The other boys were intimidated by him and thought he was a buzzkill too, but the movie seemed to focus mostly on Jack, because his dad seemed to pick on him the most. Why I don't know.
shareFirst born. Higher expectations.
"Cobra Kai? Say it...say it...NEVER DIES!" Karate Kid III
Absolutely. Judging by how unhappy and depressed Jack's upbringing causes him to be (the scars haven't seem to have worn off by the time he becomes Sean Penn), it's safe to say that he was abused as a child, albeit psychologically rather than physically.
shareI think that the father was very stereotypical of men of that generation. They had a lot of pressure being the sole provider for their families and thought that they had to make their sons tough and strong in order to prepare them for the real world.
The theme of the film was also very focused on the two ways of looking at life and parenting. There is the mother’s way which is the way of grace and the Father’s way which was the way of nature.
“The nuns taught us there are two ways through life, the way of Nature and the way of Grace. You have to choose which one you'll follow.
Grace doesn't try to please itself. Accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. Accepts insults and injuries.
Nature only wants to please itself. Get others to please it too. Likes to lord it over them. To have its own way. It finds reasons to be unhappy when all the world is shining around it. And love is smiling through all things.”