Girls are from Venus, Boys are from Jupiter

Father-daughter relationships and father-son relationships differ greatly. This is because boys and girls are innately pyscologically different. Even if sons and daughters experience similar struggles, the way they respond are distinctive. In the two stories we read this week, "Shooting Dad" and "Arm Wrestling with my Father", it was apparent that both the protagonists struggled to accept their parent's ideologies. In the end both families reconciled, but each did so differently. In “Shooting Dad” Vowell suddenly comes to the realization that she has much in common with her father. During her youth, her and her father’s political ideology were so opposed that parts of their home had to be sanctioned as “DMZs” (153). As she grew up she gained interest in becoming a “better daughter” (155). And so, she attempted to reconcile their relationship by taking the initiative to participate in activities her father enjoyed- anything with guns. In comparison, in “Arm Wrestling with my Father” Manning confesses that he had to “assume” that his father loved him, because his father never expressed it verbally (145). Their communication was solely “physical” (145). As Manning grew older he no longer felt the need to compete. He grew stronger as his father grew weaker. However, years later father and son returned to the same activity. As they arm wrestled Manning realized that the match represented a rite of passage. When he beat his father he would become the patriarch of the family.  These two stories highlight an important difference between boys and girls. Vowell, the female, chooses to reconcile her relationship by changing herself. On the other had, Manning, the male, choose to overcome his struggle by taking his father’s position. Men have the desire to prove themselves, while women will adapt to their surroundings.