Rob's relationship with Henry

[Anonymous]

Enjoyed the discussion on the nature of Rob’s relationship with Henry in this week’s podcast. As I was mulling it over I came up with this theory – Rob appears capable of being nice to Henry (and therefore appearing like he cares) when Henry meets Rob’s needs e.g. to look like a good stepdad, to impress the inlaws, to charm Helen etc. – this happens when he takes him to the park, plays football with him etc.

However, as soon as either his own, or anyone else’s interaction with Henry does *not* meet Rob’s own needs e.g. taking attention away from Rob, taking up Helen’s time and attention etc, he appears to have no time for Henry, for example becoming irritated or outright angry with him, or telling Helen not to worry or make a fuss about Henry etc. – the bedwetting, school starting, gift from Tom, making a noise, playing or generally being a child.

I think it’s all centres on Rob having to be in control and the centre of Helen’s attention. You commented that Henry seems a lot more compliant these days – this would make sense as he must be learning that being a good boy keeps the peace and stops his caregivers being tense or angry with him. Is the bedwetting a subconscious outlet?

[Miss Mid-City]

Silvergirl, your final paragraph is particularly interesting. It prompted the remark, “I’ve never thought of it like that … !” Not that I necessarily agree – but I hadn’t thought about this aspect of the storyline at all. To me it’s just a situation where the writers are doing what they do and we’re interpreting it as best we can – like most forms of “art”! (When you think of the many ways we analyse paintings, poetry and so on – can all those messages and subtexts really have been in the mind of the creator?! It’s all so subjective.) I’ve simply assumed that child characters are depicted pretty broadly – either well-behaved, badly behaved, clever, spoiled, silent or all of the above.

I’d be surprised if the writers’ intentions were half as sophisticated and nuanced as the way we read these stories.

[Spare Mousie]

I have always thought that Rob would start teaching Henry to be disrespectful to his mother and women in general for that matter. He seemed to be going that way. So I wouldn’t be surprised if we heard a lot more of his ‘we men’ sort of remarks in Henry’s presence, the sort of thing he said – in front of Helen – to Tom about ‘you know what women are like’.

[Author]

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