The combination of real events and hidden lusts of characters brings us up to the problems described in this short story. The central character and the main object of lust desires coming from Mr. Tucker, her boyfriend Jack and his fellow Mark, is the Tuckers’ babysitter: we do not have her name – only “she”, “babysitter”. A considerable part of the story is devoted to such imaginary lusts and probable events (adultery, rape, death) they could result into. In reality it developed into boys’ breaking into the Tuckers’ house, and the car accident when Mr. Tucker, being drunk, knocks Mark escaping from the house.
However, such complicated form of the story has its meaning. The line between reality and imagination is shown. The shifts from one side to another help us to get the full set of the character features. They also are the instruments of picturing of social patterns and issues they deal with. We can speak about typical American couples (especially those having children), “good boy” and “bad boy” contrast, youth and their way of life. Through such aspects we can make some conclusions about the American way of life.
One of the clearly visible problems is lust. It touches both of the Tuckers: Mrs. Tucker knows about her husband thoughts about their babysitter and it makes her suffer, she also imagines herself being with another man, who would not send her to an old people home. It touches also Jack and Mark, though the characters of which we see young people who can hardly control their sexuality. This is complemented with easy drug and alcohol access with the risk of addiction development. Among the central characters only the babysitter has no such desires, but she becomes involved as a victim of lust. This pretty image without name seems to be vanishing gradually in the dim light of lust desires till the end of the story.
Another aspect of the story is the one of American way of life. The author in details speaks about cocktail party, babysitting, pinball machines – things usual for the year of the story creation (1969). But all the events in the story are covered with the strict feeling of tension. There is no any freedom for the feelings. The characters seem to be pressed by all these circumstances. The Tuckers hire the babysitter when going to party. But Mr. Tucker is full of sadness for “good old days”, he has no rest that evening, he seeks for another source of sensation. Mrs. Tucker has the same problem. The babysitter is pressed with her duty she would like to change. The boys cannot find better idea for the night as breaking into house what ends with the drunk fight. In the light of the previous issue of lust all these people seem to be very anxious. The author does not point they are unhappy, but we cannot speak also about their happiness.
Considering these two aspects, we can understand that Robert Coover had an intention to discover the problems exiting in a particular society among the people of a particular social layer. This short story is obviously inspired by the real life. It may teach us that some of our imaginations should better not be realized, and generally it is a call for us to see for something new and interesting so that not to be pressed with our surrounding and imagination.
