Sibling Rivalry In The Charmer By Budge Wilson, And Forgiveness In Families

Sibling rivalry exists in the majority of households. Often, one sibling feels that the other is being favored by one parent, or both. This can create shaky relationships between brothers and sisters, but it can also bring them closer together. This universal truth is portrayed in both short stories, “The Charmer” by Budge Wilson, and “Forgiveness in Families” by Alice Munroe. The protagonists of both these stories feel that their brothers are being favored by their mothers, and they have to struggle with acceptance. The sisters have learned valuable lessons from growing up with their brothers. Their resentment towards their brothers has led to self-discoveries and the realization that they need to change themselves for the better.

In “The …show more content…
Both brothers have great influence on their families. Zach charms everyone with his good looks and amazing sense of humor. He does not get punished because, as Winnifred describes, “Zack delivered apologies that would have brought tears to a preacher’s eyes.”(P.4) Cam is favored by his mother as well. He influences her to give him financial support and to find him jobs, which were demands his mother succumbs to. His mother coddles him solely because of his ‘troubles’. Cam’s mother always says, “He had a lot to contend with, his asthma and no dad”. (P.97) The mothers have a great effect on the behaviors of their sons. Zach’s mother is never strict with him. When Zach misbehaves, she is always lenient in her chiding. Winnifred describes one instance where his mother didn’t scold him. “He was forever taking off in the family car, just as we were needing it to go to the hospital. But Mom forgave him for everything.” (P.5) She does not discipline Zach like she does her other children. This leads to Zach becoming a selfish, inconsiderate and manipulative person who has his own interest at heart. Cam’s mother also enabled Cam by not stepping up and raising him properly when he fell out of line. If Cam’s mother had forced him to go to school when he dropped out instead of making excuses for him, he might not be s living with her in his mid-thirties. Just like Zach’s mom, …show more content…
Both Valerie and Winnifred learn important lessons from their brothers. Winnifred learns that she is capable of making the same mistakes her mother made with Zach with her own children, and Valerie learns that all the anger and resentment she felt towards her brother was misguided, and tries to bond with him. At the end of the day, family is family. There is nothing we can to do take away that connection. We can always learn important things from the ones closest to us. “Family is my strength and my weakness”- Aishwarya Rai