900 word FSB

In the book Fathers Sons & Brothers, Brett Lott writes about events and memories that have shaped his life. Unlike typical books Lott not only writes about what happened but he also describes what he was thinking. This strategy of basically analyzing his own writing helps us as the readers comprehend why Lott chooses the stories that are included in his book. Throughout the book Lott’s analytical writing is just as important to the lesson behind the book as are the events he shares.

I think this is strategy important because it helps the reader understand what Lott wants one to take away from his book. Unlike many of the books we have read in the past which are filled with happy, sad, or horrifying stories that are filled with blatantly obvious lessons or themes. In Fathers Sons & Brothers the book is compiled of a collection of essays that seem to have a very loose connection to one and other. As you read on you discover though, that there are many hidden similarities throughout these essays. These similarities include the theme of Lott connecting events from his childhood to those of his children as they grow up and mature. While it is obvious that these events are not actually connected, seeing as they took place years decades apart, but he connects these events through his thoughts about them. This is where the analytical aspect of Lott’s writing comes into play. Lott had the challenge of creating meaning out of his collections of essays he had compiled from past memories. The title of this book, Fathers Sons & Brothers hints as to what the main theme of the book is going to be but still the first few essay are very confusing due to the order of events. Throughout the essays Lott tells the stories in a manner in which it seems like he is trying to create a lesson out of it but cannot get across his point in words. This is shown very clearly in a strong sentence at the end of the "Brothers" essay.

Lott writes, “What I believe is this: That pinch was entry into our childhood; my arm around him, our smiling, is proof of us two surfacing, alive but not unscathed. And here are my own two boys, already embarked.” (32)

While this sentence seems to come from a lost and confused author, when put next to the context with the stories that were included in this essay it brings up a really strong feeling of Lott’s feelings regarding his childhood in connection with his children’s. The preceding stories were of the trials and tribulations Brett and his brother Brad had while growing up. Followed by how they grew out of this stage to become better friends and have more respect for one and other later on in life. Lott then cuts to a story of Zeb and Jake, Lott’s children, fighting and carrying on. The quote above is how Lott analyzed the situations he remembered. The quote basically says that by realizing his action toward his brother, and how there relationship flourished later in life Lott is beginning to notice many of the same qualities in his own children’s interactions.

While the central theme of Fathers Sons & Brothers is the relationships of Lott as a father, son, and brother. Not all the analyzing in this book has to do with this. Later on in the book many of these analytical portions turn into a blank canvas for Lott’s self reflection. While by definition self reflection and analyzing are not the same thing in Fathers Sons & Brothers the are used in much the same way. Like the analytical writing, the self reflection is used by Lott to give meaning to an event that may otherwise seem insignificant to anyone but Lott himself. A good essay to show this deep reflection is "Wadmalow". Indisputably one of the least connected essays of the book "Wadmalow" provides that canvas I described earlier. It is a chance for Lott to get away from his roles and focus more his personal feelings on some of his memories. Early on in "Wadmalow" it talks about how Brett is watching football on a Sunday and observing the behavior of his children. Throughout the progression of the essay Lott realizes how he is throwing his day away. This ideal is solidified by a quote at the end of the essay.

One of Lotts many reflections states, “A Sunday, a day of rest, in October on Wadmalow Island, a day dangerously close to having been lost to television and a rainy sky. Though she does not know it yet, the view from here is the most beautiful gift I can remember Melanie giving me,” (149).

In this reflection Lott describes the feelings he had after he resurrected that Sunday by driving to Wadmalow Island. He tells how although it seems as simple not wasting the day on the couch, it really opened his eyes to the realization that it was more than this Sunday, but more many parts throughout his life that he may have missed out on by partaking in frivolous activities.

Throughout the book Lott’s analytical writing is just as important to the lesson behind the book as are the events he shares. I think that this is a very beneficial tool for Lott to use. Not only for us as readers, but also for Lott himself to realize what significant point he wanted to get across to his audience. Overall Fathers, Sons & Brothers, was a difficult read due to the rapid and frequent change in tense and essays, but I think many readers will take many different lessons away from the book. This is greatly attributed to author Brett Lott’s innovative technique of analyzing his own writing to better explain his purpose.