"Saturday Climbing" - The Controlling Image

The story starts off with Barry 60 feet up the cliff, while Moira is safely

put on the ground below. Moira is belaying her father.

Barry is scared and finds himself about to fall off the edge. Moira in the

meantime, is safe and secure. Barry is protecting Moira from any dangers

she may encounter in the world. Barry is wary of drugs and parties , but

most of all the boys Moira dates.

"The cliff had proven to be deceptive."

Raising a child is harder than it looks. Things are not always as they appear.

Barry never could have imagined how much work it is to raise Moira. He has

had to seek advice from a number of people at the university. Barry has

tried to do numerous of activities with Moira in order to spend time with

her. It has been difficult and trying, as is the climb.

"The conglomerate, with its rough, gravel-like surface, had looked easy."

This describes the rocky relationship between Barry and his daughter.

Their constant arguing and lack of communication makes the relationship

unstable - just as gravel covered slopes are.

"Close to the base, there were large handholds, so that at first the climbing

was little more difficult than walking up stairs."

Adolescents and children seem easy to handle when compared to teenagers.

Barry found that Moira was no problem when she was young, and seemed like

cake compared to what he must deal with now. In the story, the initial part

of the climb was simple , just as life used to be for Barry.

"Then, unexpectedly, the surfaces smoothed; the places where he could get

a secure hold were spread farther and farther apart."

This quotation reflects the difficulty Barry encounters in his role as a

working, single-parent of a teenager. Barry's secure hold on the rocks,

symbolize his monitoring of his daughter. As Moira becomes more

independent, it is harder and harder for Barry to keep watch over her and

make sure she's safe. Moira is going out late to parties and on dates. Barry

can't be with her 24/7, and therefore can't maintain her security.

The secure holds can also symbolize the direction the relationship between

Barry and Moira is heading. It seems that they are distancing themselves

from each other. Barry has trouble keeping track of what Moira does, and

Moira is willing to let Barry into her world by telling him what's going on.

"At the same time, the numerous cracks dwindled until there was no place to

set any protection."

This refers to the dwindling of the relationship. It is beginning to crack, or

break apart under the stress and pressure. It also symbolizes the aspect of

growing up that one becomes more independent. Barry will be able to

protect Moira less and less, as she starts to find her own way.

"If he fell, he would drop twenty-five feet to the piton, then twenty-five

feet past it before his rope came taut and held him. There was, because of

the elasticity of the rope, a chance that he would ground out."

This is representative of the risks Barry is willing to take for his daughter in

order to salvage their relationship. Barry would go to extremes for his

daughter.

The exert also shows that one fall and it could be all over. This is the case

in the climb and it is the same in parenthood. A fall could prove fatal, and

would lead to failure. In each situation, Barry is under enormous pressure to

succeed.

Barry - ".... set his foot on a rough patch that would provide the necessary

friction to hold his weight."

The relationship between the main characters is tested throughout. It is

often pushed to the edge, on the brink of disaster. Even though it may seem

bleak, the relationship prevails. Just as Barry seems to be able to get

himself out of the predicaments on the climb, the father-daughter

relationship has overcome its own obstacles.

"For a moment. he suffered vertigo, and the cliff seemed to sway as if in an

earthquake."

This is symbolic of the fact that Barry is afraid to go on because of the

uncertainty that surrounds the future (especially concerning his daughter).

He is fearful of changes that may come as a result of his daughter's

independence and its impact on their relationship. Barry doesn't want his

daughter to become the "frizzy-hair girl".

The swaying of the cliff could also represent the shakiness, and

precariousness of their relationship. e.g. the arguments and fights.

"His daughter, eighty feet below, seemed so small that Barry felt he could

lift her into his arms."

Barry still views Moira as being his little girl. She appears small and

innocent. She seems too young to be out in the cruel and harsh world. This

view of her may never change, but Barry's level of acceptance of Moira's

independence will.

"From time to time, she paused to pull loose the chock nuts and pitons her

father had left behind."

By pulling out the pitons and chock nuts, Moira is saying metaphorically, that

she doesn't require her father's protection. She wants to handle things on

her own, and take on obstacles (such as school) by herself too.

"Once, when she deviated from the route her father had taken, she became

stuck at an overhang. Not having dealt with the obstacle himself, Barry

could not help, and had to leave her to find her own solution."

This part of the story signifies the moment that Moira breaks off from her

father and tries to go her own way. As expected, she had some problems

but she was able to conquer them, and reached her goal. This is true in real

life as well. It is essential for Moira to learn to solve these problems on her

own, because she can't rely on her Dad forever.

This new route is evident where Moira has decided not to attend the local

university. By going to one out of state, this is a new world that Barry knows

little about, and will leave Moira figuring out her problems on her own.

"The climb seemed agonizingly slow, as if it would never be completed."

The ordeal takes what seems like an eternity for Barry. He sees his

daughter in trouble and instinctively he wants to help her, only he can't. He

is forced to sit and wait and see if she makes it. When Moira is all right,

Barry sees that he's raised a daughter that can take care of herself. He

becomes more accepting of the idea of his daughter moving on in life.

"They sat side by side, sipping orange juice, their feet dangling in space."

Barry begins to see his daughter as an equal and as an adult. They're now

level with each other, seeing eye to eye. They've opened up and are

expressing what's on their minds. "Sitting side by side", they are both

independent individuals with their own ways.

"Below her, her father ever watchful, full of fear, smoothly payed out the

rope, determined to give her all the slack she needed while, at the same

time, keeping his hands tensed, ready to lock shut, ready to absorb the

shock of any fall."

This final paragraph shows the new approach to parenting Barry has. He is

now willing to be a spectator, rather than an active player in Moira's life.

Barry is willing to give her space and freedom, but he will always be there to

save her should she fall. Barry is ready to let Moira continue this climb solo.

Reconsideration: "Saturday Climbing" by W.D. Valgardson

W.D. Valgardson's "Saturday Climbing" examines the relationship

between parents and their children as they grow up and become independent.

Furthermore, it is a story about change of attitudes concerning when it is

time for the kids to move on. In "Saturday Climbing", Barry is a father who

must learn to deal with his daughter growing up and wanting her

independence. Moira, the teenaged daughter, seeks to escape from her

father's protective grasp and explore the world on her own. She wishes to

be able to face her own challenges in her own ways. Moira wants to take on

more responsibility and freedom - two wishes her father is wary to give her.

Barry feels that Moira is too young, and not ready to handle this new power.

Moira, on the other hand, craves these things and believes she is up to the

task. In Barry's eyes, Moira will always be his little girl that he's under no

circumstance willing to part with. It is this image that Moira is trying to

change, and replace with a her own personal view of being an adult.

However, as is the case with most other parents, Barry is reluctant to

let his baby grow up too quickly. To him, it was just "last year" Moira lost

her first tooth, and started kindergarten just "six months" ago. Barry has

trouble dealing with the fact that his daughter is all grown up and looking to

leave the "nest". What fears Barry the most is the diminishing need for him

to help his daughter. Barry feels that he's losing his daughter because she

no longer needs in him in certain aspects anymore. (e.g. rides to activities,

make her dinner, etc.). He wants to hang on to his daughter for just a little

bit longer to prolong her childhood. Barry does not want to be left behind.

This fear of being left behind and forgotten is amplified by the fact

that Barry is single. When Moira goes off to college, Barry is left by

himself. It is because of this outcome that Barry realizes how much he

depends on Moira for companionship. Barry, despite being a working single-

parent, makes a lot of time for his daughter. With the absence of Moira's

mother, Barry tries to compensate as best as he can to fill the void. He puts

a lot of effort in finding an activity they can both share an interest in.

Through rock-climbing together, they have made great strides in

strengthening their relationship. They are forced to rely and trust one

another. It also gives Moira that responsibility and freedom she wants.

The use of a controlling metaphor of the climb representing the

development in the relationship between Barry and Moira provides and

insightful look at their progression. As they climb the cliff, one can see the

transition in parenting Moira. At the beginning of the story, we find Barry

"sixty feet up the cliff", with Moira safely down on the ground. This the

ideal situation if Barry's mind. Later we see Moira begin her climb and she

chooses to take some routes not taken by her father. She is proclaiming

her independence, and proves to Barry that she can make it on her own.

When she reaches him, they're now level with each other. Both equal, both

adults. This is the first time, Barry realizes that his daughter is grown up

and no longer his little girl. At the end of the story we watch as Barry

cautiously lets Moira go off to blaze her own trail. Barry remains ready to

save his baby should she fall. Barry accepts Moira's independence and

realizes he can't continue on holding her back.

Another important aspect of the story is the use of flashbacks with

the "frizzy hair girl". This character seems strange at first, but it is not

until her significance to the events in the story does it become clear how

important she is. Her two quotes lead Barry to change his attitude towards

his approach to raising Moira. "The caged bird proves nothing but the power

of the captor", and "The world seeks balance; extremism begets extremism",

help Barry realize what he must do. By caging the bird, and denying it its

freedom, it only feeds its hunger for it. When the bird is finally let out, it

will try to get as far away as possible. The girl with frizzy hair was this

bird. She had an over-protective father, and she decided to go across the

country to get away from his control. This helped Barry understand that

the more he tries to keep Moira in the "nest", the more resentment there

will be. The other quote says that extreme actions have extreme reactions.

The more Barry tries to control Moira, the more likely she is to rebel. The

best thing Barry can do is minimize his "protection". The "frizzy hair girl"

represented what could happen to Moira, this triggered a turnaround in

Barry's ways. In a sense, the "frizzy hair girl" acted as a catalyst.

The last bit of the story is demonstrative of the fact that Barry has

a different role as a parent from now on. Barry is now there to provide a

safety net should Moira fall. He will be there ready to catch her. Other

than when his help is asked for, Barry is now and observer watching whether

or not he did a well enough job in raising his daughter. Moira begins setting

off climbing a new section of the cliff, and this time she will lead. She

starts out boldly up the unknown cliff, ready to tackle the next section of it.

As she climbs, she begins her journey through adulthood, and perhaps one

day she will be leading her own child on this rock.

At this point, Barry no longer sets the protection for Moira.

She is expected to do that for herself. As a loving father, he dreads the

day that it seems he is no longer needed. By the end of the story, Barry

reaches the realization all parents must come to in time. He realizes that

it is time for him to let his daughter go. He will remain there next to her

supporting, but his job is limited. When there is a need he is ready to step

in and resume his role as a care-giver. Until that time comes, he will give

Moira "all the slack she needs while, at the same time, keeping his hands

tensed, ready to lock shut, ready to absorb the shock of any fall."

This was an especially important story to me personally, being it that

I'm about to start my own climb. It interested me to see the situation from

the perspective of the parent, because I obviously know the side of the

caged bird. I, myself plan to go away to university this fall, and I find

myself trying to convince my parents to accept my decision. The arguments

and controversy in the story was very real to me, since they occur at least

once a week, After seeing this from the parent's point of view, it has added

an entire new aspect to it. I have mixed emotions over my desire to become

independent, and the feeling that my parents are just reluctant in letting me

go. It's interesting how I find myself saying, "no kidding", after almost

every detail. This story wasn't just about the relationship between a father

and his daughter, but much more general than that. These issues brought up

are relevant to any relationship between the kid ready to start their own

climb and the parent wanting to keep things the way they are for a just a

little bit longer.