"'Course you're special. Haven't I always told you that?"
Rex Walls cares about his kids. He thinks they're special, he tries to give them the stars, and then drinks all day and cheats on his wife. He uses up all their money so they're starving, starving enough to eat straight margarine. He's constantly bored, using gold as his excuse to himself as a reason for why they're starving. He uses booze to distract himself from the illogic of it. He pretends to be running towards success to avoid acknowledging that he's running from something else.
He's still a child, in some ways. He gets bored easily, is irritable and rude, and any sign of things getting better lasts only for so long. Why? Why is he scared of growing up, settling down. Why does he want to keep running forever? He's scared of something, but what?
How can he love his children so much and still subject them to this life of running and starvation? How can he put them in a position where they are forced to take care of themselves? Why can't he see that any of it's happening?
Why does he think he has never let them down? How is it so easy for him to lie and believe himself? Why does he drown the guilt the way he does?
Is he controlling because he feels so out of control? Is it because he needs someone to dominate so he can feel like he's not running? What is he scared of, and why? Who or what could he possibly be running from that has scared him so much he was led into this life?
I completely agree with you. When I was reading these parts, I was thinking the same. He is some times a good father because he does love his kids. But on the other hand, he can't get his priorities straight. And that is a key thing and the first step in being responsible.
ReplyDeleteYou basically summed up my thoughts, but you made me starting thinking about other things. I had never interpreted that he was running from something else, opposed to towards success. It really stood out when he says he loves his kids but he wastes their money, I really like that you included that.
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DeleteSo I haven't read this book you are talking about but I can really get an understanding of this character. Rex seems like he has very bad priorities where as his mind is at very different places. The love he shows for his kids is very much out of touch due to the fact that he is letting him starve while he gets drunk and cheats on his wife. But it also gives you a feeling that as you said he is running away from something that may haunt his past. Being that I haven't read this book it will be a lot harder to go into more detail but I do get the main part of what you are saying I hope to see more posts on here about this soon.
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