This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff
This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff Tobais Wolff chronicles his young life through adolescence in this memoir, which follows him and his mother after she leaves Florida for work in the west and a "better" life. Tobias takes on the name "Jack" and follows his mother through her various hopeful relationships with men who either just want to use her or who want to control her. Which is how they end up with Dwight, a seemingly-unassuming middle aged man who fancies himself to be a great hunter and fighter. Jack moves in with Dwight in his mill town before his mother joins them, where Dwight's real nature shows itself. He bullies the boy, hits him, and makes it clear that Jack is a nothing and a nobody, and should be grateful for the life Dwight will give him. When Jack's mother arrives, there marital bliss quickly devolves into Dwight's possessiveness and control. It becomes clear that Dwight wants Jack out of the picture and is pleased when Jack turns out t...