For English 11, I had to create a graphic novel or comic based on  “Father and Son” by  Bernard MacLaverty.  A father and son  struggle to maintain their  unstable relationship, broken with  distrust and  miscommunication.  But as a parent, the father ‘s love and care persists throughout to the end.

1) Exposition

“This is my son who let me down” (165)

This quote introduces the father and son’s relationship with each other, as well as builds the emotional setting of the story. The father is disappointed and heartbroken over his son. These important details that this quote reveals is fit for the exposition because it establishes who the main characters are and provides insight on how the story will unfold.

2) Rising Action

“I want you to talk to me the way I hear you talk to people at the door” (166)

This quote dives deeper into the unstable relationship between the father and son. It reflects how the son does not treat his father with respect, and that they are both hurt by each other.  This is part of the rising action because the conflict between the characters is building up, and the anticipation for the climax is growing in the story.

3) Rising Action

“I pulled you away from death once and now you will not talk to me” (166)

The father’s thoughts in this passage reveal that the son has had a near death experience. This adds some complexity and depth to the entire situation the characters are in, which further contributes to the growing conflict. Despite the fact that the son is not talking to him, his father still deeply cares and tries to resolve their issue. This is part of the rising action as it develops background information to the story and elevates the main complication.

4) Rising Action

“My mother is dead but I have another one in her place” (167)

This quote gives some insight as to why the son is so angry at his dad most of the time. He feels that with his mother gone, his father has changed and no longer cares for him. This is part of the rising action because the anticipation is again rising, and it gives more background knowledge to the reader.

5) Climax

“My son is lying on the floor, his head on the bottom stair, his feet on the threshold” (169)

The son has been shot, and his father rushed over to see what happened. All the foreshadowing and growing suspense has lead up to this major incident. His son has had a near death experience in the past, a gun is kept under his pillow, and both family members rely on drugs while dealing with depression. The son’s death is the final main event that uses all the built up suspense to create a powerful impact on the reader. This quote demonstrates the climax of the story, as it is the part with the highest anticipation, the point in which the whole story has led up to.

6) Falling Action

“I take my son’s limp head in my hands and see a hole in his nose that should not be there” (169)

After the climax, the story begins to wrap up some details and the conflict slowly reaches a conclusion. Here, the author utilizes imagery to show the reader what has happened to the son. It is the aftermath of the big conflict, after the gunshot.

7) Falling Action

“The news has come to my door” (169)

This quote ties in with the rising action that built up the conflict. The dad always worried that the news reporters were speaking about his son, believing that he was dead if he did not return home for a few days. Now, the news has come to his door, meaning that the news of his son’s death has finally arrived.

8) Denouement

“My son, let me put my arms around you” (169)

The author resolves this story by ending with the father sorrowfully embracing his dead son. As tragic as this ending is, the father putting his arms around his son creates that image of parental love and care that indicates that their story has reached a final conclusion.

(The electric chair is one form of capital punishment).

1865 is the year Canada began to put capital punishment into practice. Anyone who committed murder, treason or rape would be given the death sentence. However, in 1962 was the last execution performed in Canada. The law was changed in 1966 and only those who murdered prison guards and police officers could be sentenced to death. In 1976 capital punishment was removed and replaced with 25 years in jail with no chance of parole instead.

The “Two Fishermen” would have taken place in between 1865 – 1962 if it was based in Canada, since that was the timeframe in which capital punishment was still in use. Thomas Delaney should not have been killed. Although I do not believe killing was the right action for him to take, his intentions were just. He was not mindlessly killing another human being for enjoyment, but was trying to protect his loved one. Another reason Thomas Delaney should not have been killed is that it simply is not right to take a life for a life. As someone who strongly believes in giving second chances, I do not think it is a fair solution to any problem. Moreover, Thomas could have realized his wrongdoings later in life, and perhaps could have changed another’s life in the future, for the better. He committed murder for his wife, so he is not a deranged serial killer that will have a negative impact on society. In fact, his town was standing up for him, and he was much loved by everyone. Therefore, Thomas should not have been killed.