Similarities and differences between Swaminathan’s father in Father’s Help and Aunt Polly in Tom Loses a tooth.
Similarities between Swaminathan's father and aunt Polly.
1. Both Swaminathan's father and Aunt Polly are worried about Swaminathan and Tom respectively. Because both Swaminathan and Tom want to stay home instead of going to school.
2. Both Swaminathan's father and Aunt Polly are strict about sending their children to school.
3. Both Swaminathan's father and Aunt Polly are aware of their children's naughtiness.
4. Both Swaminathan and Tom make various excuses for not going to school. So both Swaminathan's father and Aunt Polly are worried about the matter.
5. In the story Father's Help, Swaminathan's father Swaminathan is seen in the main role of control, here Swaminathan's mother's role is secondary. Similarly, Aunt Polly plays the same role in the story.
Contrast / differences between Swaminathan's father and aunt Polly:-
1. Swaminathan's father is a typical Indian father. All the features of Indian patriarchy are present in his character.
On the other hand, Aunt Polly is a woman and guardian with the characteristics of Western culture.
2. In the story, Swaminathan's father does not directly express his affection for Swaminathan. But Aunt Polly has expressed her affection for Tom in many ways.
3. In the story Father's Help, Swaminathan was quite afraid of his father and it was not possible for Swaminathan to disobey his orders.
On the other hand, Tom was afraid of Aunt Polly in that way - there is no mention in the story.
4. Swaminathan’s father is a stern, authoritarian, and pragmatic figure. He views his son's avoidance of schoolwork as a character flaw that needs aggressive correcting. He is focused heavily on instilling logic, discipline, and hard work.
On the other side Aunt Polly uses tough love combined with a soft, affectionate heart. While she is frustrated by Tom's continuous mischief, she aims to teach him lessons through creative tasks, rather than harsh, direct lectures.
