The Ant of the Self, Essay Example

ZZ Packer shows family relationships from the perspective of minority high school student, Spurgeon. The author does not only examine the impact of the historical events on the family, but also highlights that – despite his young age – Spurgeon has to take on adults’ responsibilities to get on with life. The real tragedy of the story lies in the fact that the young boy is isolated and left to fend for himself.

Isolation

The main theme of the story is isolation. Spurgeon goes to a mainly “white” school, and does not fit in. He lives a life that is very different from his classmates’. Like other stories in the collection, this one is also examining how identities of black people are formed and influenced by the environment. As Spurgeon is isolated, he feels that the only person he can have a real connection with is his “good-for-nothing” father. Deep inside, however, he knows that his father is unable to make a living, care for him, or be a role model to his child. He is aware that going to the march is going to be a waste of time and money, but he feels like he has to stand by his father.

Father-son relationship

The relationship between Ray and Spurgeon is non-traditional. Instead of taking care of his son, Ray relies on him to earn enough money for getting him out of jail. Still, when he puts down the bail, his father simply states: “Opportunities. You’ve got to invest your money if you want opportunities”. He does not even thank his son, as if it was normal for a teenage boy to spend his hard earned money on his father. Spurgeon is more responsible than his father, therefore, the roles are completely reversed in their relationship. He is the “caregiver”, while his father simply accepts the care.

The march

Going to the march simply to make a profit is Ray’s idea. Interestingly, the demonstration that is organized to promote family values does not touch him at all. He is also isolated from the society, as he does not like complying with the society’s rules. He calls the policemen “pigs” and does not care about other people. He does not care about the march, racial and social issues: indeed, he calls the people attending “Afrocentric folks “.

The ant of the self

When Spurgeon hears the preacher talk about the “crumb seeking part of ourselves”, he realizes that he should not focus on helping his father any more. He is clever, talented, a debate champion, and able to take care of himself. He needs to cast off the ant, but it is not easy to let go of his father, even if he is the only family he knows, and the person who can help him understand his identity. Indeed, he realizes that his father can pull him down instead of helping him, and their relationship is never going to be what a father-son kinship is meant to be. Instead of looking up to his father as a role model, he looks down on him. Instead of receiving guidance to understand himself, he is losing focus.

Conclusion

Spurgeon is completely isolated in his journey of self-discovery, and realizes that he cannot rely on his father or classmates for guidance. He understands that he can still educate himself, improve his ways of thinking, and find influential people who can provide him with help, just like the preacher at the Million Men March.

Packer, ZZ. “The Ant of the Self” In: Drinking Coffee Elsewhere. 2003. Print.