27 pages • 54 minutes read
Tim GautreauxWelding with Children
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1999A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
What do the names of the grandchildren say about their mothers and about the Southern setting Tim Gautreaux describes?
What significance does space have in the story? How do Bruton’s interactions change throughout different communal spaces?
What does Bruton’s cluttered yard represent?
Bruton behaves stubbornly throughout the story. Do you think Bruton’s actions at the end of the story represent a realistic change for his character?
Bruton cares about what Fordlyson, and the rest of the town, thinks about him. Why is this enough to motivate Bruton to change at this point in his life, but no sooner?
How much does the short length of this story impact the meaning? What about the narration style?
Identify the different aspects of sexism and hypocrisy in the townspeople and Bruton’s character. Use textual evidence to explain the purpose of these inclusions.
Why does Bruton’s oldest daughter leave so quickly at the end of the story?
Using textual evidence, identify the way humor is used in the story.
