But they meant to have a lot of children. Both, somewhat defiantly, because of their demands on the future, announced that they "would not mind" a lot of children. "Even four, or five..." "Or six," said David. "Or six!" said Harriet, laughing to the point of tears from relief.
This is a very telling observation about Harriet and David. Both had fixed ideas about the number of children that they would like, and neither was willing to compromise this to fit the parameters of their life. They could not afford five children. They could barely afford two children, without relying heavily on help from both sets of their parents. They determined that they would have lots of children, without determining how they would pay for their needs and without determining who would help them; Harriet never quite finds a nanny she likes and so uses Dorothy as an unpaid nanny, much to the annoyance of her sister who would also quite like some help with her own children. Their plan for their lives was to have a lot of kids, come what may, and to hope that everyone around them would pitch in and help.
"A real little wrestler," said Dr Brett. "He came out fighting the whole world."
After giving his mother an uncomfortable pregnancy, Ben comes out of the womb in a similarly rambunctious fashion. Although Dr Brett is joking with his throwaway comment, he is actually making a more astute observation than he could ever imagine, as Ben is an aggressive and combative child from the moment he appears, and this never changes. He wrestles with his siblings when he is just a baby, and hurts Paul badly. He wrestles with everyone's emotions in that he is the cause of all of the fracturing of the family. He injures other children and is extremely dangerous around animals. He is a "little wrestler" in an endearing, feisty sense when he is first born, but this quickly ceases to be endearing and becomes something far more threatening as he begins to grow.
"The trouble is, you get used to hell," said Harriet. "After a day with Ben I feel as if nothing exists but him. As if nothing has ever existed. I suddenly realize I haven't remembered the others for hours. I forgot their supper yesterday. Dorothy went to the pictures and I cam down and found Helen cooking their supper."
Harriet is vaguely aware that she is neglecting her other children but she seems reluctant to take full responsibility for that. She seems to blame a combination of Ben himself, and the circumstances that surround him. She forgets everything else when she is with him and so this, to her, is an explanation for the her neglect of the others. The concerning thing is that her statement does not involve any suggestion that she would like to change the status quo, spend more time away from Ben and with the other children. She is wrapped up in child number five, to the detriment of the others, who, in the absence of their mother, begin to raise each other without her.
