One of the first books in the memoir series by the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, is the Dreams From My Father, which raises such issues as family, bonding, and community. The excerpt offered for literary analysis tells a tragic episode in Barack’s life when he learned of his father’s death (Obama, 1995). It is evident from the passage that although the biological father was virtually absent from the future president’s life, Barack had quite warm and nostalgic memories of him. This mini-essay aims to conduct a literary analysis of the proposed passage in the context of family values.
One of the key aspects of the passage is recognizing the importance of the support that comes from family members. In fact, Barack’s father’s intentional departure when the boy was two years old could have been seen as a betrayal, which would have been a severe blow to him. However, the support of his mother and grandparents seemed to give Barack enough attention and care that the child needed. In the context of the suggested passage, this thought is traced through the story of his father’s youth, when instead of grief and sorrow, the family comes together to remember the good times. This, in turn, reflects how subtle feelings can unite members of the same family.
Nevertheless, it is a mistake to believe that Obama regarded family only through the function of emotional support and caring. The first part of the passage is not about Barack’s real family but about his elderly neighbor, with whom the boy had a friendly relationship. The fact that the future president referred to his neighbor as his soul mate perfectly demonstrates a shared understanding of family through the author’s eyes. In particular, for Barack, a family is not necessarily about relatives, but it can consist of any people with whom the individual has a soul connection. An even more impressive detail is the fact that there was never any conversation between the neighbors, yet Barack treated the older adult with great respect and interest.
To summarize, in the passage proposed for analysis from the Dreams From My Father, the theme of family is present. This is expressed both through the description of the emotional support and care that the older family members give to young Barack and through the transcendent, inexplicable relationship that is built between the boys and his elderly neighbor. Based on this analysis, it can be concluded that the core of the family in the understanding of the future president consisted of the desire to care for and support a loved one in a critical moment and instill confidence and strength in him. Thus, it is possible to postulate that at the heart of family relationships lies a person’s responsibility for those who are dear to him.
Reference
Obama, B. (1995). From dreams from my father. Times Books.