Chapters 40-42

[McKenna Coker]

Throughout the novel, Ben describes his dad as being stubborn and kind of crazy. In the last chapters, it becomes apparent that Ben blames his father for his mother's accidental death and the children's previous isolation on the island. Do you think that Ben blaming his father for his mother's death changed the way that Ben portrayed his father's actions, or do you think that he really was as mean as Ben made him out to be? Based on your answer, did Ben's behavior to his father change your view of him? If so, how? If his emotions changed his interpretations of events, does that change how much you trust Ben's narration?

[Lisa]

While personal opinions can sometimes sway people's perceptions of others, I don't think this is the case in this situation. Actions like forcing Gerry underwater and demanding constant labor from the boys are undeniable, concrete actions-not perceptions. Ben's behavior towards his dad is understandable and did not change my opinion of him at all. It's basic human instinct in my opinion. If someone is cruel to somebody, it is difficult to be friendly back. I trust Ben's narration because like I said, the concrete actions are presented, not just unjustified opinions or accusations.

[Floys]

If anything, Ben's emotions allowed me to connect with him much easier. My dad and I get along, but we do fight quite often, usually about stupid, insignificant things. I didn't question anything that Ben said, though sometimes I was close to not believing him. The events he described always seemed believable, so I never saw reason to doubt him.

[Ashley Haynes]

This was actually something I thought about as I was reading, and I have mixed feelings about it. I do agree with Lisa that some of the things Ben's father did were undeniably wrong, and he is held accountable in the sense that the readers form their opinion of him based on those actions. Even so, I think that if Ben had described his father as respectable, reasonable, or praiseworthy, we would have also seen him that way; somehow, we automatically trust the main character. When Gerry was being held underwater, Ben could have said “I hated it for Gerry, but I knew my dad was doing it because otherwise, Gerry would never get over his fears and learn how to swim.” The same events could have happened, but we have to agree with Ben’s interpretation because we have nothing else to go on. Since the facts are still presented, Lisa might have still trusted the narration, but our opinions would be completely different. So yes, I think Ben’s descriptions and emotions changed our (or at least my) views of his father. Unfortunately, there is no “real” answer because the book, and Ben’s narration, is all there is. That's kind of interesting... :)

[Dylan]

Of course his blaming his father for the mother’s death and other atrocities changed Ben’s opinion of his own father. And I would say absolutely this changed my opinion of the father, and I am not alone in this. Many other readers have a similar view: “the father of the three sons is portrayed as a belligerent jerk” proves this position perfectly. I, however, never lost trustin the narrator because he, and he alone, is the”god” figure of this story. He makes the entire world that we see and feel, even though this story is based in the first person and is therefore flawed by human nature.