Blog 3

Le Beau-Pere written by Phyllis Rose was one of the essays read this week in our NextText book that interested me the most. In the story Phyllis Rose tells about her second marriage to a man named Laurent and just how he came into her life and her thirteen year old son Ted's life and fit in perfectly. She goes on to say about the types of activities that the three of them would always do together and how Laurent arrived at a good time just as Ted was about to enter adolescence. She explains throughout the story how Laurent never punishes Ted or never tells him what to do. She then concludes the story with the meaning of Le Beau-Pere which is beautiful father. I'm sure that Ted and Phyllis feel that Laurent is a "beautiful stepfather" in a way because Laurent just came into their lives and didn't change anything from the way they were living their life for the previous thirteen years before him. Laurent was not controlling one bit and left them have their space but was always there when he was needed. How would have it been different if Laurent would have came into their lives being a harsh and controlling stepfather? Or how is it going to be in a couple years when Ted is at the age where he is going to need to be disciplined and Laurent is not going to punish or stand up to him? So in conclusion I feel that I wouldn't act the way I do now if it were not for my parents raising me the way they have and discipling me when I needed it and I think if Laurent does not discipline Ted when he needs it Ted's going to end up disobeying Laurent.