Jack Arnold Paper

Tyra Swanson Mr. Johnston Communications 9 Honors 17 April 2013 “The Times are a Changin” “King for a day. ” That’s how Jack Arnold hopes his children see him on his birthday. However, as his children age and his family changes, Jack realizes that maybe he isn’t “king for a day” in the minds of his children, and maybe he isn’t king at all. In the television series “The Wonder Years,” Jack’s morals and traditional self are put to the test when he realizes his kids aren’t little anymore.

Jack’s stubborn attitude, traditional values, and defiance toward change resist the upcoming generation’s social and family values. Jack is the father of three teenagers, and he, along with his stay-at-home-wife Norma, struggle keeping them in line because of the changing era. His kids are growing up in the late 1960s and early 1970s in southern California, making it hard for him to maintain his old-school morals. Not only does Jack have stubborn teens, he must keep up with his middle management job that does not pay well. But through these struggles he is still genuinely committed to his family and loves them deeply.

His commitment is evident when he encounters many interactions with his three teenaged kids, including Karen, his college-aged and unruly daughter; Wayne, the middle, frolicsome son; and finally Kevin; the youngest son, who also narrates the television show as an adult with voiceovers. The relationships between Jack and his kids are influenced by his early life and the way he grew up. Jack grew up in the Depression-era, later becoming a soldier for the U. S. Swanson 2 Marines and serving time overseas in Korea. His nonsensical and stubborn ways towards his children are truly shaken up with social revolution in the 1960s.

This is revealed in the episode “Road Trip,” when Jack and Kevin drive to go get a new suit for Kevin, on Norma’s demand, at a huge retail store. Unfortunately, it is two hours away. Norma provides them with directions, but due to Jack’s stubborn nature he refuses to listen to anyone and takes his own way. Upon getting lost Kevin asks Jack if they should stop to ask for directions. This infuriates Jack, and he replies with a stern “no. ” Jack wants things done his way and will put up a fight to stand for what he wants or believes in.

The episode “Daddy’s Little Girl” brings this to light, during an exchange between Jack and Karen on her eighteenth birthday. Karen is growing up, but Jack does not want to acknowledge this fact. He continually argues with Karen about having a birthday cake and presents. Struggling to hold on to tradition Jack stubbornly argues with Karen about having a birthday cake: KAREN. I don’t want a cake. JACK. Sure you do. KAREN. I really, I don’t. I-I don’t want a party either. JACK. What are you talkin’ about? Sure you do – you like parties. KAREN. No really Dad, I don’t. JACK. Fine.

In this argument between Karen and Jack both clearly state what they want, and when neither backs down Jack goes into a more permissive state and walks away from the situation deciding Swanson 3 he doesn’t want to argue anymore. It is clear that in this scene he realizes that he is emotionally wounded by his daughter’s refusal to stick to tradition. Traditional values are what Jack holds very near and dear to his heart, but when these traditions are put to the test he fears that he will lose them all together. In the episode, “The Fishing Trip,” Jack wants the tri-annual fishing trip with Wayne and Keven to be exactly how it used to be.

Unfortunately the trip is far from what it used to be. For example the three men do not fit in the tent anymore like they use to. The path towards their prime fishing spot has been shut down and covered with a bunch of weeds. And for the first time in their tri-annual camping trip history, Wayne wins the card game around the fire. All these events make Jack realize that this tradition has changed and might be over. From the beginning to the end of the episode Jack’s view on the trip changes drastically. He goes from saying, “Why can’t we get along like we use to? to “Who thought of this stupid trip anyway? ” This shows that at first Jack tries to resist change but in the end reality hits him, and he realizes the he must move on. Jack is very resistant towards the idea of change, as seen in “The House the Jack Built. ” In this episode Karen wants to move out of her dorm room and into a house with her boyfriend, Michael. This goes against Jack’s beliefs and he forbids letting them because he does not want to change those beliefs: JACK. Your mother and I did not raise you to live like this. KAREN. Dad, these aren’t the Dark Ages.

Times have changed, things have changed. JACK. I haven’t changed! I raised you with values! I raised you to have better values than this! Swanson 4 Jack cannot deal with the fact that Karen is changing and her values are changing. He is very pronounced about the fact the he has not changed indicating to Karen that he does not want her to change either. However, it is hard to see Karen stray from Jack’s values, he does love her very much and this is evident when he makes the sacrifice to change for his children. The love that Jack has for his kids is revealed in almost every episode of “The Wonder Years. Throughout all the hard times they go through and the changes that are made Jack always prevails to do what’s best for his kids out of love. In “The Cost of Living” Kevin decides to try to earn money his own way by working at a golf club. Jack tells Kevin not to, but Kevin ignores his dad and goes on to work there behind Jack’s back. On Kevin’s first day he is caddying for Jack’s boss, Ken, but to Kevin’s dismay Jack is with Ken golfing. Throughout the day Ken makes great strokes and Jack is failing. But in the back nine Jack gets a stroke of luck and rises ahead of Ken. This makes Ken very mad, and he takes it out on Kevin.

In order for Kevin to get a good tip Ken would have to win. So Jack gives up the game and allows Ken to win getting Kevin that good $20 tip. At the end of this episode adult Kevin says, “He could lose a game and still not lose his manhood. ” Jack puts his son before his pride – his relationship with Kevin is more important than Jack’s ego. Even in the midst of defeat Jack shows his kids that he loves them. This is also revealed in “Daddy’s Little Girl. ” During this episode Karen and Jack get into a big fight about whether Karen is going to have a birthday cake and presents.

However, the tension is not just the argument over presents and cake, but over Karen leaving home and Jack’s Swanson 5 struggle to accept that his little girl has grown up. This argument is left at a very awkward and silent moment when Karen asks to leave. But as she is leaving Jack gives her his old army bag. This gives him a sense of security and home. That indicates Jack is willing to let Karen go and most importantly, that he still loves her, when she goes off to college. In this moment Jack finally “let’s her go” meaning he gives her the freedom she wanted but most importantly with his blessing.

Even through the hard times at the Arnold house Jack will put his family first before anything and love them more than they realize. Although “the times are a changin,” Jack sticks to his beliefs and morals even when others are forming new ones. Jack’s stubborn attitude, traditional values, and defiance toward change are the reasons he is not changing with the new era. But he is willing to make sacrifices for his family, which he chooses to put first in his life. He loves them more than anything in the world and wants to be the “king for a day”