Let's Have A Discussion: Canvas and Troy's Dads · 8:04am Aug 17th, 2015
For as long as I've been writing the Brushed Away stories, it seems that a lot of my readers have strong opinions about the two Father figures featured in them: Copper Fields, and Jonas Clawston. While I tried to make the two fairly unique, the fact that both of them are Dads who don't react well to their sons' lives gives them a lot to compare and contrast about. And since it's a popular thing people like to bring up, I want to know what my readers think of them. Do you find one better than the other? Do you think one (or neither) is deserving or even capable of redemption?Do you think they're fairly similar characters, or are their small differences enough to make them stand out completely?
I still have a couple chapters in Brushed Away 2 planned out to flesh out Jonas a bit, but I'd like to get this ball rolling to see what you guys have to say.
I think copper fields is truly and meaningfully sorry for his actions, and he has accepted the fate that will become of him, but he changed his own ways.
But Jonas had to be taught that he was wrong, and he still partially believes he is right, he might deserve not being hated, at the very most.
I don't think that either of them are beyond redemption. Copper learned his lesson in the first story, and while he made the (very respectable) decision to stay out of Canvas's life, I honestly think he deserves a second chance. This goes for Jonas as well.
While it is easy to shut someone out, and it is often less painful to do so, I think that giving them a second chance is warranted if they have shown themselves to be remorseful AND have changed. Copper has done this, and Jonas appears to be on his way.
I remember once reading something like "Nothing is truly unforgivable, there is only the unwillingness to forgive".
I think If somebody is well and truly sorry they deserve forgiveness, the sad part being nobody is perfect and sometimes -as with Canvas- we just can't do it.
I definitely like how they are so flawed and very similar to each other without having the same personality. As i have said, i felt pretty bad for copper for what he went through, and nothing can really make up what he did. What happened happened.
The biggest difference is that copper didn't try blaming anybody else for his anger and actions like jonas is doing. At this point, since I'm sure the message got across to jonas based on the tip, i hope things go in the direction i think they are. hell, i hope things go better!
I just think it would be nice if Canvas and his dad started writing letters to each other. It would be at least a step towards reconciliation, even if it never went further than that, I think it would be good for them.
3326242 I wanted to say more, you said it for me, thanks,
I guess I'm going to be the one who bucks the trend, but... While it may be easy to feel sympathetic towards Copper's regrets, the man beat his son to within an inch of his life. No, just... no. You don't get a happy ending after that.
Yes, Canvas may forgive him - but if he does, that's purely for his piece of mind. Not for Copper. Copper deserves nothing.
Jonas, by contrast? Yes, he's an arrogant blowhard. He's, he's a tyrant to his family. But so far as I know, he hasn't beat anyone half to death. He hasn't kept beating them when they were down and helpless. He's just been an asshole.
From a purely literary perspective, both "the parents are unreasonably evil" and "the parents ultimately see the light and everything is hunky-dory" are trite and overdone. To my mind, Jonas will probably never be accepting - he may, however, learn to be tolerant, enough for his family to reconcile with him. Copper actually probably has reached the point of accepting, but his actions are unforgivable. Sort of opposite situations, actually.
I concur with windrider. Jonas may be a jackass, and a major control freak, but at least he didn't get drunk and nearly kill his son. He seems to really love his family, so he's got that going for him too.