Portrait of Fatherhood

1177 Main St. USA, June 1972

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In this column, Cormier writes of staying up late waiting for his college-aged daughter and high school-aged son to come home on a Friday night. He takes pleasure in their little evening rituals and small talk and thinks back to his father's own habit of only sleeping soundly when all his children were at home.

1177 Main St. USA, August 1972

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In this column, Cormier writes of embracing middle age and the ease that comes from no longer worrying about the hustle and struggles of younger years. While he still feels like the same person, he also notes a disconnect with his aging body. He recalls being 18 years old, seeing his father sleeping on the couch, and pitying him for his disconnect from the world. Now he is that father, he finds he is content with those same circumstances.

1177 Main St. USA, September 1971

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In this column, Cormier recounts his wife calling him out on faking the music he is listening to in a previous column. He normalizes the behavior by recounting several instances where, as a parent, he must pretend to have good advice, know the answers, or feign bravery. Some manipulation of the truth is a part of realism and in the spirit of truth-telling.

"One Could Do Worse Than Be a Househusband" St. Anthony's Messenger column, 1177 Main St. USA

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In this column, Cormier describes his daily routine as a househusband. He writes at home, does the shopping, cooks dinner, gets his daughter off of the school bus, cleans house, and meets with friends and neighbors at lunch. He states that none of these activities demean his manhood.

Robert Cormier's letter to Catherine July 1994

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In this two-page typed draft of a letter to Catherine, a family friend, Cormier conveys sympathy to her and her family over the loss of her father. With at least a dozen pen edits, this copy clearly shows revisions. In it, he encourages her to explore fiction writing and shares that his own father's death was devasting to him. He also says that writing about his father's death started as a personal and therapeutic exercise, yet became a book. He encourages her to consider turning her experiences into some sort of literary effort.

Christmas in the Home: A Father's Blessing

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In this short story, Cormier writes about Christmas and New Year in the French Canadian style. Blessings are the theme of this piece. Joyful family gatherings are detailed. As a child, Cormier witnessed a private moment in which his grandfather gave his father a blessing. He writes of then seeing his father as a son, for the first time, and glimpsing the enormity of the cycle of life.

RELATED LINKS:

Fathers' Roles in the Care and Development of Their Children: The Role of Pediatricians. In this article by Michael Yogman and Craig F. Garfield, in Pediatrics (2016, Vol. 138 No. 1) the authors emphasize the importance of fatherly involvement and how pediatricians can be of support.

Why Losing a Parent Hurts So Much, No Matter Your Age. In this article by David Sack, M.D., in Psychology Today (2017 Sept. 27) the author speaks especially to adults who experience the loss of their parents focusing on the grieving process.

The Therapeutic Power of Writing. In this article by Leona Brits, in The Writing Cooperative (2018 Sept. 6), the author explains what therapeutic writing is, various approaches, and how to begin.

Portrait of Fatherhood