ELA 812
Reading Response
Book: Athletic Shorts- Six Short Stories
Title: The Pin
Author: Chris Crutcher
Critical Thinking Question: 11) Who has "power" in the text? How is it shown?
When your own father was the number two wrestler in the nationals, you could imagine the amount of pressure the son would have on wrestling. The Pin by Chris Crutcher is about the relationship between Johnny and his father. His father wants Johnny to do good, and learn how to grow up so he'll be ready for the world. As a result, Johnny's father is very strict on him.
Cecil B. Johnson is Johnny's father; number two wrestler at 177 pounds at the University of Oklahoma. Johnny is Cecil's son. His father wants to toughen him up because he: "thinks I'm too frivolous to grow up in the world" (36). Cecil expects Johnny to do what he says, and to learn from him. If he doesn't listen, Johnny says: "he's always roughed me up pretty good. Either with his open hand on the back of my head or with words" (38). His father pushes him to do better.
Johnny's father wants him to learn from his mistakes. An example if this is that Johnny has to do ten push-ups per word that irritates him (on purpose) or is immature. Cecil wants Johnny to learn not to run his smart mouth. One time, Johnny purposely made an inappropriate joke at the dinner table."That's very funny, John," he says, but he's not laughing. "That's worth exactly one thousand thirty push-ups." (41) his father said in reply. And one thousand and thirty push-ups is just what Johnny did. Besides, he knew push-ups helped strengthen his muscles for wrestling too. Johnny also obeyed his father because he knew he had to face his father's consequence. If he cheated, he would have to start all over again.
Johnny wanted to make his parents proud. He wanted to show his father that he could do things too, not always with his fathers help. Even if Johnny is immature sometimes, he wants to prove to his father that he is worthy. In particularly, this part shows it: "I want to do every one of those 1,030 push-ups to his specs. I want to hand him this year's state wrestling trophy and shake his hand with a grip that will bring him down to his knees" (45). Johnny wants to show Cecil that he is capable. That even though his father may be The Great Cecil B. Johnson, he can do things too. "I hate him because no matter what I do, it's never enough. But I love him, I must. I want to show him I am good enough." (45). Johnny feels Cecil thinks too little of him, that he isn't the son who would be as great of a wrestler as he.
Cecil wants Johnny to grow up and be a man. He wants the best for his son, but sometimes, Johnny doesn't see it. We often as people question why we are pressured or pushed so hard by our parents. They want the best for us. Parents want the best for their kids, just like Cecil wants for Johnny.
Cecil wants Johnny to grow up and be a man. He wants the best for his son, but sometimes, Johnny doesn't see it. We often as people question why we are pressured or pushed so hard by our parents. They want the best for us. Parents want the best for their kids, just like Cecil wants for Johnny.
