Family Support

MAY 6, 2009
While reading Saul Bellow´s Seize the Day I was sad to read about Tommy’s relationship with his dad. It was really depressing knowing that the disappointment his dad felt is actually what many people feel everyday for their family members. His disappointment was so strong that he didn’t even help him get out of his troubles, he didn’t believe in him. Tommy had to turn to Dr. Tamkin for support even though he didn’t really know what his intentions were and if his interest really was to help him out. Tommy had to look for support because he was living through a really screwed up moment in life, actually he had always been kind of screwed up. He had been a living a life that hadn’t really turned out as he wanted and he had nobody to support him during his failure. He even had married and had two kids but the way in which he helped out wasn’t really making him even a good example for his kids. So his relationship with his father, the one he hates so much, is going to repeat itself. He can’t give financial support and he is not even being a good example for them.
I believe he could have avoided such a situation if he had tried to fix his problems and deal with them as he was younger. Also, if he had received some kind of support he might have had more chances of success, however, he didn’t. I consider this very sad because your family is one of the things you are usually going to have by your side. You are connected to them by blood and this is a stronger force than the one people usually realize. Friends can come and go but your family is always going to be there and keeping a good bond and a good relationship is very important. Usually family relationships are honest and they look for each other’s best interest. That way if Tommy would have kept a good relationship with his dad, he would have known that all the advice and suggestions he proposed would have been with his best intentions. Tommy does find Dr. Tamkin and he hopes he is being there for him with his best intentions but the truth is he can’t avoid wonder if he’s just blabbing and telling anything without really caring what the consequences will be. It is sad to look at this father-son relationship and I hope that the bond with my family are always as strong as they currently are and that I am always able to count on them and have their support even when I don’t really need it.