The Boat Alistair Macleod Analysis

“The Boat” by Alistair MacLeod was able to show the pressure that parents place on their offsprings in a very relatable manner. His words were able to capture, in great detail, a child’s train of thought and how they would act when placed in a very difficult position. The narrator had to decide whether he should follow in his family’s tradition and become a fisherman or stray off and continue his education. As a student about to graduate in less than a year's time, I am able to relate with the son. With thoughts concerning the future, different occupational paths to follow, and grades to keep up, this is a very stressful year for me. And being bombarded with the same questions that I myself have failed to answer to my parents, only makes it all the more challenging. The narrator was also placed in the same position with questions concerning his experience on the boat: When we returned …show more content…
Having to persevere and withstand their criticism can be a very difficult task. There were also times when I would be enraged by their remarks like how the narrator felt when his father had urged him to give up his plans of becoming a fisherman, “I was almost angry then and told [them] as all children do that I wished [they] would leave me alone and stop telling me what to do.”(188) It makes me want to run away, from my parents, my problems, and all the stress that I carry over my back. I wanted to be free from it once and for all, but that’s not very realistic. In the end, I realized that all they want is what is best for me, but the way they show their concerns is not very direct. In conclusion, the pressure of being an adolescent, on the border of being an adult, can be very strenuous on a growing child's mind and have a negative impact on their decision making; especially when the choices were made with a mind clouded by emotions and