The Dangers of Parental Expectations: A Look at the Story of Phaeton
1. Introduction
The Metamorphoses by Ovid is a brilliant collection of the stories that depicts the ways of how the world was developed. In the story of Phaeton, we see a young boy who desperately wanted to prove to his father, the Sun, that he was just as good as his sisters. As a result, he ended up causing great destruction and had to be stopped by Zeus. In this essay, I will be discussing the character of Phaeton and how parental expectations can have a negative effect on children.
2. The character of Phaeton
Phaeton was a young boy who was filled with ambition. He wanted to prove to his father, the Sun, that he was just as good as his sisters. When Phaeton asked his father if he could drive the sun chariot for a day, his father warned him of the danger but Phaeton did not listen. As a result, he ended up causing great destruction and had to be stopped by Zeus. We can see from this story that Phaeton was a headstrong and determined individual. However, his ambition led to his downfall.
3. Parental expectations
The story of Phaeton highlights the dangers of parental expectations. Phaeton’s father expected him to be just as good as his sisters. However, Phaeton was not able to meet these expectations and ended up causing great destruction. This goes to show that parental expectations can have a negative effect on children. They can feel pressure to meet these expectations and this can lead to them making mistakes.
4. Conclusion
In conclusion, the story of Phaeton highlights the dangers of parental expectations. Children can feel pressure to meet these expectations and this can lead to them making mistakes. We see this in the story where Phaeton’s ambition leads him to make a mistake that causes great destruction. As a result, it is important for parents to be aware of the pressure they might be putting on their children and to set realistic expectations.