Tosh uses the way Americans raise their children
as an example of how he believes his parents should be raising their children.
He believes that it is unfair of his parents to be saddling him with the family
debt because he did not choose such a life for himself. He proceeds to enter
into boxing in order to escape the life that was given to him, and pursue a
career and a life of his own in that manner. Although Tosh is never said to
have success in this novel, it seems he is well on his way to achieving the “American
Dream.” As the reader, you are given
hope for a better future for Tosh, while still worrying about what is to become
of Kiyo. Because the parents are so willing to let go of Tosh and saddle Kiyo
with the family debt, it is hard to decide who is in the right. Is Tosh being
selfish or is Kiyo being too meek? Should Kiyo pass the family debt off to the
youngest son, who is only a baby, or should he take it on himself? Tosh’s
argument is that the parents should take on the debt themselves, but it is
clear that is not going to happen, and he knows it.
- Caitlin Rickard
- Caitlin Rickard
Caitlin -
ReplyDeleteFurther along in the diegesis, we see Kiyo take on some of the personality attributes of Tosh, enabling him to escape the plantation, and in a bit of a surprise, Tosh goes on to marry and remain indefinitely on the plantation . . . and continuing to support his parents, marking him as a more filial son than perhaps he himself, and especially his parents, ever imagined.
- Trey