Change Me into Zeus Daughter

Essay 1: Motherly Love

In Change Me into Zeus’s Daughter, Barbara Robinette Moss lives an eerie and ultimately triumphant life in which she grows up underprivileged and courageously in her family’s hectic, impoverished survival in Alabama. Barbara does not receive the most attention as a child because of her large number of siblings. She feels as if she does not exist, and all the attention is focused on the other siblings of the family. Barbara’s parents, SK and Dorris, differ from each other. Dorris serves as the parent that keeps the family together as she takes most of the abuse from SK. She commits herself to provide her family with whatever she can. On the other hand, SK acts as a tyrannical father who inflicts pain both physically and emotionally. SK spends most of the money that he earns on alcohol as a result of his addiction. While under the influence of alcohol, SK cannot control many of his emotions and actions. SK’s violent behavior have a negative influence on Barbara’s life, but the bravery and valor that Dorris shows has the stronger influence on Barbara and enables her to accomplish her goals as an adult.

There are times when SK acts as a kind, affectionate, and caring father. There are other times when SK is the abusive, rude, and cruel father. His malicious character is usually portrayed when SK drinks. When he comes home, all the children run to their hiding spots because they are so terrified of what he might do. He is an unpredictable character who can be abusive. SK has a notion when he is drunk that he can do whatever he wants to do. Barbara states, “My father believed he was the master of his fate. He did exactly what he wanted to do and, by manipulation or force, made those around him do what he wanted them to do. He inflicted pain recreationally, both physical and emotional. It was his hobby, his pastime.” (37) This influences Barbara in a bad way. Barbara fears her father, which shows that his abusiveness might cause Barbara to act in a timid way at times, not realizing so. When she gets married, she soon gets divorced. A probable cause could be her fear of violence from troubled familial history. Instead