Pressure from family can lead to stress or even become overwhelming. This is apparent in the story “The Boat” by Alistair MacLeod. The narrator of the story is a son that is raised in a lifestyle that revolves around fishing on a boat. However, the son has repressed thoughts about gaining knowledge and studying instead of living his life on the boat. Even though his father urges him to study instead of working on the boat, the son is pressured by his mother to stay. Also, he does not want to leave his father behind so he decides to take on more responsibilities on the boat. The pressure causes the son to be torn from both of his parents. The son loves life at the sea, but he also loves learning and gaining knowledge. The father asks the
