The Role of Friendship and Loyalty in The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson (2011)

Expanding the Roles:
Kevin Wilson’s The Family Fang is a darkly comedic novel that explores the dynamics of a dysfunctional family of performance artists. The two adult children, Annie and Buster, are forced to confront their past when their parents disappear, leaving behind a series of clues. The novel combines elements of humor, family drama, and art to explore themes of loyalty, identity, and the burden of growing up in an unconventional family.

• Family and Loyalty:
  The Fang family’s unconventional lifestyle and the parents’ bizarre artistic performances create a complex environment for their children. Literature students can explore how Wilson uses the family structure to examine themes of loyalty, love, and the emotional ties that bind family members despite dysfunction and trauma.

• The Role of Art and Performance:
  The parents’ art is central to the family’s dynamic, and the children’s attempts to distance themselves from it highlight the conflict between personal identity and family expectations. Students can analyze how Wilson uses art and performance as metaphors for the emotional and psychological complexities of the characters’ lives.

What We Learn:
The Family Fang provides literature students with an exploration of how family dynamics can shape personal identity and the struggles that arise when art and performance intersect with real-life emotions. The novel also offers insights into the themes of loyalty, familial ties, and the difficulties of self-discovery.