Analysis Of Fiona Maazel's 'Let Go To The Videotape'
The true testament to superior literature is a clear connection between various literary elements throughout a novel, short story, or poem. The author’s ability to connect elements produces a work where character development is enhanced, creating a well rounded character. Throughout the short story, Lets Go to the Videotape, Fiona Maazel utilizes social media, which demonstrates its catastrophic effects to parent-child relationships. Through Nick’s need for validation and Gus’s loss of trust in his father a family unit is destroyed.
Maazel created a distinct backstory for Nick to demonstrate the change in his character development, an effect of the modern day setting. In the beginning of the short story, Maazel confides to the reader that …show more content…
In the beginning of the short story, Gus is learning to ride a bike without training wheels, but with the assistance of his Nick. Gus’s trust in his father to teach him how to ride a bike shows their strong relationship. However, throughout the short story, Gus’s character changes, a result of social media’s influence on his father, which resulted in a fragmented father-son relationship. Nick was fixated on getting a perfect video clip so he could achieve praise even at the expense of his son. After the video of Gus went viral, he came home with a split lip. Rather than comforting his son, Nick pulled out the camera stating, “‘Almost done,’ Nick said, and zoomed out to capture a look on his boy’s face that was pathos itself… ‘Of course, Now tell me again, what happened to you?’ ‘I fell,’ Gus said” (187). Nick’s overbearing tendency to film Gus for the world to see made him upset. Gus even resorted to lying when Nick put the camera on him, showing his distress. Gus has lost his trust in his father, Nick will not keep their discussions confidential, instead, he will showcase them for the world. Through Nick’s newfound character, a result of society’s emphasis on social media, Gus loses his trust in his father transforming him into a depressed boy who has no one to confide
Maazel created a distinct backstory for Nick to demonstrate the change in his character development, an effect of the modern day setting. In the beginning of the short story, Maazel confides to the reader that …show more content…
In the beginning of the short story, Gus is learning to ride a bike without training wheels, but with the assistance of his Nick. Gus’s trust in his father to teach him how to ride a bike shows their strong relationship. However, throughout the short story, Gus’s character changes, a result of social media’s influence on his father, which resulted in a fragmented father-son relationship. Nick was fixated on getting a perfect video clip so he could achieve praise even at the expense of his son. After the video of Gus went viral, he came home with a split lip. Rather than comforting his son, Nick pulled out the camera stating, “‘Almost done,’ Nick said, and zoomed out to capture a look on his boy’s face that was pathos itself… ‘Of course, Now tell me again, what happened to you?’ ‘I fell,’ Gus said” (187). Nick’s overbearing tendency to film Gus for the world to see made him upset. Gus even resorted to lying when Nick put the camera on him, showing his distress. Gus has lost his trust in his father, Nick will not keep their discussions confidential, instead, he will showcase them for the world. Through Nick’s newfound character, a result of society’s emphasis on social media, Gus loses his trust in his father transforming him into a depressed boy who has no one to confide