Authority In Mordecai Richler's Jacob Two Meets The Hooded Fang

In his novel Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang, Mordecai Richler employs the imagistic motif of authority as a method of showing the reader that one’s experiences in early childhood have a significant impact on the progression of their future and in turn their chances of developing into a successful adult. The manner in which a parent chooses to discipline their child is crucial in the child’s progression through stages of life: “In view of the dangerous potentials of man’s long childhood, it is well to look at the blue-print of the life stages and to the possibilities of guiding the young of the race while they are young” (Erikson 258). It is important to guide and encourage young children with consideration of the possibility of who they may become; Richler argues this through images of authority. …show more content…
A run-in with an authority figure would immediately remind Jacob of his parents, something to which Jacob reacts adversely: “The policeman, holding back his laughter, took a step toward Jacob Two-Two. But Jacob Two-Two, his heart thumping, ducked and flew out of the shop” (Richler 9). The image of the policeman being a threat as opposed to a helpful resource is an example of the way in which this motif is presented. As a child emerging from Stage 3 of life, Jacob should be able to interact with authority figures on a higher level than he does. This supports Richler’s argument that parenting methods have a significant impact on a child; Jacob’s parents, as the central authority figures in his life, have caused him to regress and fear authority figures rather than be able to interact with them. Richler argues that negative authority figures cause children to perceive the world as hostile and restraining. Children who are not encouraged to push boundaries and learn new things will be forced to regress into prior stages of