Robert clearly loves his mother and understands how hard she works for his sake. Jackie, in turn, worships her child and respects him for his hard work, not just for his intelligence. There are plenty of smart, lazy people who never make much of their lives—but Robert, it would seem, isn’t going to be one of those people. However, the passage foreshadows the way that Robert’s sadness and anger will interfere with his success in life.