Written Response to Arm Wrestling With My Father by Brad Manning

In the narrative Arm Wrestling With My Father by Brad Manning it describes the physical
relationship that exist between a father and a son. The author follows the relationship and looks at how
it has changed and developed over time. It shows how the author used to have his strong father who
beat him in every arm wrestling match and how the author always wanted to win but never was able to.
However, as the story progressed it revealed how old age has caused his father, who was once
undefeatable in arm wrestling, to become weak and as the author successfully beat his father he did not
take pleasure but he found himself filled with sorrow. The author came to realize the importance of the
physical relationship that grew between his father and him and began to feel the need of the loving
embrace of his father.
The author writes this narrative in order to stress the importance of having a healthy
relationship with the people you love. The author discusses how his father was too focused on the
physical aspect of a relationship to maintain a healthy balance. The author uses similes to help portray
his father extremity to a physical relationship by saying, To get down on the floor and grapple, arm
against arm, was like having a conversation. By the use of this simile the author shows how fighting and
wrestling was the equivalent to having a conversation in his fathers eyes and shows how the father was
unable to communicate very well unless it was through physical actions. The author also tries to portray
his purpose by saying, His hugs had always been powerful ones, intended I suppose to give me
strength. They made me suck in my breath and struggle for control, and the way he would pound his
hand on my back made rumbles in my ears. The use of descriptive imagery of his father hugs showed
how a loving gesture, such as a hug, could become too much if there wasnt a healthy balance of
communication. However at the end of the narrative the author recognizes the importance of his
fathers physical relationship with him by saying, his arms have always protected me and the
family. Whenever I am near him I am unafraid, knowing his arms are ready to catch me and keep me
safe. By the use of this synecdoche the author shows how the strength of his fathers arm is what gave
him a constant sense of security throughout his life. When the author finally beat his father he began to
realize that the responsibility of protection now was in his hands. This shows how the author changed
from viewing this relationship and how he now found profound meaning in something that he once
thought to be purely superficial. The authors audiences are probably those who experience some type
of relationship where the meanings behind them werent always apparent like the one with his father
and him.
After reading this narrative, I came to the realization of the importance of a physical
relationship. Although having an emotional relationship is incredibly important this narrative opened up
my eyes to realizing that it is also important to build a strong physical bond with the people you love.
This made me realize how physical relationships that I have in my life actually serve a very vital purpose.
I would never imagine the way I perceived my fathers strength would affect me however after I read
this narrative I began realize that I too feel security knowing that I have my father to protect me.

Questions:
Do you believe it is more vital to have an emotional bond or a physical bond in a relationship?
Do you believe that strength signifies security?