Beautiful Children Post # 5

Recently in Charles Bock's novel, Beautiful Children, the parents of Newell Ewing, are focused on more directly. Bock gives readers the inside scoop of how hard it is for the families of a runaway and I think he demonstrates how Lincoln and Lorraine deal with Newell's dissapearance perfectly...not missing any detail of the misery they go through. As Lincoln recalls Newell's child hood and his own past of being a father Bock writes, "In a high-pitched voice, Lincoln would blurt out ridiculous insults and nonsensical sentences, driving along and tickling and poking and jabbing Newell, bringing light to his kid's eyes, filling the pickup with titters, the boy laughing so hard he cramped up" (194). The innocent Newell shows a father son connection so strongly here it is hard to believe he ran away because of his family.

Unfortunately, the relationships between children and their parents change drastacilly when they start getting older and opinions clash. I would know! It's very hard to be stuck with parents in the same house for so long if the fighting doesn't stop. Sometimes the little things like making a child laugh isn't enough to sustain a relationship. As a child gets older you can't just tickle them to brighten their eyes... I wonder if Lincoln just didn't know how to show affection as Newell got older and the relationship became empty. Lincoln was so affected by his sons disappearence. He now acts empty, just like Lorraine and spends most of his time thinking to himself. There isnt much dialogue in his part. As he recalls the time he hears of Lorraine on the phone with Bock writes, "He could hear the voices coming from the phone, the violent shouting. For the rest of his days, he would remember Lorraine's expression. The moment when life as he knew it ended" (198). The parents have so drastically changed as people. Since part of them (Newell) is gone its impossible for them to feel fulfilled again. In order for the couple to survive they need to save Newell.