I think there is a message about children and parenthood that is being taught in "The Luck of Roaring Camp". The story takes the phrase "It takes a village to raise a child" literally as a whole camp of rough guys find themselves in charge of a young life. The aspect of the community working together to provide for the baby's needs suggests that society should as well, provide for the needs of the young, no matter if they belong to you or not.
Another aspect of parenthood I found interesting was the change that came over the rough, criminal-type guys at Roaring Camp. The presence of a new innocent life and the responsibility that comes with being in charge of this life completely transformed every individual and the camp as a whole. Kentuck turned from the grimiest guy in the camp to a clean cut man who "thereafter appeared regularly every afternoon in a clean shirt..." (Harte 536). It shows the impact of having a child on parents. I know many instances of people completely turning their world around from immoral to moral after having a baby because they know they must teach the baby to be good from their example. Having a baby present is the best incentive anyone could have to give up their bad ways for the child's sake. Having a child makes a parent forget about just themselves and put all attention on someone else. We should all act as if we are responsible of those in need and as helpless as this baby, even if we are not blood related. If everyone helped one another and acted as if the innocent and impressionable eyes of a baby were always watching our actions then the world would be a better place.
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I found your perspective abotu parenthood in the Luck of Roaring Camp interesting because when I read the story I was lookign at it more metaphorically in terms that the baby was mroe of a metaphor than an actual child, but what you said makes a lot of sense. It is true what you said that people are turned around by just having a child they have to care for, and I agree that it is a valid incentive for this men to have changed as much as they did.
ReplyDeleteRebecca-
ReplyDeleteI like your analysis of the parental role in the text. I agree that the simple existance of the child in the camp brought about the change in the men that they had needed. I pictured a group of men that had never had a chance to experience the delicacy of a child and truly loved the experience they had from it.
Tripp
I think what you said was interesting. The way that the rough men changed in the camp were completely attributed to the presence and responsibility of the baby. It is true that often parents' will change their ways after having a baby. However, that is certainly not always the case. Perhaps this story could have been directed and teaching parents that they need to change to support a child.
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