My father had a lot of problems, including drinking too much. He was OK most of the time but could also be abusive. Somehow our family stayed together, but it wasn't very rosy. Here's a kid who ends up in jail because of his father's nutty obsession with frogs. What happen when they get back together? The old man keeps it up. He even engages a choir to sing his frog song with him. The kid wants to be emancipated. Bone and the others talk about the family being everything. Working with middle school kids, I know that a large number go home every day and are abused every day. This kid's father fits the parameters of mental illness. He is under severe stress. And that guy can't even tone it down when in court. We also have a subplot where Jill hit Matthew after he nearly killed his brother. They obviously aren't Italian. Joking a bit, but she lost it for a second. He should see what's happening regularly to some of his peers.
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