What this project is a plot-point that demonstrate what happens in the short story “Father and Son” by Bernard MacLaverty is a complicated, yet sad non-fiction event that took place from 1960-1970 around London, England. It is a story about a complicated father and son relationship that revolves around misfortune. The son, who is unknown of age, is a drug user that hates everything and everyone, including his dad. The dad, a middle-aged man, loves his son; but does not know how to express his feelings to his alienated son.
1)Exposition
Quote: “When he sees me he turns away, a heave of bed clothes in his wake”(165)
Explanation: The dad walks up to the son’s bedroom, where the characters were introduced in this particular event and also, where there is a somber mood in this part of exposition. One can see the hatred of the son for his dad. the son clearly did not want to talk to his dad, but the dad wanted to know what his son is doing. the dad worries the son will do something to hurt himself, because he had before.
2)Rising Action
Quote: “Today I thought you were dead”(168)
Explanation: For two years the dad never heard anything from his son, because the son ran away from home. Suddenly, the dad got a call from a doctor, then the dad “collect” the son. He told his son that when when he saw the paper he thought it was him, thus saying “I thought you was dead”.
3)Rising Action
Quote: “Look, Da, I have not touch the stuff since I came back”(168)
Explanation: The son tries to reason with his father that he has not touch “the stuff” since he came back. This fact states the son was clearly doing drugs, and that he doesn’t want his dad to suspect him of doing it again. The was\y the son said this rises the suspicion of the reader.
4)Rising Action
Quote:”My son, he is full of hatred, for me, for everything”(168)
Explanation: The son hates everything. The son hates his dad and when he speaks he spits, he shakes, turns white when asked where he goes. The son does not say the truth when asked and swears in front of his dad. The son clearly has no manners and has no respect even for his dad. This makes the mood turn into a gloomy direction.
5)Rising Action
Quote:”The door swings open and he pushes a handgun beneath the pillow”(169)
Explanation: The son, probably threatened by something or someone, has a gun and was trying to hide it from his father. One can be certain that the gun and what will behold from it will bring the end of the son and raises exciment for what will happen next.
6)Climax
Quote: “There was a bang…my son is lying on the floor”(169)
Explanation: One can feel the rush of the story coming into most exciting part. The son is dying or dead and the dad just saw him. One can feel how sad the dad is of what happened to the son.
7)Falling Action
Quote: “I take my son’s limp head in my hands and see a hole in his that should not be there”(169)
Explanation: this is where the son was and the dad saw there was a hole in his face. The reader realizes that the son was shot through the nose and expresses sorrow for the son.
8)Denouement
Quote: “My son, let me put my arms around you” (169)
Explanation: The son died and the father was trying to comfort him, even though he is dead. this type of ending is called a “Death Ending” where a character is killed in the end.