The Reunion

Prof.   Hoffman

Hassan Askari

Eng 103

The Reunion

I decided to write my paper on “The Reunion,” as I feel a certain understanding of the story and relationship the father and son share.

The story takes place in New York, around the Grand Central terminal.

Charlie, the son hasn’t seen his father in three years as his mother and father are divorced. The son, had not seen his father in a long time and must have had a somewhat alienated relationship with him. I feel that prior to the divorce, the father must has been absent in his sons life; as Charlie says “he was a stranger to me.”

Though he has not seen his father in a long time he wants to be like him and feels he will grow up in his father’s image. It is as any boy feels, to see their father is best of light and perfect.   He smells his father, soaking the different textures and scents that define his father. This is often seen done by young children usually to their mothers, giving the love for their parent a distinct memory to hold on to; sometimes the smell, the look or the touch.

His father though, by his actions and mannerisms is rude and obnoxious. But not to Charlie (the son) but those around him, those he sees as beneath himself.

It seems to me in the story that the father wants to impress his son and Charlie for his part really just wanted to sit and talk with the father he really never knew.   We can see from the conversation the father and son did not have much of relationship prior to the divorce, he asks Charlie about the baseball season, really just small talk to pass the time. Charlie though this meeting wants learn and get to know his father; who in his mind is great figure and who will probably grow up to be like. But his father is far too preoccupied with getting a rise out of the waiters in the restaurants they stop in.

It may be that the father doesn’t know how to act with his son and feel the same alienation in their relationship. But instead of reaching out to his...