Inescapable Cycle

As I read Patrimony I couldn’t help but see the boldly apparent examples of role reversal. Then as I began to read the blog my observations were confirmed with other people’s examinations on role reversal. It is clear that Roth switches roles with his father many times throughout the novel. Often I was confused as to weather Roth or his father was the person being described. However, what I took away from this clear change of roles was a little more dramatic. I saw not just a role reversal between Roth and his father but between all of us and our parents. I recognized a cycle we are all inevitably part of, where we eventually become our parents. The caregivers will always eventually become the ones needing care. Although this assertion is slightly depressing and terrifying it is an unavoidable fate we all will one day face. We all will grow old and turn into the people we were so used to tracing the lines of wrinkles on. I guess I have always known this cycle and always sort of seen it from a far; however, reading Patrimony and looking so deep into the rawest part of this circle I really began to see it. I began to look at it from a different perspective and relate it to my own life. So although this post is again about the wonderful theme of role reversal I also wanted to make a small side note at the fact that it is not just about this role reversal between Philip and his father, it is one that we will all experience in different and unique ways one day.