Dream from My Father Is Obama's Father

A major theme in Dream From My father is Obama's father. Throughout the book the reader can see Obama struggle with the role his father played in his life. It's evident that although his father was absent for the better part of his life, he still influenced Obama in many ways. While reading the book it was hard to ignore the similarities and differences in my father and Obama's father. I could definitely connect and empathize with him and his feelings of neglect that came with have and absent father.

From the very beginning of the book Obama introduces his father and the phone call from his aunt declaring his father dead. After hearing the news Obama said, "I sat down on the couch... trying to measure my losses," (Pg. 5). This is definitely not a normal reaction to hearing news of the death of a parent. Immediately you can tell that Obama didn't have a strong relationship with this man. His mood seems indifferent and definitely not filled with sadness. If I heard that my father died, I would be distraught and hurt. Similar to Obama, my father was not really involved in the early part of my life. My parent married and by the time I was five they divorced. According to my mother my father wasn't ready for a family and the responsibility that came with one. I would see him once in a while, but for the most part we were limited to phone calls and a meeting once a month. His presence in my life became less important to me and a lot like Obama I dealt with the reality of not having my father in my life.

While Obama never had a connection to his father, I eventually did. In the first chapter Obama talks about the endless anecdotes he heard as child of the great man his father was. He even stated that his father remained a myth to him (Pg5). As I became a teenager my father began to be more hands on. I saw him more and understood the man he was and I even began to truly love him as my father. Obama recounts a visit from his father. After being absent from Obama's life he still felt he had authority and control of Obama. Obama began to resent his presence and became proud of his father and the man he was at the same time. From the explanations Obama gives of his feelings toward his father, I gathered that he favored the idea of his father and not the actual man.

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