Jealousy is one of those emotions that's difficult to shut down, and the characters in Belle Prater's Boy are all dealing with their own green-eyed monsters. Gypsy looks like the girl who has everything, but inside she's seething because everyone likes Woodrow for his personality while they just see her as a pretty doll. And Woodrow has grown up in poverty, so he thinks Gypsy is lucky and ungrateful for all that she has. Even the grown-ups have their own jealousies to deal with—Aunt Belle has never gotten over the fact that her younger sister stole Amos and married him—showing that no one's immune from wrestling with envy.
Questions About Jealousy
- Why do you think Aunt Belle went out and married Uncle Everett without really getting to know him? How does jealousy factor into this decision?
- Is Gypsy really upset with Woodrow because he doesn't get in trouble for pretending to spike the drinks at the garden party? Why or why not?
- Why does Woodrow get so annoyed with Gypsy when she treats Porter badly?
- Why doesn't Gypsy like Porter? What's so bad about having him around?
Chew on This
Buzz makes fun of Woodrow because he's jealous of all the attention Woodrow gets. Buzz feels threatened by Woodrow's popularity and funny stories.
Gypsy's jealousy distracts her from digging deep and sorting her issues out.