Freedom and Responsibility of Parents - Essay Example

Personal Response EssayThis is a personal response essay based on a story about freedom and responsibility of parents. This story is very touching as it is heart warming and revolves around a small family who had been torn apart because of their irresponsibility and inability to handle freedom. In our daily lives we come across such people who eventually reap the fruits of their irresponsible labor. This story “Customs of the Country” written by the prolific writer Madison Smartt Bell, dealt with the sensitive issue of parent irresponsibility and the effect and impact it had on a family.

In this story we have Patrick, the head of the family who brought untold miseries to his family by being an irresponsible parent. Patrick’s wife was very naïve and was carried away by all that Patrick told her and never once questioned his actions. In fact she thought that her husband was very handsome and genuine in his dealings with her. Patrick took advantage of the situation and never told his wife any details of how he earned his money. Patrick worked as an orderly at the hospital but stole a lot of drugs and sold them for a high price.

Sometimes, he used to be away from home for days on end and when he returned usually brought a lot of money. His wife never questioned from where the money came but she happily spent her share without asking any questions. Their little son Davey was too small to understand what was going on between his parents. The drugs such as Valium and ludes were found all over the place and both parents took whatever they wanted and did not care about what happened after that. Soon Patrick got into deep trouble and was imprisoned and got a sentence of 25 years and Davey’s mother had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.

She was in a rather bad shape and when at the hospital she said “They took me for a junkie and I guess I was really one too, though I hadn’t known it till that very day.” (Madison Smartt Bell)When she came out of hospital life was still hard as she had to run up and down between the prison and the house. Her son Davey was given away to the Bakers who looked after him with great care and love. Once a month his mother used to visit him and spend some time playing around with Davey. According to me this whole scene is unwarranted and a child who could have had a safe and healthy home was now penalized and was forced to live away from his family because of responsible parents.

This pain and trauma could have been avoided had Davey been blessed with good parents. Though realization had come to them, yet it seemed too late because the mistake they were responsible for had taken its toll on them as well as their innocent child.ReferencesMadison Smartt Bell, Customs of the Country.