Tough Love

A detailed Summary of Tough Love

What is a normal parent-child relationship? Does anyone out there have it? Can anyone define standard family behavior? There is no set norm. Therefore, Troy and Cory Maxson are not deviating from the accepted family demeanor. Although Troy and Cory both exhibit seemingly odd feelings and acts towards each other, they hold the one family norm there is: love. It may not be on the surface, but the two men care deeply for and respect each other. They are two men partaking in what is known as tough love.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, so the saying goes. It rings true in Troy and Cory's case. Troy, a powerful and determined man, has walked a long arduous road to get where he is in life. Cory too is strong and stubborn, yet he has not faced the hardships of his father. Troy has worked hard and expects nothing but the best, both from himself and from Cory. He demands that Cory be responsible and logical in life. Troy tells Cory this from the very beginning:

"The white man ain't gonna let you get nowhere with that football noway. You go on and get your book-learning so you can work yourself up in that A&P or learn how to fix cars or build houses or something, get you a trade. That way yo

The family roles held in the Maxson house are not as clear cut as a first glance would feign. Troy plays the all-dominating patriarch. Rose is the silent house-wife. Cory acts as the rebelling teenager. Such easy definitions do not hold water. Troy, although assuredly a mighty figure in the household, does not possess all of the power. Rose controls much of what happens. Troy hands over his salary to Rose every week, and she divides it as she sees fit. "I ain't got no ten dollars. You know what I do with my money."(p. 215) Troy has almost no say in the finances that he alone accumulated. Troy tries to command Cory to do his shores and clean up, but Cory only listens when Rose asks. Cory is not the average defiant teenager that he could easily be pegged as. He acts as a support to Rose, almost as a husband might. It is Cory that comes to Rose's rescue when she and Troy are fighting. Cory plainly attempts to gain Troy's status with his mother. He says to Troy, "You don't count around here no more."(p. 249) These muddled family roles cause not only discomfort but discord between Troy and Cory.

The men's last confrontation is a result of many of their past problems. Troy and Cory, both naturally dynamic and stubborn personalities, finally crash into each other. Cory has grown far too large to live under his father's ominous shadow. Cory now has his own expectations of himself, and does not need to try to live up to his father's. Troy, ever vigilant, now sees Cory as a threat not only to his manhood and much deserved respect, but to his household.

Cory and Troy are two successful men. Troy, though not without his share of misfortunes and transgressions, proved himself meritorious. His stubborn logic was victorious in almost all walks of his life. As for instilling logic into Cory, he was again effective. When he kicked Cory out of the house, he placed him directly into the real world. Cory enlisted i

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Approximate Word count = 1309
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English