The Grande Republic 0f Arcadia wrote:Calladan wrote:So, as someone who lives in the UK but gets exposed to a lot of American fiction (in books, films and tv) I have to ask - what is the obsession with fathers and sons?
Star Wars, The Godfather, Death of a Salesman, Babylon 5, The West Wing. You can barely get through an episode of NCIS without someone whining about their father (and this spread into NCIS LA, where Deeks has Daddy issues and NCIS NO where Pride also has Daddy issues), and even Star Trek has various characters who have issues with their father.
This obsession took a truly disturbing turn when Elementary took the unbelievable turn of INVENTING a father for Sherlock Holmes just so he could have a trouble relationship with him. (As far as I know he doesn't have a father in any of the books).
So - what is it with fathers and sons in America? Why are so many American writers obsessed with it, and have been for so long?
Okay, if you think we have an obsession with fathers and sins look at china with the baby girls on the side of the road. It is also a way to find character identity.
I lived in China for two years and never saw any baby girls on the side of the road.