‘Sucker Punch’ personal response The novel ‘Sucker Punch’ by David Hernandez was a captivating experience that consistently drew my attention being from a young adult’s point of view. I am a 17 year old male growing up, encountering mature situations like the main character in this book, Marcus. As well as Making me think about the main theme of the story. The main theme of the story is domestic violence.
It made me realize how strongly opinionated I am on the topic and it sickens me to read how Unripe, the main characters brother is violently beaten by his father at a very young age for completely nonsensical reasons on several occasions. For example he beat him for getting dirt on the carpet and another time for going over a stone while mowing the lawns. ‘Dad backhanded him and blood came to his lips, he called him and idiot and incompetent. He backhanded him again. ‘ I cannot personally relate to this but it infuriates me to read knowing this carries on in our society.
Family violence is a very real and common problem in our society but people aren’t strong enough to stand up and help. In my experience Vive seen children beaten in public places and shocked spectators’ faces but often no one says or does anything to help the victim, so it won’t stop. I also see this in advertising campaigns on television where scenarios are played out to show people how they can stand up and help to improve our society. For example the “it’s okay to ask for help” advertising campaign which describes situations of domestic violence.
They reiterate that the victims as well as bystanders need to ask for help outside of the family and that it is okay to ask for help. Marcus felt he should have done something to help Unripe every time he was attacked but cowered away into a corner, frightened, as the father had frightened the whole family into submission. In the book Unripe acted out and munched a hole in the wall. Marcus said “Dad would have pummel Unripe had he seen the hole, he would have left him bruised and speechless. At this time their father had left and despite this all, they could think about was the horrific consequences that would have followed their actions had he still been there showing the power and control he had over them psychologically. I know what it is like as a young adult to have done something wrong and be worried about the consequences, but not to the same extent that I felt threatened for my life as Marcus and Unripe did, like all victims of domestic violence do. Unripe was also diagnosed with depression from a young age and I believe that is why his dad beat him.
This, I believe, is because our society and ancestry of the hunter gatherer age has created a stereo type that men can Just toughen up and should or will be seen as weak, or less of a man because of this. This is appalling and pushes people turner into depression. A role model to mine, John Jerkin, a tremor All Black captain which is a very ‘manly role, was diagnosed with depression and has fought it without Just manning up. He has now brought out an ad campaign that shuns this stereotype and shows that even very macho men can suffer from oppression and toughening up does not help.
A quote that made me realize that Meringue’s dad’s motive for his behavior towards Unripe may have been this was; “My Dad always said Unripe didn’t need antidepressants and he Just needed to snap out of it. “(Marcus) According to the New Zealand Ministry of Health, 1 in 6 New Slanderer will experience serious depression in their life time. None of these people will be able to Just ‘man up’ and snap out of it like the dad expects in the book, this is why I can relate to the novel and feel so strongly about the main theme, depression.
