The most evocative, really? WOW! Thank you! I'm so pleased by your reaction -even the fact that you're THAT pissed at John. Yeah, bring it. Reactions like that make me smile ALL day.
I love how you point out that Sam is afraid of John. I don't know if I agree with you, in my view, that line between respect and fear is what makes the story difficult. (Difficult to read, difficult to write, etc.) John is a stern taskmaster, but when he's not angry, and everything is cool, Sam is fine standing near John or being in the same room with him, even if he will always think that the training is STOOPID and sucks rocks. Like in the first story, where Sam and John are sitting at the table eating spaghettios out of a can together, while Dean is on the couch...to me, that kind of scene is almost an erotic shock to my system when compared to the dark events in the fruit stand. It’s almost like Sam doesn’t think about the hardness when there’s kindness to be had. I don't know if I'm explaining myself well, but I love the contrast there, love working with it. In spite of John’s harshness, Sam thinks of him as Dad and all that implies, even though sometimes Sam would rather slit his own throat than go anywhere near John, which John only realizes at that moment at the sink, late at night.
John does expect Sam to be at Dean’s level, this is due to his single minded focus on the training. Sam isn’t imagining John’s disappointment that Sam can’t cut more than two bundles of wood in a morning, or that allowances must be made because he can’t run four miles as fast or efficiently as Dean can. It is abuse and it’s not right, but it’s true to John’s character the way I see it, especially during this summer.
But honestly, I’m THRILLED that you want to kick the crap out of John! (And yeah, there will be more, and it'll get darker before it gets lighter!)
no subject
I love how you point out that Sam is afraid of John. I don't know if I agree with you, in my view, that line between respect and fear is what makes the story difficult. (Difficult to read, difficult to write, etc.) John is a stern taskmaster, but when he's not angry, and everything is cool, Sam is fine standing near John or being in the same room with him, even if he will always think that the training is STOOPID and sucks rocks. Like in the first story, where Sam and John are sitting at the table eating spaghettios out of a can together, while Dean is on the couch...to me, that kind of scene is almost an erotic shock to my system when compared to the dark events in the fruit stand. It’s almost like Sam doesn’t think about the hardness when there’s kindness to be had. I don't know if I'm explaining myself well, but I love the contrast there, love working with it. In spite of John’s harshness, Sam thinks of him as Dad and all that implies, even though sometimes Sam would rather slit his own throat than go anywhere near John, which John only realizes at that moment at the sink, late at night.
John does expect Sam to be at Dean’s level, this is due to his single minded focus on the training. Sam isn’t imagining John’s disappointment that Sam can’t cut more than two bundles of wood in a morning, or that allowances must be made because he can’t run four miles as fast or efficiently as Dean can. It is abuse and it’s not right, but it’s true to John’s character the way I see it, especially during this summer.
But honestly, I’m THRILLED that you want to kick the crap out of John! (And yeah, there will be more, and it'll get darker before it gets lighter!)