Desperation For Self-Recreation In This Boy's Life, By Jack Wolff

Desire and Desperation for Self-Recreation Almost every teenager feels the need to prove their worth during their adolescent years. This may occur due to peer pressure at school, or to a grandparent, who is usually heard talking about “back in the day”, or most popularly, to parents who always praise an overshadowing sibling. Sometimes, this need spills over into the adult life, where a husband may feel as if he’s constantly trying to impress his parents-in-law. If it were possible, in any way, for any of the above to re-create themselves as perfect in theirs or other’s eyes, they probably would. Jack Wolff, the author and narrator of the memoir This Boy’s Life formerly known as Toby Wolff, attempts this very concept using his imagination within the book. After being abandoned by his birth-father, he follows and lives with his mother, Rosemary. Jack’s unfortunate cycle of abuse, emotional neglect, financial issues and illegal activities, leave him to rely on his imagination to escape from reality and to recreate himself. He frequently makes trouble in order to get attention from others and to prove his courage …show more content…
Jack adopts the responsibilities his father has left him with, and wants to provide for his mother and somehow bail them out of their poverty and misfortune. Jack is only a child, however, and the situation is more than he can handle. So Jack ignores reality, and creates his own characteristics to achieve a sense of self and a feeling of comfort. When Sister James catches Jack aiming his arrow at another boy, Jack feels guilty because he has betrayed someone who was good to him. In his mind, Jack makes a comparison between his father's betrayal and his own betrayal of Sister James. Jack's feeling of guilt over betraying Sister James is heightened along with his fear that he will cause more distress to his mother, who he wants only to