Alcohol Helping Castillo Cope

Throughout the novel "Children of The Land" Castillo has an extremely complicated relationship with his father, the concept of love is very vague and broad in both languages according to Castillo, although he does seem to have a love/hate feeling for his father. Although, it is difficult for Castillo, as we know his father has an abusive past, although "drinking made it easier to live with my father and see past all of the chaos he inflicted" (p. 255). In this section Castillo explains how he sees the man who he feared and traumatized him is not as scary through drunk eyes. It feels like Castillo can see weakness in his father that he hadn't previously noticed. This could be a moment that represents Castillo realizing he doesn't fear his father as much as he had. He also mentions how he has been a support system for his father by sending him "ten or twenty dollars out of pity" (Castillo, 255). This is another example of Castillo viewing his father in a negative light, he must see his father as miniscule and pathetic when he drinks. Although, this isn't a healthy habit, and a combination of an abusive past as well as an alcohol problem could have lead Castillo to become an abuser himself. It is good that Castillo is making progress and realizing that his father is not someone he should be afraid of, which would be the first step in not having traumatic flashbacks, although Castillo should find another, more efficient way to cope.

https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/blog/alcohol-and-child-abuse/

This is an article that explains how alcoholism and child abuse are correlated, alcohol is correlated to many other types of abuse as well, such as domestic abuse.

Questions
1: Castillo notices very specific details about his father, he seems to understand his weaknesses and patterns in his behavior in an almost strategic manner. Does Castillo see his weaknesses so well because he struggles to find a way to truly admire his father, therefore making it more difficult to acknowledge the positives, or is it because he has simply been observing him for years and understands his father in a way nobody else does?

2: Is It possible that the better the imaginary reality Castillo finds when he drinks, the harsher the actual reality becomes he sobers up?