Goodbye, Daddy Summary and Analysis

Ben Carter is a young boy when his mother tells him that his father is leaving and will not be back. Ben loves his father and is very upset. Ben recalls how much fun his father was, how he would count the minutes until his father came home at night. Only later in life did Ben and his brother Curtis find out that his father had another "wife" and other children. In later years, Ben's mother refers to his father having been involved with other women and drugs. Although at first Ben prays that his parents get back together, ultimately Ben realizes that he and his mother and brother are happier without him. Ben's mother, Sonya Carter, is hard-pressed to get much support from her ex-husband. Even going to court for support does not yield many support payments. Although...