The story My Son the Marine is a short story about a relationship between a father, who is the narrator, and his son John. The father is worried about his son’s decision to join the army, the Marines. The parents are worried that he might get hurt and that this experience will not be beneficial for him. However, the Marines are an elite part of the military and it is prestigious to become one of them.
The father is worried about his son’s well-being while the mother is worried about the fact that there are no perks in joining the army. However, there is one, very important perk and that is discipline. “Instead, the Marines promised that if John joined the Corps, he would find standards that had not been lowered” (F. Schaeffer and J. Schaeffer 601). This is the major reward as well as the fact that a person is serving their country and doing an honorable job. The father has two other children who are successful as well because they are studying at New York University and Georgetown. This is what he hoped for John as well instead of joining the army. He is afraid that John lacks the skills to become a Marine because he is so tender and caring. “When he caught fish, he let them go. How could my son become a Marine?” (F. Schaeffer and J. Schaeffer 602). The father is right to be worried, but all that disappears after John graduates. At that moment, during the ceremony, the father feels real pride for his son being a Marine. His attitude transformed because he was no longer worried, but proud for his son being so selfless and courageous.
Works Cited
Schaeffer, Frank, and John Shaeffer. Reading Literature and Writing Argument . Ed. Missy James and Alan P. Merickel. 5th ed. Harlow: Longman, 2012. Print.
