Analyzing a Short Story Discussion - Essay Example

Analyzing a Short Story. Powder by Tobias Wolff For the analysis, the short story d Powder by Tobias Wolff has been chosen. The short story describes the development of the relationship between a boy and his father. Thematically, Powder is connected to the theme of the quest of identity. The narrator of the short story is a young, conservative boy, whose father is a great contrast to him. They two have an adventure in the snow during which the narrator gets a new outlook on life and finally finds himself.

The boy is very controlling; he used to keep “his clothes on numbered hangers to insure proper rotation”, “bothered […] teachers for homework assignments far ahead of their due dates so [he] could draw up schedules” (Wolff). Overall, he “thought ahead” about every aspect of his life. His father is a different person, a kind of rebel: he took his son to a bar for a concert of Thelonious Monk without his wife’s permission; he decided to enter a blocked zone so that his son and he could get home.

During the adventure in the snow described in details, the boy looks at his father from a different perspective. It appears that his father’s rebelliousness appeals to him a lot so that it even changes his attitude to life: “I knew we’d get caught; I was resigned to it. And maybe for this reason I stopped moping and began to enjoy myself” (Wolff). In other words, he finally lets his controlling habits go and relaxes. Work CitedWolf, Tobias. "Powder." N.p. Web. 19 Feb 2015. .