I did not get the impression that his relationship with the firefighters was more important than the relationship he had with his wife. I think that his two main concerns were financial stability and work performance. It was evident that he enjoyed doing his job, despite having lost one of his coworkers, because he told Linda in a scene that he had doubts about taking a desk job offered by Captain Kennedy. In that scene, Kennedy echoed Linda's concerns and told Jack that his occupation was the reason that he and his wife had divorced.
Jack was unwavering; he liked the adrenaline and the satisfaction of saving someone's life. The proof comes in a scene when a man was stuck outside a ledge of a burning building. Jack tied a rope around his waist and was lowered to save the man's life despite concerns from his fellow firefighters and the public. That scene displayed his initiative, confidence, passion, and courage.
For any man or woman who dreamed of being a hero as a child, this is the best and most legitimate way to become that person. Currently, thousands of people are miserable at their jobs because they do not enjoy it. Jack truly enjoyed his job; therefore it would make sense for him to want to take the risks and perform his duties to the best of his abilities. Linda had her reservations about his occupation but she understood that it was his passion and he would not be happy doing anything else.
Obviously, the hours and the demands of the job left him tired and mostly unavailable to attend school games and other activities. The movie depicted seldom bonding between Jack and his children. If anyone received little attention from Jack, I would say it was the kids. I wouldn't say he neglected them due to the nature of his job. In fact, he did converse with his son and specified that he was needed and people depended on him to save lives. Despite his untimely death, the message he left behind will serve them a lifetime, pursue your passion.
2 comments:
You mention something very important in your last paragraph. Jack was sort of unavailable to his kids but at no point did he neglect them or not provide for them. Through pursuing his passion and contributing so much to his craft in a very noble way, Jack showed his kids (and even explained it as you mention) that what he did was a vital function in society and he felt a duty to protect his fellow citizens. This would undoubtedly resonate in his children as many firefighter and police families produce children that are inclined to serve the public. It's a very unique segment of society that is sorely misunderstood by many because of the sacrifices inherent in day to day operations much less increased scrutiny. Growing up with a policeman as a father, I can identify with the kids because of the amount of overtime my father had to work for us to be comfortable. But I was never more proud of my father than when I saw him in that uniform, in that protector role. It's a sort of automatic understanding by way of necessity that prevails in a lot of public service families.
You might think about how people go into dangerous situations to save others. We valorized the firefighters and police at the world trade center on 9/11, but everyday, men and women are doing the same thing without much glory attached.
Post a Comment