Summary

Jacob lays in bed, dying, and writes a letter to his son, Isaac. He laments beginning to die at the age of sixty-two because it would be less tragic if he had had more time to enjoy his life. Most of his strength has already been taken by cancer. He writes about finding an interest in reading later on in his life after much encouragement from Isaac’s mother. Jacob did not understand why Isaac seemed to enjoy stereotypically feminine activities when he was a young boy, and he thought it was his responsibility to break him out of these habits.

Jacob was raised by his grandfather, and his father had been a slave until age eighteen. His grandparents never kissed or hugged him, and his grandfather often beat him when he misbehaved. He did feel loved by them and accepted their shortcomings...