And then the babies come. And dirty diapers and one goddamn meal after another. Dishes. Noise. Clutter. And fat.
Mr. Tucker seems to be tired of his life. It consists, as the author points, only of home duties. He does not see anything especially invigorating in such a life. He loves her (his wife, Dolly). She loves him. But there is nothing moving in this love anymore. The real life ended, those good times are gone, old man. In this way the author describes the Tuckers family and provides us with generalized image of the American family social pattern. They make success, get married and it is the end for them. Relations that gave some pleasure earlier do not give it now. It is only the obligation. Such images may be regarded as an appeal to people (especially couples) not to find something better in other places when delight ends, but to find it in your partner, and just try to get a real pleasure, value and happiness in the family. One can try to change boring circumstances any time, just a will is needed.
He feels his shoulders tense: enough’s enough, man…but sees the flesh, too.
We often make a choice in life: a choice between something wrong and pleasant, and something right and uncomfortable. And this choice is often very painful. Jack is also meant to make this choice: get into the Tuckers’ house as Mark offers and get off her, which is the way Jack may get over his own timidity, or listen to his girlfriend and not to come, keeping good sincere relations between them. And Jack chooses the first option, in favour of his lusts: Maybe I’ll call her later. Mark, his fellow, plays a great role in this choice. Mr. Tucker make the same choice. Mrs. Tucker is not to make her one, but she seems to be ready to surrender before her imagination. Such choices results into dismal end, however it may be regarded both as the straight criticism from the author, as a kind of poetics of choice.
He chuckles at his easy wit, leans down over her, and unbuckles his belt. “Might as well make it two secrets, right?”
In modern literature the picturing, of sex is not a rarity; in fact, such literature it is full of sex. This theme may not be noticed at all, as it is something intimate. But for the story characters as well as for the Americans (and probably other peoples) it is almost not intimate. Harry Tucker, a married man (the quote tells about his secret desires about his young babysitter) is full of such thoughts. At the middle of the XX century such thought were normal. Probably such development was normal for Robert Coover also. The moral gives way to frankness. Though in the story this frankness is yet half-hidden. In context of the thriller this theme may be regarded as a reservation: such rapid sexual development without any limitations will overfill the human and have negative consequences. Knowledge in this sphere should be used for good – this is the core.
