The Impact of Alcoholism on Families

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Questions and Answers

What effect did alcohol have on the father described?

It had no noticeable effect on his behavior.

It transformed his personality drastically for the worse. (correct)

It improved his skills as a carpenter and businessman.

It made him more sociable and engaging.

How did the family cope with the father's drinking problem?

They confronted their father directly about his drinking.

They kept it a secret within the household. (correct)

They openly discussed it among relatives and friends.

They sought professional help immediately.

What metaphor is used to describe the father's transformation due to alcohol?

A flower into a weed.

A prince into a frog. (correct)

A lion into a lamb.

A soldier into a coward.

What was the feeling of the children growing up in an unstable environment due to the father's drinking?

They felt as though they were playing in a minefield. Signup and view all the answers

What action did the mother frequently take to manage the father's drinking?

She tried to hide the alcohol and monitor his finances. Signup and view all the answers

What was the author's response when he finally confessed about his father's drinking problem?

He felt relief and freedom from the burden of the secret. Signup and view all the answers

What did the author mean by 'The secret bores under the skin'?

The impact of secrets can affect a person deeply and persistently. Signup and view all the answers

When the father was sober, how did the children react towards him?

They sought his affection and welcomed him warmly. Signup and view all the answers

What did the children notice on the floor of the barn?

Broken glass Signup and view all the answers

What was hidden among the tools in the drawer?

A six-pack of beer Signup and view all the answers

What did the children smell on their father's breath after his goodnight kiss?

Clorets Signup and view all the answers

Where did the father often acquire alcohol?

Sly's store Signup and view all the answers

What would Father do when he drove to Sly's with the children?

Leave them in the car Signup and view all the answers

How did the narrator's mother react to the father's drinking behavior?

She was concerned Signup and view all the answers

What was the narrator's feeling toward Sly’s store owners?

Hatred for their role in poisoning his father Signup and view all the answers

What did the narrator want to do with the bottles in Sly's store?

Smash them Signup and view all the answers

What emotions does the narrator experience towards their father?

Love and fear Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator believe they can do to reduce their father's pain?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What realization does the narrator come to about their father's alcoholism?

It is a common disease affecting many Signup and view all the answers

How does the narrator feel about competing to determine who has suffered the most?

They find it pointless Signup and view all the answers

What recurring theme does the narrator grapple with regarding their father?

Shame and responsibility Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator indicate about their father's drinking habits?

It is a way to cope with pain Signup and view all the answers

How does the narrator's age affect their perception of their father's struggles?

They still relate to their younger self's confusion Signup and view all the answers

What physical actions of the father are described that reflect his emotional state?

He rummages through the kitchen and slams doors Signup and view all the answers

What reaction did the speaker's friends have to the story of the lunatic and the swine?

They were concerned about the hogs. Signup and view all the answers

What does the speaker suggest about their father's behavior when he was drunk?

He was unrecognizable and frightening. Signup and view all the answers

Which biblical event is emphasized in the context of the father's drunkenness?

The exorcism of the lunatic. Signup and view all the answers

What does the speaker imply would be the solution if their father was seen as possessed or ill?

He should be exorcised or cured. Signup and view all the answers

What biblical commandment do the ministers wish was added regarding alcohol consumption?

Thou shalt not drink. Signup and view all the answers

What mental state does the speaker ascribe to their father during his drunkenness?

He was lost and fearful. Signup and view all the answers

What did the ministers believe about the wine at the Last Supper?

It was purely grape juice. Signup and view all the answers

In what manner did the lunatic behave before Jesus intervened?

He was violent and erratic. Signup and view all the answers

What motivated the narrator to avoid substances that alter his state of mind?

Fear of losing control like his father did Signup and view all the answers

How does the narrator perceive his work ethic?

A distraction from deeper issues Signup and view all the answers

What effect does the narrator's father's behavior have on him as a child?

He learned to suppress his emotions and take on guilt Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator's daughter present him with?

A placard labeled 'Workaholic' Signup and view all the answers

How does the narrator feel when witnessing others express anger?

Conflicted and anxious about his own reactions Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator fear for his own children?

That they will repeat the cycle of addiction Signup and view all the answers

What internal conflict does the narrator experience regarding his emotional state?

Confusion over his son's feelings of responsibility Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator mean by stating he would become a 'worthy sacrifice'?

He aims to achieve greatness to overshadow his father's failures Signup and view all the answers

What event led to Greeley Ray Sanders remaining sober for fifteen years?

A near-fatal medical crisis Signup and view all the answers

How did Mother initially react to Greeley’s drinking habits?

She frequently scolded him Signup and view all the answers

What was Greeley Ray Sanders's pattern of drinking described in the content?

He went through periods of sobriety and relapse Signup and view all the answers

What major event coincided with Greeley Ray Sanders's breakdown during the author's senior year?

The Cuban Missile Crisis Signup and view all the answers

What did Mother consider Greeley Ray Sanders's prolonged sobriety to be?

A miraculous answer to prayer Signup and view all the answers

How did the environment at the Ohio arsenal influence Greeley Ray Sanders?

It had an abundance of alcoholics and addicts Signup and view all the answers

What emotional state did the author describe feeling about Greeley's drinking spells?

Hope and fear Signup and view all the answers

What reason was given for Greeley Ray Sanders's temporary sobriety after the birth of his children?

A sense of responsibility as a father Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Paying the Price of My Father's Booze

The author's father was an alcoholic, drinking compulsively and secretly.
His father's drinking affected his family.
Alcoholics are a public scourge in the US with many experiencing this ailment.
The author felt responsible for being the son of an alcoholic.
The author's father's drinking led to negative consequences in the family, including arguments and emotional distress.
This led to issues in the neighborhood and with the author's own perception of their father.
Father's death was a turning point.
The author reflects on their own relationship with their father and their feelings of responsibility.
The author feels pity for their father and the effect of alcoholism.
The author's father's struggle with alcoholism is a personal issue that touches on alcoholism affecting multiple people.
The author's childhood memories include their father's drinking.
The author recalls their father's drinking in the garage and other places.
The author's family tried to conceal their father's drinking.
The author and their siblings, and their mother, attempted to ignore or avoid their father's drinking.
The author's recollections of the effects of their father's drinking.
The author feels a sense of shame and guilt stemming from their father's drinking.
The author has a deep understanding of their father's alcoholism and its effects on the family.

Alcoholism and Its Impact

Alcoholism is a public health issue that causes problems for millions of US citizens
Alcoholism affects families in many ways, often leading to conflict and guilt within them.
The author uses the term "alcoholic" as a noun.
The author's perspective includes the damaging impact of an alcoholic parent on children's lives.
Quotes from the Bible are used to underscore the ill effects of alcoholism, illustrating the perception of alcoholism as a sin or a problem.
The concept of "redemption" and "guilt" are prominent themes in the narrative.
There is a sense of hope that the father can change but pessimism about their chances.
The author reflects on feelings of shame, guilt and guilt of responsibility.
The struggles of the alcoholic father are acknowledged in the texts, with references to consequences including physical and mental health decline.

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Description

This quiz explores the narrative of a son reflecting on his father's alcoholism and its effects on their family dynamics. It delves into the emotional turmoil, feelings of responsibility, and the broader implications of addiction. Through personal anecdotes, it highlights the struggles faced by families dealing with alcoholism.