The Babysitter
by Robert Coover

 

repetition of phrases:

What do you think about our babysitter? 209 (1); 210 (3);
Dolly, you're looking younger everyday.  p. 212 (2)
"Oh, excuse me!  I only wanted to  p. 215; 217
"Hey, what's going on here" 215; 225; 226; 229
"We just came by to see if you were being a good girl" 225; 229

key scenes: bathroom

TV: p. 208 (2-3); p. 209 (3); p. 211 (3); p. 214 (2); 219 (2); detective story 224; romance with an invalid wife 228

plot reversal:

Jimmy in the bathroom, rape, aspirin

possible endings:

1. baby dies of accident, 233--235; 2. rape her, kill the baby 237; 3. nothing happened 238; 4. The two boys didn't go.

Plotlines

Mr. Tucker p. 206 (2) 209 (1) 210 (3)--babysitter
Mrs. Tucker  p.  209 (2) 210 (3)
Jack p. 207 (1) p. 207 (4) pinball 208 (3) p. 210 (1) Mark or not p. 211(1)
Babysitter p. 206 (1)
p. 207 (2)		 p. 208 (1) bathtub p. 210 (2) Jimmy 210(4)
Jimmy  p. 207 (3) p. 209
uncertain perspective p. 208 (2)
           
Mr. Tucker Where's Mark?
p. 214 (0)		 * fantasy 215 (2) * fantasy p. 217 (2)
Mrs. Tucker  arrival/girdle, 211(2) Harry p. 212 (2)
Jack going or not p. 213 (2) p. 215 (1) calling * rape scene p. 216 (2) *orgy p. 216 (4)
Babysitter p.211(3)bathtub-Bitsy; TV p. 216 (3)
Jimmy  fighting with the babysitter p. 212 (3) p. 213 (2) Jimmy wanting to go in p. 216 (1) Jimmy's turn 271(1)/bathroom
uncertain perspective p. 212(1) p. 214 (1) fantasy
           
Mr. Tucker bathroom p. 218 (3)
Mrs. Tucker 
Jack proposal to rape p. 219 (1) rape 225
Babysitter rejection p. 217 (3)
Jimmy  bathroom p. 218 (2)
uncertain perspective