Explain Elijah’s father’s attitude on his son’s passion for dance. How do the visions of father and son overlap and diverge? Cite evidence from the text to support your response.
In "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis, Elijah's father initially has a negative attitude towards his son's passion for dance. He believes that dance is a frivolous pursuit that will not contribute to Elijah's future success. This is evident when he scolds Elijah for wasting time and energy on dancing instead of doing something more practical. Elijah's father states, "Ain't no one who ever come from Buxton out there dancing. You ever hear of a place where dancers came from? No sir, you ain't." (Chapter 1)
However, as the story progresses, the visions of father and son begin to overlap. Elijah has a vision in which he sees his father, who encourages him to pursue his passion for dance. He tells Elijah, "I reckon it's high time we went our own way. That's right, Elijah. From now on, we gotta do what's goin' to be good for us." (Chapter 5) In this vision, Elijah's father seems to acknowledge that living in Buxton may limit their opportunities and that they should follow their own paths.
Furthermore, in another vision, Elijah sees his father dancing with joy and freedom. In this vision, his father's attitude towards dance completely changes, as he himself is participating in the activity he once belittled. This vision suggests that Elijah's father has come to appreciate the significance of dance and its ability to bring joy and enchantment into one's life.
However, despite these overlapping visions, it can be inferred that there is still some divergence between Elijah and his father's attitudes towards dance. Elijah's father may have had a change of heart in his visions, but it is not clear if he fully accepts and supports Elijah's passion for dance in the real world. The text does not provide explicit evidence of Elijah's father expressing his newfound support for his son's dancing. Therefore, while they may share common visions, the true reconciliation of their attitudes may still be a work in progress.