I haven't done a post on Room and I'd like to talk about Leo.
Leo is an interesting character whom I actually really like. When we first see him, it's at the Clinic when Grandma visits Ma and Jack. Ma makes a quick judgement of him and doesn't really like him. This is understandable: her parents were divorced unbeknownst to her and her mother has now married this older man who, Ma notes, smells like weed. I can see why Ma isn't jumping for joy upon meeting Leo, but I never shared her dislike for him. Obviously it's tough to deal with such a huge change for Ma, but she can't blame any of this on Leo and I found it kind of funny that Grandma married a potential pothead.
Later in the book when we got to know Leo more, it only made me like him more. He seems like a really cool guy to have as a grandpa (and, might I add, Steppa is a very cute thing for Jack to call him). He's a responsible adult, as demonstrated by the scene where he teaches Jack not to play with matches. He's also very patient and keeps his cool. He seems to be able to handle tense situations well, like when Jack has his first big tantrum and Grandma can't deal. Leo firmly carries him upstairs and sets him on the bed, then rewards Jack for calming down by suggesting something fun and chill to do. Leo is able to teach things to Jack in a more fun and relaxed way. It's easy for Jack to feel like Leo is on his side (Leo doesn't tell Grandma that Jack was playing with fire). I particularly enjoy the scene where Leo shows Jack how to play with Legos. Jack had been so used to being really careful with everything he had in Room, since he and Ma didn't have access to many resources. The concept of a toy where you can just break it and put it back together however you want was very foreign to him. When Leo stomps on his creation, I think it was a baby step to teaching Jack an important lesson about Outside-- things aren't always in your control and won't go perfectly all the time, so when they don't you can just try again.
I think that Leo will be the exact father figure that Jack needs. He has been without one and I think it will also be a very interesting dynamic sense Ma shared Room with Jack and Leo is from Outside.
ReplyDeleteDang, I was actually just about to comment that Leo is a great male figure for Jack but Jackson kinda beat me to it. The only male Jack encountered for his entire life was Old Nick, who is certainly not a role model for Jack to look up to. When he gets to the outside, Jack does spend some time with the doctor, but he's not someone able to devote himself fully to Jack. Grandpa straight up lets it known that he's not a fan of Jack's, so he's clearly not the right person either. However, Steppa is able to develop that personal connection to Jack and teach him the lessons you mentioned in your post in a fun, comprehensible way. Seriously, Leo is my favorite character.
ReplyDeleteI love Leo! His interactions with Jack are adorable. I find it very interesting that, as Jackson and Tiye stated, the man whom Jack needs in his life is someone Ma isn't exactly fond of. I wonder when Ma will realize how great of an influence Leo really is on her son.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to put too much emphasis on Ma's initial negative reaction to meeting Leo. Consider how her kind of wariness is pretty typical of an adult child meeting her mother's new boyfriend for the first time, especially under these circumstances, when she hadn't even known he existed minutes before. It's a lot to take in at once, and she jumps to some negative conclusions. But I'm sure that once she sees him and Jack hanging out, she'll understand what a good presence he can be in Jack's life. (And, as I recall, she doesn't say anything negative about him after those initial meetings.) It's interesting in that Jack gets to know Leo better than Ma does, since he lives with him while she's incapacitated. This is an important "first"--Jack makes a friend, and his Ma needs to get to know him for herself, afterward.
ReplyDeleteLeo is awesome. I picture him as Ted's stepdad from HIMYM but way cooler and nicer. I admire the way he handles Jack. Even when others understandably lose patience, Leo remains calm. My favorite interaction was the Legos, and I agree with your point about the lesson there. I also liked the part where Jack was kind of throwing a tantrum, I don't remember why. His grandma was totally at a loss, but Leo just kind of threw him over his shoulder and carried him to his room. When Jack calmed down, Leo didn't scold him or anything, but asked if he wanted to watch the game together. I thought it was really sweet.
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