As people age, their view of the world changes; the innocence with which they once approached life fades and reality takes over. Guy Vanderhaeghe's "The Watcher" tells the story of Charlie, a young boy who is removed from his sheltered home and must open his eyes to the harsh world around him. Charlie suffered from frequent illnesses at home, which gave him the freedom to watch adults go about their daily lives without ever truly grasping the events unfolding before him. When Charlie's mother, Mable, also becomes ill, Charlie is sent to Grandma Bradley's farm for the summer. Shortly after Charlie settles into the farm, his Aunt Evelyn arrives with her boyfriend Thompson hoping that Grandma Bradley will solve his problems. Grandma Bradley takes care of her daughter but not Thompson. She's willing to do anything to get him out of the house. Eventually the grandmother manages to remove Thompson from her home, with the help of the Ogden brothers, freeing Evelyn and showing Charlie that life is not always as simple as it seems. Following the images of food within the locations of the text highlights the complexities involved in relationships and Charlie's awareness that the world is an unsympathetic place, as he struggles to find a balance between childhood and adulthood. At first the images of food show Charlie's unrealistic sense of control and inflated notion of self. Charlie feels very comfortable at home as a child, he has the freedom to manage his own life and observe others from a distance. Life at home is “a breeze” for Charlie. His description of life as “a piece of cake” (195) shows the softness and indulgence of his surroundings. Charlie feels satisfied at home, creates a routine, a recipe... middle of paper... on his own; explaining why Grandma Bradley's children always ended up at her door when they faced trouble. Parents fear that their children will grow up too quickly, being exposed to reality before they are ready, but until children experience life on their own, with all its complications, they can never truly learn the importance of family; as it is the family that will support its members regardless of the situation. Charlie grew up over the summer, saw things he otherwise wouldn't have seen, but learned the strength of family, something he couldn't have learned at home where he passively watched the world go by. Works CitedVanderhaeghe, Guy. "The Watcher." Custom Course Materials: ENGL 1204 Readings for English 1204. Ed. Betty Anne Buirs. Spring edition. Langley, BC: Kwantlen Polytechnic University Library, 2011. 195-220. Press.