Fatherhood

The presence or absence of fathers and their impact on the perpetuation of generational cycles of violence is a central theme in the novel. Throughout the narrative, the men of the novel grapple with their complicated relationships with their biological fathers, step-fathers, surrogate fathers, and cultural father figures as they seek to define themselves in a violent and challenging world.

The first father/son relationship to be explored in the novel is between Vardemann and his father who jointly run a barbershop in Glaxo. Little is revealed about the nature of their relationship, but the fragments of comment and description that Vardemann includes in his narration reveal a man too old to still be working, who nevertheless continues to assist his son with the business: “My father sweeps with difficulty” (12). Their brief interactions imply that Vardemann’s father is disappointed in how his son’s life...