Blog 3-The Drunkard

 In The Drunkard, by Frank O'Connor, Father changes in his personality and values from start to finish of the story. The insight on Father and Mr. Dooley's friendship defined Father as very intellectual, like Mr. Dooley, and extremely devoted to his friend. However, after Mr. Dooley's death, even though he attended Dooley's funeral, Father changed with the new alcohol addiction. This was the first instance in the story where I can see Father's life spiraling downward. I'm not too sure if the trauma of losing his one friend that he could have good intellectual conversation with set him off into a depressed mood, and thus, he turned to drinking, or if Mr. Dooley's death is unrelated to his alcoholism. I am sure that Father becomes less responsible with his job and family duties, and more concerned with routine trips to the bar. Even after the incident at the bar with the narrator drinking all his father's beer and that being the talk of the town, suddenly, Father changes yet again. At the bar, once his son gets sick, "Father jumped back in holy terror that I might spoil his good suit, and hastily opened the back door,"(O'Connor,348). Here, Father seems more preoccupied with his suit staying cleaned than about his son getting sick from underage alcohol over consumption. What confuses me then is Father's sudden compassion for his son when they return home. "...Father undressed me and put me to bed...Father came in with a wet cloth and mopped up after me,"(O'Connor,350). By Father's always changing personality, from an absent father, to a caring one, Father is best described as dynamic.