In a relationship between a male parent and his kids. the male parent wants nil more than to be a hero to them. The male parent would give anything to be “king” for a twenty-four hours. Jack Arnold. who plays the male parent in the telecasting series. “The Wonder Years” . besides wants to be a hero to his kids. However. as his kids turn up he realizes that the distance between him and his kids keeps on increasing. Jack struggles to accommodate to the altering times in which this series takes topographic point: the socially disruptive. late sixtiess and early seventiess. when traditional values were challenged and coevalss clashed. He has different positions and sentiments than his turning kids. and frequently times this is a large subscriber to most of the statements that take topographic point in the Arnold household. It is a changeless challenge for Jack to lodge to his traditional values. hardworking nature. and dogged wonts. in the face of altering household kineticss. Throughout the show. Jack is an of import and dynamic character. but one thing that ne’er changes about him is the fondness and attention he shows towards his household. This fondness is illustrated in a traveling manner between Jack and his household. including Norma. his stay-at-home married woman ;
Karen. the rebellious. oldest girl ; Wayne. the arch. in-between boy ; and Kevin. the youngest boy who narrates the show as an grownup lovingly looking back at his childhood memories. In Kevin’s position. Jack comes away to be a serious adult male. brought up and raised during the Depression. and hardened during his clip in the ground forces. All these factors make up who Jack is. To get down with. Jack is a traditional adult male. He adheres to his values and household traditions in the face of altering household kineticss. He has developed certain values and traditions that he is non willing to give up and besides expects his childs to follow. Problems start to originate when Jack’s three teenage kids have contrasting positions on his values. For illustration in the episode. “The House That Jack Built. ” the exchange between Jack and Karen set consecutive how of import his values are to him. Jack can non O.K. of his single nineteen-year old girl life with a adult male while go toing college. It does non follow his ethical motives. JACK. Your female parent and I did non raise you to populate this manner.
Karen. Dad. these aren’t the Dark Ages. Timess have changed. Thingss have changed. JACK. I haven’t changed! I raised you with values! I raised you to hold better values that this. This conversation shows that Jack is fighting with his childs. particularly Karen who is forcing against his traditional rules. It’s difficult for him to see that his childs have values that are different from his. It makes him recognize his biggest fright: he is losing touch with his kids. and things are altering. In the terminal. Jack’s biggest battle is to accept this fact and travel on with life.
However. in many episodes he shows this apprehension. In the episode. “The Fishing Trip. ” Jack hold on the world of how tradition sometimes can alter. First of all. the come-on store proprietor whom they ever visit before traveling fishing is dead. The route to their favourite fishing topographic point is closed away. Wayne wins at cards. which he ne’er did before. Jack. Wayne. and Kevin do non suit in the collapsible shelter any longer like they used to. These are all marks that tradition has changed. During the episode. Wayne and Kevin say. “Who idea of this stupid trip anyways? ” but Jack tries to disregard the statement. At the terminal of this episode. Jack admits it himself when he says. “Who idea of this stupid trip anyways? ” Finally. he acknowledges what has been clear all along: the tradition is over. When he says the same thing. it shows that he knew it wholly along but he was seeking to coerce it anyways for the interest of tradition. He ever works persistently to continue the traditional values that mean so much to him. but throughout the telecasting series he illustrates that he understands there are alterations taking topographic point around him. and it is at least inevitable that he has to back up it. Although he comes to the realisation that traditions are altering. his hardworking nature stays integral. Jack is the sort of adult male who values the dollar and values difficult work.
This is to a great extent shown in the episode. “Cost of Living” ; he truly wants Kevin to recognize that money should be earned through work. In the episode. “Heroes. ” it is proven that to Jack work comes before drama. When Kevin asks his male parent whether Jack wants to travel watch the hoops game with him. Jack merely replies. “Somebody has to set nutrient on the tabular array. ” He has a strong work moral principle. and he expects his childs to hold one every bit good. A batch of times. his childs resent him for holding this trait. but at the terminal they ever respect him for it. No affair what. Jack is true to his nature. Jack illustrates this relentless reluctance to alter throughout the show. It is shown that Jack is a really difficult individual to stir. He could be considered as an immoveable object. In the episode. “Road Trip. ” Jack and Kevin leave to travel to a shop to purchase Kevin a new suit. Jack refuses several times to take Norma’s waies. take a firm standing that he knows where the topographic point is. When Jack and Kevin get lost. Jack refuses to inquire anyone for aid. On their manner back to the house. Jack and Kevin come across a level tyre. Jack is unable to stir the Lug nut to take the level tyre. Kevin insists on assisting him. but Jack repeatedly refuses.
However. it is Kevin who ends up stiring the Lug nut. In this episode. there is a cardinal metaphor: when Kevin budges the Lug nut. he really budges Jack. Before Jack is take a firm standing that no 1 can stir the Lug nut. it is about impossible to make so. He doesn’t believe Kevin can carry through this on his ain. In other words. he is stubborn in accepting that Kevin is turning up and non a child any longer. However. when Kevin does stir the Lug nut it shows his capableness and makes Jack recognize that so Kevin is non a kid. Another familiar phrase from Jack is. “I don’t want to speak about it! ” which besides contributes to the thought that he is dogged. When he has his head set on something. he normally holds on to it. However. the love he has for his kids makes him recognize that sometimes he will hold to stir. This devotedness that Jack has in loving his kids so much is truly the true ground why he is such an of import character in the series. It is the fact that deep down. under his stocky. rugged visual aspect. he is really a tenderhearted loving male parent. Jack and Karen often fight or argue with each other. but most of the clip Jack tries to do up with her.
He doesn’t merely state it. but it is obvious that all he wants is his childs to understand that no affair what he will ever be at that place for them. In the episode. “Daddy’s Small Girl. ” during most of the show. Jack and Karen argue. differing on about everything. However. when it is clip to give nowadayss to Karen on her 18th birthday Jack surprises everyone by endowing Karen his Army duffle bag bag. admiting he has to allow his “little girl” travel out into the universe. Sooner or subsequently. Jack comes to footings that he can ne’er remain mad at his kids because he cares about them excessively much. Another clip when Jack softens up is during the episode “Road Trip. ” when he states. “We don’t demand it. We’ll happen our ain manner. ” Originally. Kevin takes out a map to do certain that him and Jack do non acquire lost like they did earlier. nevertheless Jack stops him saying that they will happen their “own way” . The bigger image is that when Jack says this. he really means they will happen their ain solutions to their jobs. He realizes that he and Kevin have entered into a new phase in their relationship. He is a loving male parent. and tries really difficult to forestall any problems that may afflict upon his kids. In add-on to this. Jack does non desire anything more than to be a hero to his kids. He ever worries whether they still consider him as one or non.
In the episode. “Heroes. ” Jack and Kevin have a really het conversation on the affair of Bobby Riddle. the high school hoops star whom Kevin idolizes. During this episode. he realizes that Riddle is non a hero. but a dork. After Riddle’s squad loses the game. Kevin decides to soothe him believing that they are friends. but Riddle wholly blows him off. Kevin is left startled and baffled and worst of all. his pa witnesses it all. Afterwards. Jack decides to take Kevin to a diner. Initially. Kevin is annoyed with Jack for his right premise of Riddle’s squad losing the title game. Kevin gets even more agitated when Jack compliments Bobby Riddle. stating he played reasonably good in the game. Kevin feels necessary to put everything heterosexual by stating a few things to Jack because Kevin does non desire Jack to sympathise for him. However. the response Jack gives him takes him a back. KEVIN. Look Dad: in the first topographic point. Bobby stunk ok? In the 2nd topographic point. he was ne’er that good. ok? So I’m sorry you had to blow your clip coming down. I’m sorry about the trial. I’m sorry we can’t all be like you.
JACK. You’re a difficult adult male to delight. you know that? Let me state you something Kev. It’s non easy being a hero. In this conversation. Jack is speaking about himself and his efforts to stay epic to his kids. Kevin. as an grownup. realizes that people like Bobby Riddle will come and travel out of his life. Kevin sees that Jack is the lone true hero he has of all time known because Jack will ever be at that place for him.
In decision. Jack Arnold turns out to be more than a adult male who is merely glued to his frozen values. persisting nature. and retentive ways. He is non merely a tough. beefy. rugged cat. but besides a loving and caring male parent. He has created enduring memories with his kids. The memories his kids wistfully look back on because they taught them valuable lessons in life and relationships. As Kevin recalls minutes from the yesteryear. he realizes one thing about his male parent. In the terminal. Jack is a adult male who is more than what meets the oculus: he is a hero.
