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He keeps repeating the phrase "hold onto the carrot" but it makes me wonder if he's really trying to hold onto something else. A relationship maybe, or perhaps his childhood.

I'm so curious about his father-this family dinner is not bringing out the best in him. I wonder if work is consuming and keeps it together during the day but takes frustration out on his family. Or, maybe he's easily agitated. He doesn't apologize after or seem to realize he was too harsh to his son, which support the Jerk theory.

The dad is unlikable and totally flawed. He can admit that he was yelling about other things, not the carrots, but still did not apologize to his son or make attempts to change his behavior.

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hello why did the author start this way

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"Carrots" reaction--> What happened with the way he held the carrots? Did he get in trouble, again? And for no good reason.

His father seems hung up on arbitrary details of what he perceives to be important manners.  He seems abusive and a jerk!

A father should not take out his "tough day" on his child!

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I am making connections to when we make assumptions about what kids know and the expectations or lack there of that have been set.  I just saw this yesterday in my own life.

I agree.  I think his father is being a jerk.  Definitely bigger things going on here.  How often this can happen in real life.

So powerful that he could be honest with his feelings. Often times that doesn't happen and the hurt just keeps occurring.

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Smaller issues can lead to bigger issues.

Why is he angry about the carrot? What does the carrot represent?

The father expects him to know manners. Why flip out? Why not show him how to properly eat a carrot?

The father's anger is misplaced. Toxic behavior.

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This character is use to being yelled at.  He paid attention to the rules or cues not to be yelled at.
I wonder if the father hates carrots
His father is abusive. The mother doesn't know how to stop his abuse. Although, his father showed tenderness it is still abusive.

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Sometimes little things can lead to big problems?

The character made a mistake?
What mistakes JLS

The father is acting like a jerk. I think he might be a level 5 on the mood meter- Irate!!

Hmm, I would like to be the kind of person who can forgive when people make mistakes or act in ways that they don't usually... because I know that I'm going to make mistakes. No one is perfect. That said, people's actions can show us a lot about who they are

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His father sounds unpredictable.  Does the boy feel comforted by holding onto the carrot stick for some reason or was it a coincidence that the dad got mad while he was holding the carrot stick?

I was thinking this same thing.

JD- The unpredictability sounds terrifying for the kid. It makes me think of the fear of unpredictability we are all going through.

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Why would he need to hold on to the carrot?

I don't like his father either. I feel badly for him because he seems to confused.

Of course he forgave his father. Kids are far more forgiving of their parents than parents of their kids.

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This has happened before-- like he is accustomed to being yelled at or expects it.

Seems to be a conflict/difference in the way the parents respond to him/handle these situations. Makes me wonder about the dynamic between the two parents.

Complicated relationship between father and son.

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Usually they tell you first then they yell

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I'm wondering why he is holding carrot sticks and why his father is angry about it?

I'm thinking about the phrase "this wasn't righting a wrong"

It's hard to tell right now about the relationship...I think the perspective of child as a narrator is important.

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I'm wondering about the relationship that he has with his father.  I feel badly for the boy.  His father does not have patience.  Even though the father explains his outburst, he never apologizes. This leads me to believe it will happen again.

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Of all the foods, why carrots?

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im wondering why whats up with him

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Sounds like the carrot is symbolic

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I think his father has real anger problems that extend beyond the carrots. The child though thinks it is his fault.

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The dad seems familiar

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the mom should take him away from the table that kid will never eat carrots anymore

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the mom should take him away from the table that kid will never eat carrots anymore

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Val: I'm wondering if this is the norm or if there is something going on.

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Val: I'm wondering if this is the norm or if there is something going on.

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It will happen again. I wish the mom had come in

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You know,” his father said, sitting down on his brother’s bed, “sometimes when I get angry at you, I’m really angry about other things. Sometimes something will happen in town or at the office, and instead of yelling about that, I yell about the carrots, or the plates, or something else. You understand that, don’t you?”

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You know,” his father said, sitting down on his brother’s bed, “sometimes when I get angry at you, I’m really angry about other things. Sometimes something will happen in town or at the office, and instead of yelling about that, I yell about the carrots, or the plates, or something else. You understand that, don’t you?”

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No excuse

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Relationship between his father and him is huge

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Relationship between his father and him is huge

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Val: Forgiving in a text and forgiving in reality is a complicated difference for sure.

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Val: Forgiving in a text and forgiving in reality is a complicated difference for sure.

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Then I could say that father was a jerk I really can't believe that they have such a good relationship and he's screaming him about carrots I don't know if I was the son I wouldn't forgive him so fast no matter what the relationship was maybe get a gameboy gang or something don't tell my kids that do you see how it's writing down everything I'm saying 

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Then I could say that father was a jerk I really can't believe that they have such a good relationship and he's screaming him about carrots I don't know if I was the son I wouldn't forgive him so fast no matter what the relationship was maybe get a gameboy gang or something don't tell my kids that do you see how it's writing down everything I'm saying 