The Family and Identity
Jane K. Marshall
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Conclusion
The four father/son relationships discussed above seem to illustrate a basic tenet needed for the ideal father/son relationship. That is, that fathers and sons must ultimately regard one another as brothers who have much to learn from one another. Yet, it is important to note that Paton’s vision primarily suggests that men must forever see themselves as sons of God. The adoption of and adherence to Christian values enables these sons to do good works or embrace the brotherhood of mankind. The secret that Stephen so often speaks of during the course of the novel is in part delineated through the metaphor of family. Paton states that only love will save the land and the people of South Africa. The primal love of a father for a son must be built upon and/or enlarged to insure the continuance or re-emergence of Christian order.
