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As the eldest child Julie becomes the family head following the mother’s death. Although she is initially more responsible and level-headed than Jack she is also much less perceptive and than him. As a surrogate mother Julie is clearly out of her depth. The focus of her attention is her demanding four year-old brother Tom, but it is her responses, not his behavior, which reflects the inner world of the children. If the grieving processes had been unsatisfactory and inadequate following the father’s death, the children secret internment of their mother becomes a grotesque parody of the closure procedures necessary for natural grief.源'自:751`!论~文'网www.751com.cn
We cannot enter Julie’s world as we only see her through Jack’s eyes, but her mindscape is shown by her actions as the unhappy immature mother figure. It is interesting that Julie starts to dress Tom like a little girl before their mother is dead. Jack challenges Julie on thus issue and she is unsure and defensive about it. She is equally confused by her own actions when she starts to make Tom regress into babyhood because she cannot control him. The reader can see why Julie does this but she cannot. Sue, the least featured, quietest and third youngest child, is the one who wants to tell someone about their mother’s death. It is Jack and Julie, however, who warn her that such an action would mean them going into an orphanage (p.53). From this point on Julie takes over as the head of the home with very disturbing consequences.
Sue becomes even more introverted and bedroom ridden and Julie quickly tires of Tom’s demands. Tom becomes a cross between a wild child and a baby house pet. Jack withdraws further into his shadowed onanistic world. Sue retreats into her bedroom and her books whilst their mother’s corpse decomposes and Julie struggles to run the home on her own idiosyncratic terms.
Tom is the youngest child. We can the merits of Oedipus complex in him just like Jack. He likes to stay in mother’s bed. After mother dies, he wants Julie to treat him like a baby. He also starts cross-dressing and behaves like a girl .