent, person, and role model. However, I realize this is a very unkind and not a very useful habit to cultivate. In hopes of redeeming myself, I have decided to find all the things I like about the characters and say nice things about them, instead of self-righteously tearing them down.

Debbie: She was a pretty good mother to Junior for a few years. Although I can't condone the beating she gave Rodney during Junior's seizure, I can say it stemmed from a strong protective instinct for her younger son.

John Sr: A man of few words, while he can come off as cold, his kids seems to know he feels "genuine affection" for them (83). His physical absence is due not to a lack of love for his family but from a desire to provide for them. Most importantly, John has integrity; he refuses to profit off his son's talent for baseball, even though he could use the money. On the subject of that sport, I admire that the untimely end to his own promising career has not turned him into a bitter person.

Uncle Rodney: I suppose he didn't know Rodney was stealing cocaine from him.

Rodney: One moment from Rodney's visit to Chicago really stood out to me, as his father slowly strangles Dallas Green, Rodney steps in and asks to meet Harry Caray. It snaps John out of his murderous rage and when he explains to Rodney that that just isn’t going to happen, Rodney replies" I know...I just wanted you to stop choking him...I don't want you to go to jail" (80). Rodney is unconcerned with punishing Green for his arrogance or venting his rage, he just cares about keeping his family safe, what's not to admire?

What A Lovely Shade of Green!