Domestic Violence The Great Santini is predominantly an exposé of the domestic violence experienced in the author's family. The book is a realistic portrayal of the life of a family subjected to abuse by its patriarch. The gradual build up of escalating tensions, followed by periods of relative stability, is more damaging than it might initially seem. Lillian, for example, tries to defend Bull by reminding Ben that Bull's beatings, although violent, occur infrequently. Ben rightly points out that this is a weak defense, and notes that he wakes up every day with the possibility that he will be beaten that day. In fact, the majority of domestic abusers maintain control of their families by creating an environment of fear caused by the constant threat of violence. An abuser only has to make carry out.....
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