The father represents an inspiration, a model to be followed in the narrator's life.
Explanation:
In "The Third Bank of the River," the narrator shows how his father's role in being a provider and a mentor impacts his life. The narrator has his father as an inspiration, a role model, but his view of the father is questioned, by himself, when the father decides to leave the family and travel alone. This makes the narrator reflect on the reasons that led the father to abandon everything he was responsible for. In this case, the narrator, in addition to questioning the father's role in his own life, questions whether he is doomed to do the same things.
