Larry Cook from A Thousand Acres Analysis

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Larry Cook: A Tragic Hero

A tragic figure in literature is defined as the main character that makes in error in their actions, leading to their downfall. In A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley, Larry Cook is portrayed as a very tragic character. His decisions and the outcomes of his decisions all seem to leave his life in ruins. He chose the wrong paths throughout his life, and in the end, is left to deal with the consequences alone. Larry’s relationships with his daughters, method of running the farm, and competitiveness with his neighboring farmers are all tragic aspects of his life that bring about his downfall in the end.

Larry was never seen as an ideal father figure to his three daughters, Ginnie, Rose, and Caroline. After their mother passed away, the girls were forced to obey his every word. His control over them affected them in the most negative ways possible. Ginnie and Rose never chose to leave the farm. They both transitioned from caring for their father to taking care of their husbands, never living life on their own. Larry’s controlling attitudes lead to his daughters’ eventually standing up to him and going against him. As it is said in chapter 28 of the novel, "Daddy thinks history starts fresh every day, every minute, that time itself begins with the feelings he's having right now….We have to stand up to that, and say, at least to ourselves, that what he's done before is still with us, still right here in this room until there's true remorse (216)." After reminiscing of past experiences with their father, Rose and Ginnie realize all of the pain and sorrow Larry caused in their lives. He sexually abused and molested them when they were younger and left them with an incurable scar in their spirits. He made them suffer in hopes of trying to make himself feel better. It is always tragic to watch a character resort to actions that harm others in order to help them find happiness. These unforgivable actions influenced the three daughters’ eventual decisions to turn against him. It is tragic for the audience to see the effect Larry’s actions had on his downfall and relationships with the only people he truly cared about in his life.

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In hopes of pleasing his daughters, Larry chose to divide the shares of his farm amongst Ginnie, Rose, and Caroline. The farm, his most prized possession, was a very important part of his life and it was hard for him to let that go. He knew that someday he would no longer be able to care for such a large part of land, so he tried to control the future of the farm before he was already gone. When Caroline opted out of Larry’s decision, Ginnie and Rose were left with portions of the farm to take control of. While ...

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