The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss

The bond between a parent and child has a great impact on people’s lives. Lacking or losing a relationship with a parent due to death can be devastating for a young child, leading them to struggle with loneliness, insecurity, and fear into their adult years. Having a parental figure who is neglectful can also be troubling for a child. Not having strong parental figures can make the child see love and attention in ways that are dangerous. Both Vanderbilt and Cooper lost their fathers when they were young, making them feel unprotected. Vanderbilt uses the Mary Gordon quote “A fatherless girl thinks all things possible and nothing safe” to show how she felt without a father (23); she longed for a father like the one in the Andy Hardy movies and sought security in a strong man, hoping to be saved and loved by him. Cooper relates to this quote, having grown up as a fatherless boy from age 10. However, Cooper sought security by becoming independent, something Vanderbilt eventually did as well. Vanderbilt also lacked a strong relationship with her mother because of the latter’s neglect and narcissism. She feared becoming like her parents, a fear that persisted into her adult life when she became a mother.