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Frederick Smith

C. Borresen

ENG 111

8 November 2018

Fathers Know Best

People raise their kids in many different ways depending on the situation they are in. This

can be seen, as an example, in books such as “What’s in a Name by Henry Louis Gates Jr.” and

in “Listening to my father by Michael Dirda”. In “What’s in a Name by Henry Louis Gates Jr.”

the setting he is raised in, is during a racially divided in the time period, where the laws of Jim

Crow existed. The author tells a story about how his father who is called a certain name and why

he is called that name. The story “Listening to my father by Michael Dirda” is about a father who

wants better for his son by pushing him to focus on the things that will benefit his life. These two

fathers differ in parenting styles through teachings, understanding, and knowledge while one

father wants the most of his son the other doesn’t teach his enough.

Parents teach their children through lessons they have learned while growing up.

According to Henry Louis Gates Jr. his father didn’t teach or tell him why Mr.Wilson called him

“George” before their encounter. In the text Henry states Mr.Wilson says “Hello George” to his

father in confusion Henry stops licking his ice cream and asked “Doesn’t he know your name,

Daddy?”; This could alter his mindset of perception of what people should call him when he

becomes older by his father allowing Mr.Wilson to call him a different name. It never states in

the text later on talking about the situation that occured in the restaurant. In “Listening to my

father by Michael Dirda” his father teaches him to stay in school and to learn everything as
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possible to be successful. His father tells him that he should learn to handle tool, should sell

newspapers door to door, and many other things. This teaches Dirda to be better than his father

and also to do more for himself in the future. Both authors have different understandings of their

fathers through situations they are going though.

Henry doesn’t understand why his father allows Mr.Wilson to call him George until his

father states “he knows my name, boy” also later in the story Henry relates to it because of his

mother. His mother tells him it's “one of those things”; His father allowing another man to call

him by another name can ruin Henry identity. Although it doesn’t state in the text later on in

Henry’s life, he could have allowed other people to call him by another term. Henry fathers fails

him by allowing Wilson to do this and also not correcting him to call him by his real name.

Through comparison, it can be seen that Michael understood his father more than Henry.

Michael’s father is around more and according to him his father read him books and also cared

for him when he was sick. Michael’s father does not fail him because of his grandfather. In the

text Michael states “My dad dropped out of school at 16 when his own father died, leaving him

to support of a mother, two sisters, and a brother.”; This understanding teaches Michael to be

there for his family when he grows older and also to be there for his sisters’.

Henry Louis Gates Jr’s knowledge of racial slurs is evident in the text but his knowledge

for the reasoning of why his father is called George is not evident to Henry until a certain

situation. According to Henry “ My parents used in polite or reverential discourse, “jigaboo” or

“nigger”; Henry knows the meaning of these words in context except George. His father doesn’t

succeed in telling his son the reasoning behind the name George and teaching Henry about his

experiences and knowledge of the society at that time. Michael Dirda’s father does the opposite
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through many ways; not only by telling him to learn about certain things but also by telling him

about society. Henry’s father tells him to “Get rich”,”and vote republican”; His father tells him

this information because he believes the rich accumulate money and flourish off politics. In the

text Michael states this about his father “He was convinced that politics were simply a means for

the upper classes to protect their wealth and to get more of it”. This knowledge of knowing how

his father feel about the rich teaches him more about society.

While Michael Dirda’s father teaches him the most about life and growing up Henry’s

father doesn’t. There are two different parenting styles that is going on in each story. Michael’s

father puts effort in to teaching him and letting him know information about the world around

him. This installs the right mindset in to Michael to be successful and to work hard, and also

invest in yourself. Henry’s father fails to teach him about his surroundings about terms and

people. Also with identity he doesn’t teach his son not to allow other people to call you a

different name. Which bring false perception of who you are and your personality. Through these

two situations Michael’s father succeeds and Henry’s father doesn’t.

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Works cited

Dirda,Michael.”Listening to my Father” Models for Writers,12th ed,

by Bedfords/St. Martin’s,2015,pp.391-393

Jr. Gates, Louis Henry.”What’s in a Name” Models for Writers,12th ed,

by Bedfords/St. Martin’s,2015,pp.377-379