“Father and Son” Plot Point Photos

In this project, one will analyze the short story, “Father and Son,” by Bernard MacLaverty and find quotes and pictures to support each plot point. Each plot point will have three to four sentences to go along with its own quote and picture. “Father and Son,” is about a father and his son who live together by themselves. The two don’t particularly get along with the son feeling like the father worries too much while the father feels like the son doesn’t love him.

 Exposition
“I know that in a few minutes [my dad] will come in to look at sleeping” (MacLaverty 165)
From this quote, we can understand that this story takes place in a house. Also, we could assume that the main characters are a boy and his father. We also know that the two have some sort of issue that makes the dad want to check on him while he is sleeping.

 Initiating Incident
“’Wake up, son. I’m away to my work.Where are you going today?’ ‘What’s it to you?”’ (MacLaverty 165)
This shows how little the son cares about his dad. The dad asks a normal question about what he is doing today but the son overreacts for no reason. The dad is trying to become a part of his sons life but the son pushes him away.

Rising Action
“’What do you be doing out to this time?’ ‘Not again.’  ‘Answer me.’  ‘Talking.’  ‘Who with?’ ‘Friends. Just go to bed, Da, will you?”’ (MacLaverty 166)
This shows just how damaged the relationship is between the two. The dad tries to be a part of his life but the son does not want that. The son is giving short, meaningless answers to his questions.

Rising Action
‘“Why do you always spy on me, you nosey oldbastard?”’ (MacLaverty 169)|
The son in the story is clearly fed up with his dad and wishes he would back off. The dad in the story, however, just wants to know his son better. Thedad wants his son to know he loves him but the son does not want anything to do with his dad.

 Rising Action
“My son with friends. Talking. What he does not do with me” (MacLaverty 169)
At this point the dad seems to have given up with trying to connect with his son. He realizes that his son talks with his friends and not him because his son does not like him. He accepts that his son does not talk to him and is very upset because of all the effort he put in to connect with is son.

Climax

“There is a bang. A dish-cloth drops from my hand and I run to the kitchen door.” (MacLaverty 169)
There is a loud noise coming from the other side of the house where his son was. The dad got very nervous thinking something horrible happened to his son. This is the climax because it is the most exciting part of the story because we donot completely know what has happened to his son yet.

Falling Action
“There is a strange smell. My son is lying on the floor, his head on the bottom stair, his feet on the threshold” (MacLaverty 169)
The dad finds his son dead on the stairs. Someone came in and shot him. The plot of the story is starting to wrap up as everything is coming to an end

 Denouement
“My son, let me put my arms around you” (MacLaverty 169)
The dad wishes he and his son were closer, but he always made the effort. The dad never stopped caring for and loving the son no matter how many times he drove him away. Everything in the story has wrapped up and all loose ends have been tied.