Arguably, the relationship that Jack has with Dora is the closest relationship that he has to another child. He cares for and misses Dora the way that a child might miss their friend from preschool. When Ma and Jack are in the clinic he wants to see if he can find Dora and Spongebob on the TV because he hasn’t been able to see them for a while and he misses them and he’s disappointed when all that’s on is golf. Even before they escape part of the reason I think Jack is so excited about meeting other children on the “outside” is that Jack wants to meet other people like Dora who he knows that he likes and this is one of the only things that Jack is really excited to experience on the outside.
Not only is Dora a reason for Jack to get to want to get to the outside Dora is also a way for Jack to be able to get there. When Jack doesn’t understand the plan Ma tells him to remember that the steps in the plan are like when Dora goes from one place to another. This helps him remember the plan and conceptualize how to do it. Additionally, he feels motivated by imagining her singing the “we did it” song and is inspired by her bravery. When he wriggles free from the rug, he wishes Dora was there because he knows that she would congratulate him for accomplishing his goals and being brave like her.
Jack’s relationship with Dora is very personal and he draws from her in many ways. In so many trials of his life, he calls on Dora for strength and guidance and she helps him understand the outside world. He understands the world through the context of Dora and her life and he understands what a grandma is because of Dora’s Abuela. When ma is telling him her stories about her mother he doesn’t understand at first but when he thinks about Dora and her Abuela he gains context and understanding that helps him process and be okay with this large change in his life. Just having this small jumping off place for understanding is very important in his adjustment to the world he will soon face head-on. As well Jack understands how nobody knows where they are in Room when he conceptualizes that they aren’t on a map or on Dora’s map. Jack also has a context for morals and knows that stealing is wrong because of Swiper from Dora. Though ma has taught him morals as well, having “swiper no swiping” as a mantra to remind himself is clearly helpful for Jack.
Jack also learns how to answer questions from Dora which is a very helpful skill for him in the future. When Ajeet asks Jack what his name is Jack recalls how the only one from TV (what he perceives everything outside of room as and therefore thinks that Ajeet is from TV) that asks him questions is Dora, and she already knows what his name is, so he doesn’t know how to answer that question because he hasn’t practiced it with Dora. He has learned from Dora that it is normal for him to answer questions from people from TV, a skill he struggles to use over and over again but has ultimately been prepared for by Dora asking him questions.
He used Dora to familiarize himself in the new environment of the clinic as Dora quite literally helps to heal his wounds in the form of his Dora bandaid. His bandaid is only a small part of his medical experience which is overwhelming and for Jack but this small familiarity “makes his day”. Dora also makes him happy in the clinic in another potentially very confusing situation. Understandably Jack could have a hard time figuring out a computer and while he does struggle a bit he seems to be pretty comfortable playing the Dora video game. He even says it is “better than TV”. As well, the interaction he has experienced with Dora from TV while answering her questions helps him understand how interacting with a computer works.
Overall its really impactful how much Dora means to Jack and I’m curious if people can think of other examples or different ways that she helps him!
Whenever Jack brings back Dora, I'm always reminded of just how small and young he is, but I also get that warm feeling because I was also a Dora kid. Your post is really interesting to read because you really nailed down how much Jack relies on Dora. I mentioned this in my class, but part of interacting with kids is finding ways to explain things to them, and Dora is clearly Jack's way of understanding things. In the most difficult situations for him emotionally and intellectually, Jack falls back on Dora. She's almost his best friend, which is sad but also a little cute.
ReplyDeleteI also think that his connection with Dora is a good sign of emotional development. Kids often use their favorite characters as a role model and a way of learning how social interactions works as well as attachment. The fact that Jack is able to build a connection and think about her and use her to relate to other situations could turn out to be a really good coping mechanism for him, as well as helping him establish relationships with real people Outside.
ReplyDeleteJack's relationship with Dora was one of my favorite aspects of the book. It's so fascinating (and kind of adorable) to see how he uses fictional stories to cope, and Dora is perhaps the best example. For a child with severely stunted social and contextualization skills, Dora is a key figure in helping him adjust. Also, the 'we did it' moment is such a bright spot in a terrifying chapter. Overall, Jack's relationship with Dora is such a source of peace and centering for him, and I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteHoly cow I hadn't even realized all of that stuff. Thanks for coming up with so many examples, your reading of the bandaid is super apt. I literally don't have anything to add, I feel like you nailed it. I kind of wonder if Dora will have prepared Jack for relationships with other kids though, since she doesn't really act like a child in many ways and Jack has only interacted with adults otherwise. I just wonder if she'll aid him in some way I'm not seeing. Nice post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Jack’s love for Dora really makes my heart melt every time I read about it, but also, like you detailed, it’s super significant to his development. Talking to Dora is the closest he gets to having interactions with people who aren’t Ma, and I can’t imagine how hard it would have been for him to even conceptualize someone not knowing his name without Dora. Maybe in this way, Dora is the supernatural aid for Jack on his quest – she is a metaphysical concept of morality that guides Jack in different aspect of his life – from quests to maps to “swiper no swiping”.
ReplyDeleteThe Dora Connections get especially meta when he spots the Dora backpack at the mall (despite Paul trying to nudge him toward a more "gender-appropriate" choice in Spider-Man, a hero Jack has no use for)--back in Room, we talked about how he makes his own backpack "like Dora" for when he's Outside, a major initial sign of him starting to "get" that Outside is real. Dora, of course, is famous for her backpack, so when Jack in Outside can get his own Dora-like backpack that *also has Dora on it*, his mind is blown. He hugs "her" and says hi and is pretty sure she says hi back. She's more familiar and comforting to him than Paul or Deana in that scene.
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