Summary Of Arm Wrestling With My Father

One of the strongest relational needs in childhood is a father’s protection. In Brad Manning’s essay, “Arm Wrestling with My Father”, he explains the relationship between he and his father. Manning illustrates his father’s arms as a source of protection for his family. Brad describes how the strength of his father’s arms allow him to be at ease, but every They rarely express their love for each other. Their communication is physical and everything is a competition. In order to determine who is superior, they settle the debate through arm wrestling. In his younger years, Manning never beat his father. As he got older, he got stronger, but his father got weaker. When Brad finally beat his father in a match, this not only meant he was physically stronger, but it also symbolized that he is now the protector of the family. His father was getting older and Brad is the heir to …show more content…
Being a dad is an amazing feeling, and the bond between father and son is unmatched. They loved each other deeply, despite them rarely showing it, “As the plane lifted my throat was hurting with sadness. I realized then that Dad must have learned something as well, and what he had said to me in that last hug was that he loved me. I had a sudden wish to go back to Dad and embrace his arms with all the love I felt for him” (Manning 142). If/when I have children, I vouch to always be there for them. I will show up to their games, I will read them a bedtime story, and I will help them up when they scrape their knee. I never expected much from my father, probably because he was not a real father. I have been watching him at a distance, stalking his Facebook profile so I can see what he looks like. It turns out, I have two little sisters, my mom never told me about. By the looks of it, he has a fully functioning family and I am glad he matured and did not make the same mistake