The Guncle

Memory is a powerful theme in the novel, and photographs are the most obvious physical manifestation of memory. During a midsummer Christmas celebration, Patrick gives Maisie and Grant framed photographs of their mother taken “mid-laugh, her thick, reddish hair cascading effortlessly behind her back” (163). The image symbolizes Patrick’s idea of the friend he loved: The photo was taken just before he and Sara were caught by the campus police for trespassing on the roof of her dorm, a minor act of rebellion that, for Patrick, encapsulates the side of Sara he wishes to remember most vividly. Patrick wants to show the kids the real Sara, the side of her he fears will be lost over time, so the snapshot of her defiance—and the joyous abandon she feels when flaunting it—is the perfect Christmas gift.

Early on, Patrick’s parenting style consists primarily of his Guncle Rules, a series of lifestyle maxims accumulated over years of living in Hollywood and exposure to popular culture: “Know your angles” (2); “You know the secret to staying young? Money” (47); “If a gay man hands you his phone, look only at what he’s showing you. If it’s a photo, don’t swipe” (52). These mostly entertaining rules symbolize Patrick’s awkward attempt to relate to the kids in shallow, sitcom fashion, in lieu of real emotional give-and-take. When Patrick and the kids eventually genuinely bond, these rules become less frequent. Finally, Patrick trusts Maisie and Grant to “make up the rules on your own” (285). Patrick now offers guidance by example, not by dictating inapplicable bon-mots from a position of authority.