The Saturdays

In The Saturdays, the Melendy siblings are the most important figures in each other’s lives. Their mother died some time ago, and their adult caretakers—their father and Cuffy, the housekeeper—are presented as loving but somewhat distant figures; they set boundaries and provide support, but they exist on the periphery of the children’s world. This world consists of shared play, inside jokes, teasing, and tensions—a tiny community freighted with intense but ambivalent feelings, in which the children shape each other’s developing identities through both support and friction.  

Mona, Rush, Randy and Oliver are each other’s main playmates and sources of entertainment. Their playroom, “the Office,” is filled with their shared creations, as well as shared memories:

The Office was their pride and joy…Any Melendy child could have told you that the long scars on the linoleum had been made by Rush trying out a pair of new skates on Christmas afternoon, 1939; or that the spider-shaped hole in the east window had been accomplished by Oliver throwing the Milk of Magnesia bottle; or that the spark holes in the hearthrug had occurred when Mona tossed a bunch of Chinese firecrackers into the fire just for fun (7).

This description of the office, from the collective perspective of the children, frames it as a repository of shared memory, emphasizing the degree to which the children experience their lives in relation to each other. 

The children are usually very supportive of each other. For instance, the older kids include little Oliver in the club even though he doesn’t get much allowance and is too young to be independent. Randy says, “‘Of course he’ll join!’…And she went over to give Oliver a big hug which he avoided neatly by putting his head under the table” (17). The children make other kind gestures to each other throughout the story. Mona kindly lends her sister Randy her amber necklace for her day out. When Rush finds Isaac the dog, Randy is very supportive of him, praying that he can keep it. Rush returns this kindness when he comforts Randy after she accidentally sets off a house fire.

However, their relationship also contains the inevitable conflict between siblings. At the beginning of the story the kids bicker about the best way to resolve their boredom, dismissing each other’s ideas. Mona tells her siblings, “And I’m bored listening to you complain…you’re impossible!” (12). Randy bosses Rush around: “‘And for heaven’s sake, don’t play Bach,’ ordered Randy. ‘It’s so jumpy for today’” (12). When Mona comes home after her make-over, her brother Rush is needlessly judgmental, and calls her vain. He teases Mona, asking, “‘When are you going to start putting stuff on your face, Mona?’ inquired Rush virtuously. ‘When are you going to start wearing a ring in your nose?’” (97). Rush’s cruel teasing upsets his usually stoic sister, who bursts into tears: “‘Oh Rush, I hate you!’ cried Mona” (97). Mona’s makeover is an attempt to assert an independent identity, and Rush’s sexist dismissal stings even more than similar reactions from Cuffy and her father because it’s her siblings against whom Mona defines herself. When Rush mocks her, he inadvertently reminds her that the bonds between these siblings are so close as to leave little room for individuality. 

There is more conflict between the children when Mrs. Oliphant raises the idea of bringing them to her lighthouse. Rush and Randy jump at the idea, while Mona is worried about seeming pitiful and rude to her older, wealthy neighbor. She scolds Rush, saying, “After you told her we were practically paupers what else could she do? It’s charity, that’s what it is” (153). Irritated, Rush replies that it is “dumb” for Mona to refuse a gift that she wants, harshly persuading his sister that she should be as excited about the lighthouse as he and Randy are. Unlike his prior criticism of her makeover, this criticism is ultimately supportive. Despite his harsh manner, Rush encourages Mona to put aside her self-doubt and do something that will bring her happiness. The Melendys’ dynamic relationships show how siblings shift from being supportive, critical and cooperative with each other.