Week Two

The struggles of parenthood can often be overwhelming. They are nothing compared to the struggles of a parent whose child has become an addict. The essay “My Addicted Son” by David Sheff covers this situation. The author focuses on specific events in his life that directly relate to his sons fall into the clutches of drug abuse, rather than trying to narrate his entire life story. This story is especially relevant to our age group, as we are entering college and living on our own for the first time in our lives. While this independence is usually very welcome, it can also lead to the undoing of many college students, even those considered to be the “good students” in high school.

          The author includes adequate descriptions of major events in the narrative that help the reader visualize them and feel the emotions pulsating through the story. From the crying of the authors son Jasper after Nick was arrested to the utter helplessness when Nick relapsed the third time, one really gets a feel for the desolation and loss this story reveals. The intended audience is all parents, whether their children are drug-free or going through the same trials as Nick went through. It serves as not only a warning to all parents, but also as a testament to what one might have to go through should their child fall victim to drugs. Although dialogue is rare, what David does include highlights Nick’s detachment from his family and society.

          David has done an excellent job providing context for each of the major events, and flowing the story smoothly from one to the next. The only time I had trouble following was on page 6, when he reminisced on times he and Nick had had at the Steps of Rome café, and how he had slowly made more and more excuses for Nick’s behavior through the years. This whole process of fighting meth for control of Nick has showed David how much pain and loss parents can bear for their children. As he says at the bottom of page 6, “Every time we reach a point where we feel as if we can’t bear any more, we do.” The bonds between parent and child are some of the strongest in the world, able to forgive the gravest travesties. I have only known one side of this relationship, but I can see it at work when I Skype my parents. As a parent, David is torn apart by watching his sons slip into addiction. As a writer, he does a fantastic job characterizing and documenting every major event without letting his own emotions cloud the story, only spice up the tale whenever appropriate.