Section A: why was Frank Arnold an effective Father?
Frank Arnold was an effective father for Josh. Frank gave Josh examples of how he should act to people like Paul/Lacey Robinson. Unlike Frank’s wife, Frank treated them like equal people. An example of this is when the mother gave them 10$ and father gave them 500$. Frank also worries about his son. An example for this is when he came up into Josh’s room, and talked to him about his grades and how he should take care of the family while he is in army. Mother didn’t do this. Closer to the end of the book(ch-17-18) father makes Josh incharge because he thinks that Josh is old enough to take care of the house and mom. Only a loving father would make a decision like this and not make the mother in charge.
Section B: Discuss the idea that Excilda serves as a mother figure to Josh, more than his real mom.
Sometimes Excilda does serve like a mother figure to Josh more than his real mom. Most of the book Josh’s mom is drunk with Jimbob and doesn’t take good care of her son. Unlike Josh’s mom, Excilda takes good care of 13 children. She also chats with Josh sometimes about how was the day, what is new and etc. One of the children is Vicky who graduates to a university. One very important part is that Josh’s real mother puts Josh down in social class and treats him not like an equal. An example of that is when mother slaps him so hard that he starts bleeding to make him apologize. The only reason she slapped him because he was “rude” to her for arguing marcia being a jew, and he said that Jimbob was unwelcome in the house by his father. A real mother should put children as first priority. Josh never saw Excilda hit her 13 children even when they misbehaved. Excilda did treat Josh a bit like her own child, but not in public. So she was more of a mother figure for Josh.
