Friday, 10 January 2020
The one that contrasts Elly's need to be creative with John's need to placate obsolete old people and reproving bumpkins that April rarely, if ever, sees.
(Original Publication Date, 11 January 1991)
Panel 1: As John and Liz look on, Elly has narrowed down her choices for what to call the new baby. If it's a girl, the choices as Shannon, Robyn and Erika while if it's a boy, she wants to call Patterson Tertius Brendan, Glenn or Andrew. Elly does so because she likes those names and she's aware enough of her surroundings to notice that children with those names will fit in better with their peers.
Panel 2: John is unsure about those choices. He feels more comfortable giving HIS child an old-fashioned name he's familiar with or a name from the Bible.....and possibly a relative's name as a middle name. Elly slumps forward because she won't stick to her guns when it counts.
(You'll note that I made a point of emphasizing HIS child. In thirteen years' time, he's reported as wanting to name Robin either Kumquat or Quark because he's an asshole who doesn't care about anything that isn't his own amusement.)
Panel 3: When John leaves, Elly has decided to cave, I think. That's because Liz reacts to her acting as if she's been defeated again by asking Elly when people finally decide what to name a baby.
Panel 4: Given that she has made a habit of making sweeping and ill-informed generalizations based solely on her own experience, Elly leaves Liz in the lurch and tells her "When they run out of time."
Summary: What Elly misses out on when focusing on having to deal with her idiot husband is that she's ignoring the emotional needs of her children. We're about to see that tomorrow.
(Original Publication Date, 11 January 1991)
Panel 1: As John and Liz look on, Elly has narrowed down her choices for what to call the new baby. If it's a girl, the choices as Shannon, Robyn and Erika while if it's a boy, she wants to call Patterson Tertius Brendan, Glenn or Andrew. Elly does so because she likes those names and she's aware enough of her surroundings to notice that children with those names will fit in better with their peers.
Panel 2: John is unsure about those choices. He feels more comfortable giving HIS child an old-fashioned name he's familiar with or a name from the Bible.....and possibly a relative's name as a middle name. Elly slumps forward because she won't stick to her guns when it counts.
(You'll note that I made a point of emphasizing HIS child. In thirteen years' time, he's reported as wanting to name Robin either Kumquat or Quark because he's an asshole who doesn't care about anything that isn't his own amusement.)
Panel 3: When John leaves, Elly has decided to cave, I think. That's because Liz reacts to her acting as if she's been defeated again by asking Elly when people finally decide what to name a baby.
Panel 4: Given that she has made a habit of making sweeping and ill-informed generalizations based solely on her own experience, Elly leaves Liz in the lurch and tells her "When they run out of time."
Summary: What Elly misses out on when focusing on having to deal with her idiot husband is that she's ignoring the emotional needs of her children. We're about to see that tomorrow.