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Vasek's Themes : Power Struggle In The Pigs

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Power Struggle The narrator, Vasek Sr., show his relentless need for control not so much in his treatment towards the guinea pigs, but more through his interactions with the people closest to him. The narrator has no control in his own life, so he takes control of his families lives in attempt to make himself feel better. He feels stuck in a never ending cycle, so he controls whatever aspects in his life that he can. The narrators interactions with his own children, his ruthless questioning and inability to let anything go, reflect on the amount of control he craves in his own life. The narrator sees Vasek on his way to work and says to him, “‘Hey there boy! Do we know each other?’ The boy looked up and replied, ‘Hi Dad. Maybe we do.’ …show more content…

And I didn't even have to yell at him” (60). The narrator makes Vasek redo his homework the first time, but he is proud when Vasek redoes it the second time without having to be yelled at. The narrator feels this way because he now knows he can control Vasek without having to yell or use force. This sense of control in his life keeps him sane in a world where he has little control. Throughout the book, the narrator refers to his readers as “my dear young readers” and “children,” as yet another way to exude control over the readers. The narrator uses endearments such as “But as for you, my dear young readers…” (6) and “But, my dears,…” (22) as a form of power. In his own own life, he feels powerless due to the tight hold the government has over his life. He feels stuck in a continuos cycle, repeating the same day over and over, with no control over his life, therefore he exerts the little power he has onto his readers. Children symbolize innocence and naiveness, so when the narrator refers to his readers as “children” he feels powerful. Although the readers could be adults, by calling them children he feeds his ego, making himself feel “bigger” than his readers in a world where he is at the bottom of society. The narrator’s controlling treatment towards his wife, Eva, shows the intense need for power and control over anthing. When Vasek Sr. sets out to buy a guinea pig,

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