Dad/Cam Flanagan Character Analysis in Al Capone Does My Shirts

Moose’s dad is an electrician, though on Alcatraz, he also works as a prison guard. An honest and supportive man, Dad agrees to move the family to Alcatraz so that Natalie can attend the Esther P. Marinoff School, even though it means working extremely long hours with few, if any, days off. Though Moose believes that Dad does everything and anything that Mom wants him to do, Dad insists this isn’t entirely true: Dad has, over the years, advocated for Moose, as he seems to agree that Mom hasn’t always given Moose the time and attention he deserves. He’s the first adult to acknowledge that Natalie is indeed 16, and he insists he’s proud of Moose for standing up for his sister. Though he seems to suspect that Moose may have broken some rule after Natalie is accepted to the Esther P. Marinoff School, Dad doesn’t challenge Moose about it.

Dad/Cam Flanagan Quotes in Al Capone Does My Shirts

The Al Capone Does My Shirts quotes below are all either spoken by Dad/Cam Flanagan or refer to Dad/Cam Flanagan. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Disability, Dignity, and Shared Humanity Theme Icon

“Dad! Could you show me the cell house, and then maybe could we play ball?” I sound like I’m six and a half now, but I can’t help it. He’s been gone forever and I hardly got to see him at all yesterday. It’s lonely in my family when he’s not around.

His smile seems to lose its pink. He puts Natalie’s buttons down in two careful piles, gets up and brushes his uniform off.

I follow him into the kitchen. “You’re not working today, are you?”

Related Characters: Moose Flanagan (speaker), Dad/Cam Flanagan, Natalie Flanagan

Related Symbols: The Button Box/Buttons

Page Number and Citation: 7

Explanation and Analysis:

“I know what Mrs. Kelly says. I’m talking about Moose now and what he thinks. He’s good with Natalie. They’ve worked out a relationship. We have to respect that and trust him.”

“Well, yes, but—”

“You have to let him care about her his way.”

And then something I can’t hear.

“I got one child who has everything,” my mom says, “big, strapping, healthy, smart...makes people laugh. Got kids coming over looking for him night and day, just like at home. Little ones, big ones and the girls—they all like Moose. But Natalie, Natalie doesn’t have the whole world looking out for her. She needs me.”

“Moose needs you too.”

Related Characters: Mom/Helen Flanagan (speaker), Dad/Cam Flanagan (speaker), Mrs. Carrie Kelly, Piper Williams, Theresa Mattaman, Moose Flanagan, Natalie Flanagan, Annie, Jimmy Mattaman

Related Symbols: The Button Box/Buttons

Page Number and Citation: 174-175

Explanation and Analysis:

“You didn’t care that it made me mad,” my mom says in a quiet tone of voice. “You didn’t care that it upset your father. You didn’t care that it was the night before Natalie’s interview. You didn’t care about anything. [...]

“But I see how much you care about Natalie. That’s the part that didn’t make sense. All night I tossed and turned. I kept asking why. Moose, of all people. Why did he say that? Why? And you know what? I could only come up with one answer.

“You did it because you believed in your heart it was the right thing to do. You were doing what you thought would help your sister.”

Related Characters: Mom/Helen Flanagan (speaker), Natalie Flanagan, Moose Flanagan, Dad/Cam Flanagan

Page Number and Citation: 196

Explanation and Analysis:

Dad/Cam Flanagan Character Timeline in Al Capone Does My Shirts

The timeline below shows where the character Dad/Cam Flanagan appears in Al Capone Does My Shirts. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...water.” Other kids live here (including his sister, Natalie, though she doesn’t count) because their dads work for the prison, like Moose’s dad does. There are also “a ton of murderers,... (full context)

...the dark night, Moose can see a guard tower—a “popcorn stand on stilts,” where someone’s dad is sitting with guns and a toilet (all guns are kept up high, and so... (full context)

...he was five. He was tiny then, but now, he’s five-foot-eleven and is taller than Dad. Moose considers going to his room, but it smells funny. The apartment is weird: there’s... (full context)

...silly for having slept clothed and with his baseball bat. He gets up and discovers Dad in the living room with Natalie, holding two handfuls of buttons. Moose asks if Dad... (full context)

Dad leaves for work, and Mom asks Moose to take care of Natalie while she takes... (full context)

...and shares that she’s seven and a quarter. She then greets Natalie and says that Dad told her all about Natalie. (full context)

Growing Up and Doing the Right Thing Theme Icon

...guard in the truck, whom Theresa calls Mr. Trixle, asks if Moose and Natalie are Cam Flanagan ’s kids. He then tells Theresa to hurry to their destination, which Theresa says is... (full context)

...who are mentally unwell are the scariest ones since they’re unpredictable. Moose is worried—why did Dad tell anyone here about Natalie? He says that Natalie is leaving for boarding school soon,... (full context)

When Moose gets up the next morning, Dad is at the kitchen table, reading the paper while Mom packs Natalie’s suitcase. Moose asks... (full context)

...family has told her that students don’t come home from the Esther P. Marinoff school. Dad says that Natalie will have fun with kids her age, and Moose wonders what age... (full context)

Soon after, Dad hands Natalie her button box and picks up her suitcase. Mom says that Moose doesn’t... (full context)

...the dock and the boat, which the boatman has told them doesn’t wait for anyone. Dad runs ahead while Natalie lags behind. Mom tells Natalie this school will be a great... (full context)

Seeing Mom cry, Natalie curls into a ball and refuses to move. Dad talks to Natalie while Mom talks to the boatman, who’s eager to get moving back... (full context)

When Moose and his parents get home, there’s a note for Dad on their door from the warden, asking Dad to send Moose to meet him at... (full context)

Moose and Dad decide to throw down by the docks, and Moose is glad to have his dad... (full context)

Moose turns the conversation back to Natalie, and Dad says they had to leave Santa Monica. Back there, Natalie was going to live her... (full context)

...knows it, it’s his turn. He talks about moving from Santa Monica to Alcatraz because Dad is the electrician on Alcatraz. One night, he says, Mom didn’t feel like cooking, so... (full context)

...two guys out. It’s Moose’s first double play ever, and he can’t wait to tell Dad. The guys are all looking at Moose now, and Moose wonders if maybe it won’t... (full context)

...Moose a note from Mom, which reads that she’s getting a perm at Bea Trixle’s, Dad needs to get up at 6:00, and then they’re all going to a party at... (full context)

...says that Moose needs to get along with Piper, or Piper will make trouble for Dad—Piper can do whatever she wants. (full context)

...that his family got a call. Moose decides to answer it himself, rather than wake Dad or try to fetch Mom. Mr. Purdy, the headmaster at the Esther P. Marinoff School,... (full context)

...hard to leave Natalie, but they did the right thing. Moose walks away to wake Dad up. Shaking Dad, Moose tells him the news and that Mom doesn’t know yet. Dad... (full context)

Mom doesn’t seem to react when Dad tells her. She just changes, grabs her purse and gloves, and stands by the door.... (full context)

The next morning seems normal, except Mom asks Dad multiple times how early he thinks she can call Mrs. Kelly. On Moose’s way to... (full context)

...on the boat in civilian clothes. (Moose is envious that he apparently gets a day off—Dad hasn’t had a day off yet.) Mr. Trixle asks about the laundry, and Piper explains... (full context)

...and she suggests Moose play with Annie or Natalie. Moose just mutters and asks when Dad is coming home. Dad won’t be home until midnight, and Mom again refuses to change... (full context)

...and Annie are going to get in trouble, but Moose is certain that his own dad won’t be mad if Moose explains everything to him. He follows everyone to the parade... (full context)

...want Natalie to be “a spectacle.” Annie hurries Theresa and Jimmy away while Moose fetches Dad from the electrical shop. Dad carries Natalie home, tucks her in bed, and then sends... (full context)

Dad comes back inside after speaking to Mr. Trixle and angrily tells Moose to follow him.... (full context)

...in February, but there’s no one to play with. He still feels extremely guilty, but Dad won’t talk about it. The only thing that keeps Moose going is bowling most afternoons... (full context)

Moose knows he has to tell Mom and Dad the truth. He’d leave “a regular sister” for five minutes, so Mom can’t be mad.... (full context)

Moose escapes to his room and later, Mom and Dad join him. Moose says he doesn’t think it’s safe for Natalie to join him around... (full context)

...away from Alcatraz. The only thing stopping Moose is that he doesn’t want to disappoint Dad. As much as Moose tries to forget, Natalie won’t let him: she says “105” all... (full context)

...she acts like a child and if she understands what she’s doing to Mom and Dad. Can’t she just try? Moose says he hates her. As he yells, Natalie screams and... (full context)

...before she falls off the swing, fast asleep. He carries her home and runs into Dad on the stairwell. Dad takes Natalie from Moose, tucks her into bed, and then, taking... (full context)

Moose asks why Dad always does what Mom says. Dad laughs strangely, but he says he doesn’t. With prodding,... (full context)

...obviously in her purse, and sees Moose with a beer. She asks about Natalie, and Dad says Natalie is fine—but they need to talk alone. Moose hears his parents’ voices in... (full context)

Mom and Dad’s voices quiet down, so Moose thinks on what he heard and goes to Natalie’s room.... (full context)

...unwrap things herself). Theresa insists that unwrapping presents is her job, which makes Mom and Dad smile. Natalie gets a math workbook from Moose, buttons from Piper, and a book on... (full context)

A short while later, Dad tells Moose to walk his “harem” home. They drop Theresa and Jimmy off first, and... (full context)

Dad rushes inside, and Moose tells him they can’t keep pretending Natalie is 10. She won’t... (full context)

Mrs. Caconi knocks on the door right before dessert. Mom and Dad go downstairs to answer the phone, leaving Moose and Natalie to eat pie alone. Natalie... (full context)

...Moose says the warden doesn’t want kids to think, but the warden threatens to fire Dad for that. He adds that, “[t]he world isn’t going to kiss your boots because you... (full context)

For the next few days, Mom stays in her bedroom in her robe. Dad cooks, but he’s terrible, so he promises to bring home “convict cooking” if Mom doesn’t... (full context)

...wrote the letter to Al Capone. Things are better at his house, but Mom and Dad are discussing what to do next. Moose isn’t certain if he wants to go back... (full context)

Dad explains that Mr. Purdy called and said he’s opening a new wing for older students,... (full context)

Al Capone Does My Shirts

Dad/Cam Flanagan Character Analysis

Dad/Cam Flanagan Quotes in Al Capone Does My Shirts

Chapter 2: Errand Boy Quotes

Chapter 32: The Button Box Quotes

Chapter 36: Waiting Quotes

Dad/Cam Flanagan Character Timeline in Al Capone Does My Shirts