This Boy's Life Essay

[AVeryAverageUsername]

This was a practice I wrote under exam conditions about two weeks ago (an hour, quiet room etc.) and gave it into the teacher to mark and she gave me 95%. However there's a belief in our class that she marks too soft so can I get someone else to look at this and tell me what they think please? I know I use seemingly and seems a lot and I apologize for that, however I left it as it is (an exact copy of my handwritten one) as otherwise it kinda defeats the purpose of exam conditions. I also realize in hindsight there are better examples in there I could have used, woops XD


Anways, passages are:
pg 11: 'Roy had tracked us down...' to pg 12: 'didn't speak to me again for the rest of the night'
pg 40: 'Two men holding bottles...' to pg 41: 'and told him everything about us'
pg 52: 'Dwight was a short man...' to pg 53 'Jack, that's enough'
Thanks!

‘Jack’ Wolff and Tobias Wolff strike readers of This Boy’s Life as two very different entities, even if as it is a memoir they are the same person. The younger Wolff, the one seen in the passages as a naïve young boy who would take night nights where his mother broke down and cried and ‘put them from my mind’. Jack sees character’s flaws and occasionally pokes fun at them, most notably on Dwight in passage three who was an ‘easy target’. However, he quickly defers to any person her perceives as an authority figure regardless of how the older Tobias present them to the reader. Although it is easy to see in the first passage what a poor person Roy is, from his attempts at legitimizing not working for to keep his ‘disability checks’ to his ‘threats and occasional brutality’ to make sure Rosemary held her ‘place’, it is clear Tobias presents his younger self as blinded by Roy being ‘what a man should be’.

There are two voices in this memoir, that of Jack who in passage two complains ‘I’m hungry’ as two strange men try to approach, and who believes his would mother would ‘never…get tangled up in a mess’ like Dwight in passage three despite the prior precedent. Then there is the voice of Tobias, who subtly reveals to the reader that Jack doesn’t know, that of the fore mentioned ‘threats and brutality’ in passage one to noting the ominous way Rosemary says ‘that’s enough’ when Jack teases Dwight at the end of passage three, suggesting to the reader the forthcoming relationship.

Using this approach, Tobias manages to somewhat discreetly pass judgement on 1950s America. One particular area of his concern is the hyper-masculinized expectations of men in that era. Dwight, Roy and Gil are all products of it, from the relatively harmless way ‘nobody could open a door’ without Dwight in passage three, to the more bold way Gil refuses to acknowledge Rosemary’s attempts to deflect his advances in passage two and right through to the alarming way Roy held ‘no grudges’ as long as Jack’s mother ‘walked the line’. All of these men abuse Rosemary in some way and their testosterone fuelled actions are no coincidentally played alongside this. Wolff clearly manipulates his readers into this belief that the expectations of society are at the roof of the cause, without outright condemnation of the link. In none of the passages does he editorialize and denounce the actions. He merely states what was happening.

Wolff takes an equally vague approach with symbolism, the book is a memoir and many readers may ignore its existence however it still seems to be present. In passage one Roy is presented as often having a ‘veiled face’ from cigarette smoke, quite ironic considering he is ‘veiled’ from Jack seeing his true self due to the latter’s almost reverence of Roy as a man, even ‘seeking out’ his company. In passage two it seems no surprise that Rosemary is ‘shielding her eyes’ as she first talks to Roy, after all to the reader she seems very much blinded by the men in her life and doesn’t  seem to see them for what they are until after she leaves them. In passage three Dwight smells of ‘gasoline’ which can almost be no happenstance considering their shared volatile nature. Many of the details and situations would have been too minor or focused for the older Wolff to remember and he likely would have needed the fill gaps to create a more fluid structure for the memoir, that symbolism could have easily have been worked in to.

This blurs the line between truth and reality and makes one wonder whether parts are just fantasies dreamy up by Wolff for himself or his readers.  His characters, especially his younger form, also use fantasies quite pervasively. Jack clearly uses on by putting his mother’s crying from his mind in passage one. The Lions and Odd Fellows seem to be concocting one in passage two as they try to act for their mock battle. Wolff seems to show them as having two uses, as a coping mechanism such as passage one’s and as a front to please other’s such as the latter. Both kinds are not directly spoken out against, such is Wolff’s style, however the fact that in the memoir they lead to being caught up in perilous situations and/or constantly trying to please other people at the expense of them as an individual, Wolff seems to be trying to criticize their use.

This Boy’s Life has seemingly had both its events and language choices manipulated in order for Wolff to convey his points. Subtly he indicts both 1950s America and the people around him and seems to have used his memoir as a warning away from rose-tinting the time period, people around us and indeed, our childhoods.

[princessconsuelabananaham]

Hey, I'm doing This Boy's Life as well, this is really good
My teacher said if you're referring to Wolff as the author, to say Wolff not Tobias, because it makes it clearer if you want to also discuss the difference between Toby/Jack.
You've discussed all the main ideas well - the difference between the author and the narrator, society's idea of masculinity, reality and illusion...
I'm pretty sure that lots of references to the passages are important and you've done that too 
Maybe just read over like sentence structure and fix it up. In saying that, my writing in an hour tends to not make 100% sense either
You should get your teacher to mark it out of 20 like the actual exam, see if she's soft or realistic compared to what that would give you in the exam.
Anyways, hope that was helpful...

This is an essay i wrote in an hour under exam conditions, typed up, not changed, could you give suggestions too?

The memoir, ‘This Boy’s Life’ chronicles the ‘desire’ Jack feels to assume a façade, but also how the ‘bare’ truth seeps through, no matter how many ‘coats’ are applied in an attempt to ‘conceal’ reality. The numerous influences on Jack’s formation of identity are alluded to in these passages; his strong bond with his mother is only threatened by male domination; and Dwight’s negative influence of drinking is demonstrated as Jack and Chuck ‘drunk from the bottle.’ The combination of these external factors is illustrated in the final image of in the memoir, which mirrors the beginning, with Jack and Chuck’s singing extolling the idea that our past influences ultimately define our current definition of self, not the painted on veneer of an alternate identity.

The meticulous actions of Dwight in the second passage reflect Jack’s own attempt at carefully constructing an identity that will cover up the inner Toby. The tree is not splashed with paint ‘here and there’ but is instead drowned in white, indicating how an assumed pretence has multiple layers of deceit. However, no matter how thick the attempted façade, like the needles that ‘turned faintly blue’, the truth comes through often in a distorted form. Because the semblance of strength takes so much effort to upkeep, when this fails, the tree is left ‘half bare’ a reduced form of its previous health. Similarly, Jack begins to waste away beneath what he believes is society’s ideal of masculinity, oppressed by the pressure of maintaining the falsity of his constructed identity. This contrasts with how he acts when it is only he and his mother, his attempt to ‘conceal [his] disappointment’ are immediately ‘[seen]’ by his mother, and his façade is quickly dispelled. However, with the overbearing influence of Dwight, Jack’s ‘hold’ on his true identity is lost beneath the expectation of perfection and masculinity that Dwight imposes. The ‘white’ paint with which Dwight covers not only the tree, but the whole house, even the ivory keys on the piano, symbolises his search for purity in the façade that is ultimately unattainable. The act of pandering to society’s expectations leaves the characters ‘restless and grim’ and it is only when these outside influences are ‘turned off’ like the radio, that one’s true spirit can be revealed, and it is possible to ‘[sing] for all we [are] worth.’

The influence of parental figures in childhood is seen to be an important contributing factor in Jack’s formation of identity. Like the ‘road that took the snaky shape of the river,’ Jack is not impervious to the influences that define him. There is deceit in his relationship with his mother, as Jack deliberately takes advantage of her vulnerable state after they witness a truck crashing, and also in the first passage when Rosemary claims that the Phoenix bus ‘had left already’ so that instead they would have to go to Seattle. Despite this, the inherently optimistic nature of Rosemary, ‘smiling’ to strangers and ‘laughing’ at their own situation, in turn informs Jack’s own optimisim that ‘in this world nothing was impossible that [he] could imagine for [himself].’ The ‘trap’ of these external influences, Dwight, the poverty of the Welshes, and Rosemary’s acquiescence, is not ‘escaped’ as easily as Jack hopes. He relies on ‘imagin[ing]’ in order to create a reality that ignores the influence of Dwight and the unfortunate circumstances that he has been burdened with, instead holding onto the belief that his ‘right’ to go to a ‘noble school’ could not be ignored. Jack’s ‘strong’ voice in singing hymns represents his growth from the boy who ‘croaked’ in the opening of the memoir, while ultimately recognising the similarities between his past and present self, and how despite his best effort to craft a completely new identity, it is his true self that is apparent in this final scene.

The hope for the future that infuses the last passage is somewhat diminished by the penultimate scene, where Wolff reveals how he got kicked out of school. The hope in this final passage links back to the initial hope of Rosemary in the first scene but this time the reader is aware that this hope does not come true. The times when Rosemary and Jack have the most optimism for their lives are when they are without the external influence of other men. As the cab driver ‘drove away,’ Rosemary ‘broke out laughing,’ the ability to escape unwanted male influence leaving her happy and hopeful. It is in their escaping that Rosemary, and through her influence, Jack, are able to forget the past and instead look to the future. Although the final scene of the memoir is tainted by the reader’s knowledge of forthcoming events, it can be seen that the pretence of a veneer that is imposed by Dwight and society can be ‘turned off’ and that one’s true nature will always shine through, regardless of the layers of façade. 

[rtops]

could you have a read

This Boys Life is not only about hardship, it is also about determination and resourcefulness. Discuss?

This Boy’s life is a unique exploration of a mans memory of his childhood. Marred by extreme poverty, loneliness and vulnerability this memoir describes the many circumstances that Wolf and Rosemary had to survive. To an extent, ‘This Boy’s Life’ is not only about the suffering that they both faced, it also details the willpower and their ability to overcome these complications. Rosemary’s volatile partners takes a toll on her, nevertheless she braves this abusive culture through their perseverance to provide jack with the ‘American Dream’. In this circumstance Wolf’s American Dream is a stable family which is economically and socially secure. Jacks dedication to remould his identity as a result of these hardships, exhibits his resourcefulness which he uses to take vengeance on violent father figures.

Rosemary was not able to find a respectable father figure for jack, yet she still struggles through abusive relationships in her attempt to find one. From the outset it is clear that Roy is a vicious, untrustworthy tyrant who lives off ‘disability checks’. He uses ‘threats and occasional brutality” to hold Rosemary “in place”. Rosemary’s never told jack “what went on between her and Roy ‘which illustrates her determination to protect Jack by withholding these details in the hope that Jack sees Roy as a suitable father figure. Rosemary is 'flushed with gaiety', her positive and joyful demeanor revealed during the moments where she holds the most power in regards to escaping, and starting a new life. Rosemary is one of the only characters to stay positive and joyful despite being poverty stricken and attracted to abusive men. The next major father figure is Dwight, tyrannical abusive man who wants control. Whilst on the road Dwight points out “salmon in the water below”. Stating that the “change from salt to fresh water had turned their flesh rotten”, foreshadowing the affect Dwight would have on Rosemary and Jack by moving to chinook they would suffer the horror life with Dwight. Although Rosemary, knows that Dwight is a vindictive and compulsive person, she continues to be with him as it will provide Jack with a father figure. Dwight's marriage proposal seems like the perfect opportunity to give Jack all of the things Rosemary has never been able to provide for him on her own, for which she feels deeply guilty. However, after realizing the harm that Dwight was causing Jack, Rosemary decided to leave Dwight as it would be the best option as she no longer feels tied down to him because Jack gets accepted to Hill school. In retaliation “Dwight trailed [ rosemary] and tried to strangle her] , nonetheless Rosemary [ kneed him in the balls] which illustrates her resilience and determination in another circumstance. The abusive and tormenting partners that rosemary had to suffer throughout Wolfs childhood, demonstrates the strength and willingness that she possesses to find Wolf a father which he desires.

Jacks fortitude to transform his current identity which is shaped through his economic and social status illustrates his self belief, optimism and disillusion to change his existing situation. Wanting nothing more than to change his identity Wolf changes his name to the name of his heroic author Jack London. Wolf believes that by sharing the esteemed author’s name he would inherit some of his admirable qualities. He dreams of “taciturn self sufficiency” and at first imagines that changing his name will afford him a greater sense of freedom and independence. Throughout the memoir Jacks disillusion and optimism that the situation he is in is better than it actually is enables him to alter his identity. For example, Jack writes in his application to ‘Hill school” that he is ‘a straight A- student’, ‘an Eagle scout’, “a powerful swimmer’ and ‘a boy of integrity’. However, in reality Jack posses none of these qualities, but they appear authentic and natural because they truly reflect Jack’s heartfelt desires, ‘Now the words came as easily as if someone where breathing them into my ear”. Jack felt as though the application was ‘full of things that had to be said, full of the stifled truth’. The application ‘were ideas about [ Jack] that [he] held on to for dear life”, because of this sanguinity Hill School was ‘interested’. The fact that Jack is now applying for a prestigious school as compared to ‘concrete high’ demonstrates that his determination to transform his current situation is working. This transformation can be symbolized by the prestige’s car, the ‘thunderbird’ as in the 1950’s cars signified the social and economic status of an individual. During his time at in West Seattle, Jack egged a thunderbird driven by a ‘Blonde man’ who was ‘young and handsome and fresh” as he ‘was everything [jack] was not’. Comparatively, later on in the memoir Jack rides in a thunderbird. The transformation from egging a thunderbird to driving in one displays Jacks self belief to change his identity has succeeded, even after all the hardship.

Jack demonstrates pragmatism, and an intuitive ingenuity to endure the destitution he encounters throughout his childhood which comes as a result of his rebellion and as a consequence of the Dwight’s abuse. The first glimpse Dwight’s heartlessness and violent temper is seen during the cold- blooded killing of the beaver as he goes “out of his way to run over it “. This relentless abuse inflicted on Jack by Dwight takes a toll on him to the extent that he hits his dog champion. His violence toward the dog is reminiscent of the violence that jack has suffered at Dwight’s hands. Jacks new found awareness that he is capable of inflicting the same kind of cruelty as Dwight both startles and scares him as he ‘could forgive himself for most things, but not cruelty’. Another instance is during the the ‘grudge fight’ with Arthur whilst launched an ‘uppercut’ he felt a surge of “connection not to him but to Dwight”. The traumatic childhood has an affect on Jack, but his determination not to succumb to violence represents his resilience. Once Jack leaves Dwight he utilises his resourcefulness to take vengeance by stealing Dwight’s most prized possessions his weapons such as the ‘Zeiss binoculars and puma hunting knife’. Since weapons represent power, Jack essentially strips him of his supremacy which provides him with some sense of revenge and relief. Jack is ‘no longer a slave of [Dwight’s] ambition’, having stolen his guns he is in a ‘happy condition’, having a ‘laugh at the world and its shams’, which refers to Dwight being oblivious to the fact that his weapons are gone.


The memoir This boy’s life chronicles the determination and resourcefulness of Jack and Rosemary to endure the violence and mistreatment they suffered. Throughout the memoir it is evident that Jacks pragmatism and optimism provides him with a tool to escape the problems faced, where as Rosemary’s willingness and determination drives her through the tough situations.

[Harris Ahmad]

Hey! My school has asked us to do a creative response for This Boy's Life. Could you guys please give me some points on my story? It's a narrative monologue and I'm a bit at a blank

Gonna make a difference, gonna make it right... (song playing in the background). I don't hear it humming. Instead I'm thinking of what I have planned on doing. So distracted am I that I don't notice the young beaver crossing the road, only slowing down and pressing the brakes when it's too late. Bam! F**k! I rush to get out to check the damage, first to the beaver, then to my Cressida. The poor animal whimpers as it tries to flee. A little stream of blood is trickling out of its nostrils and I notice a bit of bone popping out of its leg. F**k, going to need the First Aid Kit. Do I have it? I check and retrieve it, banging it open on the hood of my car. Gently getting down next to it, I wrap its leg in the bandage. After I've set the bone back in place, I pick it up (Oooof!) and place it on the passenger seat. I have got to find a vet on this road. There goes my schedule. I look back at it and realise there's no movement. Dead. Heaving it up once again, I place it near a tree a little deeper in the woods. Revving up the engine, I make my way to Chinook.