Josh Character Analysis in The Thing Around Your Neck

In "On Monday of Last Week," Josh is Neil and Tracy's seven-year-old biracial son. He's precocious and academically advanced for his age. Though he obviously adores Tracy when he sees her, he is fully aware that he should never bother his mother while she's working. Similarly, while he loves both his parents, his bond with his nanny Kamara is especially strong—he makes her a Shabbat card that is supposed to be for family only.

Josh Quotes in The Thing Around Your Neck

The The Thing Around Your Neck quotes below are all either spoken by Josh or refer to Josh. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Women, Marriage, and Gender Roles Theme Icon

Kamara wondered where the child's mother was. Perhaps Neil had killed her and stuffed her in a trunk; Kamara had spent the past months watching Court TV and had learned how crazy these Americans were.

Related Characters: Kamara, Neil, Josh, Tracy

Page Number and Citation: 77

Explanation and Analysis:

Josh Character Timeline in The Thing Around Your Neck

The timeline below shows where the character Josh appears in The Thing Around Your Neck. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...and imagining Tracy touching her. When Kamara comes out of the bathroom, Tracy's seven-year-old son, Josh, is there. Kamara tells Josh to watch a movie while she warms chicken strips and... (full context)

Kamara thinks that in Nigeria, Josh would be called "half-caste" and it would mean something positive. She remembers when Neil hired... (full context)

...Neil and stopped wondering about Tracy. On Monday of last week, Kamara was looking at Josh's homework when Tracy appeared in the kitchen. When their eyes met, Kamara suddenly felt like... (full context)

As Kamara cooks Josh's dinner, she stubs her toe. Josh kisses it and Neil calls to check on Josh.... (full context)

...grabbed Kamara's chin and complimented her teeth. Tracy asked Kamara if she'd been a model. Josh ran to his mother and hugged her, and Tracy made small talk with Kamara. Kamara... (full context)

...offers that "the motherland" informs her work. She questioned Kamara about her roots in Nigeria. Josh grabbed a paintbrush and ran with it while Tracy approached Kamara again. She asked Kamara... (full context)

Neil arrives home and greets Josh. Neil tells Josh he'll win the Zany Brainy competition as Josh digs for his shoelaces... (full context)

...on the basement door. Tracy opens the door, looking distant. Tracy and Kamara talk about Josh's certain win at the Zany Brainy competition, and Kamara asks if Tracy needs anything. Tracy... (full context)

The next afternoon, Kamara can tell that Josh didn't win the competition. Neil stands with a blond woman and explains that the woman... (full context)

Neil whispers to Kamara about Josh's sugar intake, and Kamara reassures him and agrees to make Josh's dinner later. Kamara hears... (full context)