Room By Emma Donoghue's 'Room': Character Analysis

Children develop normally by stimulation and from the experiences around them. Usually when a child is shut out from the world they will become developmentally delayed, but that is not the case with Jack. In the novel Room by Emma Donoghue, Jacks mother, Ma, has been kidnapped and held prisoner in a shed for seven years and five year old Jack was born there. This room is the only world he knows. But, despite being locked in a room for the first five years of his life, according to the four main points of development, Jack has developed normally intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. Jack 's mother, Ma, helps him develop his intellectual skills in "Room". They often played made up educational games one of which is " 'Parrot,

The first sentence of the book, Jack introduces himself to the readers he proudly says, "Today I’m five. I was four last night going to sleep in Wardrobe"(Donoghue 1). Throughout the novel Jack constantly reminds himself and others that he is five. This is how most children gain confidence and pride for themselves. In the article "Emotional Development" by Teresa Odle she explains how children show normal emotional development, "By toddlerhood and early childhood, children begin to develop more of a sense of self. Emotions such as pride, shame, and self-recognition begin to emerge"(Odle). Jack has a well developed sense of self especially with the way he believes he is much older and braver because he is no longer 4, he is 5. As the novel progresses Jack further develops his self recognition; when they were in the room Jack questioned whether he was a part of his mother at times but out of room he knew they were separate people. Also, Jack shows normal emotional development because he is able to recognize and respond to emotion. Ma is depressed because of the criticism she has gotten from people about keeping Jack so she eventually breaks down, "Ma’s got tears coming down her face, she puts up her hands to catch them. I’m off my chair and running at her, something falls over smaaaaaaash, I get to Ma and wrap her all up"(Donoghue 294). If children are delayed emotionally they would not be able to recognize and respond to emotion but Jack is able to recognize that his mother is sad and he responds by running to hug her. In Odle 's article she describes how children, "Can recognize nonverbal cues of emotion from one another. Preschoolers begin to distinguish between negative emotions such as sadness, anger, and fear"(Odle). Jack is definitely able to recognize nonverbal cues of emotion. Especially on days when Ma is depressed Jack is able to recognize that she is sad and he