Background
“Portrait of a Good Father” by Kristiana Kahakauwila introduces a set of unique characters whose interactions represent curious and quite remarkable dynamics. At the centerpiece of these interactions, Sarah struggles to grapple with the loss of her father and is haunted by the memories of her childhood. Though the narrator focuses primarily on the father since Sarah misses him dearly and reminisces about their time together as she was a child, Kahakauwila manages to convey a plethora of information about the protagonist implicitly. The covert portrayal of Sarah’s personal growth and the source of her inspiration is depicted in the narrative, thus proving that by accepting her father’s flaws and acknowledging his influence on her, she has become a self-sufficient woman who is in control of her life and her relationships with others.
Emotional Strength Through Ambiguity
In any other story, Sarah’s devotion to her father and the confusion she experiences as she learns more about his affair would have been portrayed as weaknesses. Specifically, as the narrator discloses that the deceased did, in fact, deceive his wife and was involved in an affair, Sarah’s attitude toward her father does not change as she continues to believe that he has been an important figure in her life (Kahakauwila 167). Moreover, the specified statement acknowledges his contribution to her growth and her becoming the person she wanted to be. At the same time, the story never explicitly states that Sarah forgives her father, implying that she never overcomes the rift that the discovery of his unfaithful actions created between her and her perception of him.
However, Kahakauwila does not portray the specified unwillingness to acknowledge the seeming incompatibility between her emotional responses as the weakness of the protagonist. Instead, the specified choice to ignore the discovered controversy is defined as an example of Sarah’s emotional strength and her ability to overcome the complexities of life: “Sarah wants to ask her dad why John-Boy is mad at her, and why her mom shouldn’t hear about Joon” (p. 137). Thus, the story demonstrates the alterations that Sarah experiences as she travels from her uninformed, oblivious childhood to emotional and intellectual maturity, recognizing the underlying controversy of the situation, yet chooses to recognize her father for the positive figure that he has been in her life. Thus, Sarah’s choice to draw a line between his honesty to her mother and his love for her represents a crucial moment of character growth and an essential shift in her character development.
From Idealization to Nuance
Specifically, Sarah’s mature response to change can be regarded as an impeccable example of a character coming of age and grappling with the changes in her perspectives and attitudes. Remarkably, Kahakauwila makes it exceptionally clear that the environment in which Sarah grew up as a child has not changed significantly; instead, it is Sarah who has undergone a tremendous change that has been defined as a shift in her focus and switched her perspective.
The fact that she recognizes his flaws as a parent, as the memories of her childhood unwrap in front of her, indicates that she matures and overcomes the childlike fascination with a seemingly flawless parental figure: “‘Stop!’ Keaka yells suddenly. ‘Stop crying!’ ‘It would have been different if it were hers,’ Grace is screaming hysterically. Someone punches the wall, and the mirror in the bathroom shivers with vibrations” (p. 158).
Instead, Sarah starts viewing her father as an undeniably flawed yet loving parent who has always been supportive of her and her siblings. Remarkably, even the specified moment of his weakness and his inability to control his emotions have not affected Sarah’s perception of his love for her and her siblings. Instead, she develops a more nuanced understanding of her father, which represents a necessary step toward emotional maturity and, ultimately, the development of an adult perspective on the issue.
The observed response to change can be considered a remarkable instance of character growth and Sarah’s decision to transition from the black-and-white context of childhood to the shaky, gray moral area of adulthood. Recognizing the nuance of being able to acknowledge the incredibly powerful and positive presence in her life while accepting his flaws and even guilt in the dissipation of the family, the specified choice signifies the character’s transition from emotional infancy to a state of maturity (Nasheeda 2). Though the narrative centers mostly around Sarah’s father as she reminisces about her childhood and his role in it, the story development also demonstrates indirectly that Sarah has experienced impressive personal growth and managed to overcome a range of obstacles.
Acceptance as a Marker of Maturity
The change that Sarah has to undergo in order to recognize the complexity of her father’s life and the nature of some of his actions is indicative of her altering her response to changes by embracing them. Instead of rejecting the new image of her father that clearly misaligns with the idealistic picture of him that she painted in her childhood, she acknowledges the controversy. More importantly, the specific knowledge does not change her understanding of the deep love that her father has for her.
On the contrary, Sarah accepts the shift in her understanding of her father’s behaviors and attitudes, especially in regard to his relationship with Sarah’s mother. The emergence of nuance in Sarah’s perspective is also indicative of the core principles of character arc development. While Sarah’s journey is not delineated clearly and, instead, only implied, it is evident that her interpretation of her father’s actions and motives leads to her building a more nuanced understanding of him.
As a result, she gains the opportunity to build a more intricate ethical perspective on the events that transpired as she was a child. The change described aligns with the paradigm of character development and the general concept of maturity. Namely, while Sarah starts her journey as an oblivious and happy child, her coming of age involves grappling with some of the more controversial aspects of her father’s persona.
However, when being introduced to the specified knowledge, Sarah refuses to escape from it but, instead, seeks to embrace it and accept the specified facets of her father’s character into her life: “She snapped a couple of photos and then stopped to take a bite of the sandwich he had made” (Kahakauwila 170). The specified change does not indicate forgiveness; instead, it signals understanding and his ability to approach the internal conflict from a place of understanding and focus on finding a solution.
By depicting the change in Sarah’s perspective on her father and the role that he has played in her life, as well as his relationships with the rest of the family members, Sarah undergoes a crucial part of her personal growth and further maturity. Kahakauwila’s depiction of her character arc is flawless. The author demonstrates that Sarah has reconciled with some of the more controversial aspects of her father’s personality and actions. The change described indicates the progression toward maturity and satisfactorily resolves the character development.
Works Cited
Kahakauwila, Kristiana. “Portrait of a Good Father.” This Is Paradise, Hogarth, 2013, pp. 127-170.
Nasheeda, Aishath, et al. “Transforming Transcripts into Stories: A Multimethod Approach to Narrative Analysis.” International Journal of Qualitative Methods, vol. 18, 2019, pp. 1-8.