Rivalry: The Rich Brother By Tobias Wolff

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In “The Rich Brother,” Tobias Wolff describes the life of two siblings, Peter and Donald. In the beginning of this story, it is understood that the two brothers are completely different. This is shown through their different appearances, viewpoints, and ways of life. Pete is the conceited successful brother with a life people dream about, while Donald attempts to do things for others whenever he has the chance; however, he is portrayed as a lost soul, unsure of his future. Wolff unveils Donald’s kind, but careless and naive personality. Throughout this story, Wolff displays the idea that having money, can often lead to a selfish and corrupt lifestyle. Through both the rich and the poor brother, we can see how each of them are defined by the …show more content…

Throughout this story, the issue of rivalry is evident between Pete and Donald. This is shown at the point of the story when the two brothers started discussing their childhood and Donald accuses Pete of always wanting to kill him. Donald then reveals, “You [Pete] would sit next to me on the bed and pull the sheets back. If I was on my stomach you’d roll me over. Then you would lift up my pajama shirt and start hitting me on my stitches. You’d hit me as hard as you could, over and over. I was afraid that you’d get mad if you knew I was awake. Is that strange or what? I was afraid that you’d get mad if you found out that I knew you were trying to kill me” (352). Pete believed his mother showed more affection toward Donald; due to this, he grew up with deep jealousy towards his younger brother, and for that reason, he would abuse him. This memory in Donald’s childhood portrays the beginning of the brothers’ rivalry. The resentment that originated from their youth was never resolved, resulting in a buildup over the years of anger and guilt in both of

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