Imagine giving up your chance to go to college in order to provide for your family. You take a job that pays minimum wage because no notable employer will hire you, due to your lack of education. You are only doing this for your family. Or imagine being a world-famous musician who rarely sees your family because you're always stuck on a tour bus and letting your family stay home to live as normal a life as possible. These are the real-life situations and sacrifices of Mr. Ridley, Greg's father, and Lemon Brown, respectively, in the short story "Lemon Brown's Treasure". Both men gave up their joys in life to help their sons pursue their own lives, demonstrating that sacrifice is inherent in love. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Faced with peril, Lemon Brown and Greg risk their lives to protect each other. In one instance, Lemon Brown prioritizes Greg's safety over his own, "throwing his body down the stairs at the men who came to take his treasure" to prevent the thugs from discovering Greg's whereabouts (Myers 176) . At her age, Lemon is fragile and this act of bravery could potentially end her life, but that doesn't stop her from protecting Greg. The reason for Lemon's impulsive actions was his fatherly role towards Greg. Lemon tries to protect him because he never had the chance to do the same for his biological son, Jesse. At the same time, Greg was also protective of Lemon Brown. In one instance, “Greg yelled as evenly as he could” (Myers 176). Although Greg feared for his own safety, he put himself in danger by distracting the attackers while Lemon Brown hid. The fact that Greg is the child in this improvised "family scenario" indicates that he is the one who should be saved; yet, he still tries to protect Lemon. Indeed, just as Lemon considers Greg like a son, Greg treats Lemon like a father. Both are motivated by mutual respect and act altruistically, keeping each other's best interests in mind. In conclusion, when trapped in a dangerous situation, Lemon Brown and Greg do everything possible to protect the other. Besides these sacrifices, Greg's father and Lemon Brown also gave up a lot for their sons. For example, Greg's father told his son, "I had to leave school when I was 13...that's a year younger than you are now" (Myers 170). Mr. Ridley chose a job over his studies to ensure that Greg could have a better life than his. It is his fatherly love for his son that drives him to act so selflessly. In Lemon Brown's case, he "traveled and earned money to feed his wife and Jesse" (Myers 177). Lemon spared his son, Jesse, a life in the spotlight by letting him stay home and continue his education. Lemon knew that moving Jesse across the country would put his studies on hold. Therefore, he gave up the opportunity to see his son grow up, for Jesse's well-being. Overall, Greg's father and Lemon Brown each sacrificed their own wishes for the sake of their sons. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Imagine this: You dropped out of college to find a job to support your family, but the only job you qualify for is a minimum-wage manual labor assignment. Or, you live in luxury as a musician, 19(3), 89-91.