The Drunkard

The Drunkard
Frank O'Connor

In this short story, the boy's drunkenness is seen from different points of view. The first point of view is the boy's. His innocent curiosity and thirst led him to drink his father's alcohol at the bar. The boy felt sick and eventually seemed confused and upset, all typical reactions to alcohol. Another point of view is that of the dad. He took the boy with him to the bar because he wanted a drink and had no where else to take the boy. Upon discovering the boy's actions, he felt embarrassed that the boy drank alcohol, frustrated that he now had nothing to drink, and worried about what the boy's mother would think. Another point of view is that of the mother. At first she seemed enraged. She yelled at her husband for going to the bar and giving the boy a drink. "The road knows the way you filled you unfortunate innocent child with drink to make sport for you and that other rotten, filthy brute"(O'Connor). After the mother was alone with her son, she thanked him from drinking the alcohol because it kept his father from his alcoholic tendencies.