October in the Chair

Through two different narratives in “October in the Chair,” Neil Gaiman portrays family bonds as both uniting and dividing forces. Primarily, the theme of family is central to Runt’s story in the embedded narrative. In this story, family ties erode and eventually become undone. The Runt’s family situation is negative, and he feels lost in the mix and as though his twin brothers and his parents’ interests take precedence over his well-being. For instance, his mother “described herself as a newspaperwoman, although she mostly sold advertising space and subscriptions: she had gone back to work full-time once the twins were capable of taking care of themselves” (34). The Runt’s brothers take precedence over him, to the point that his mother returns to work once they are independent enough to be left alone, refusing to give the Runt the same attention and guidance. The detail about describing herself as a journalist instead of a salesperson reveals the mother’s focus on roles and expectations. She prioritizes her athletic twin sons because they embody stereotypical teen masculinity. The Runt, by contrast, is small and fragile. While he cannot occupy the same role as his brothers, his nickname shows how he takes on a different, albeit animal, familial role.

While this unsupportive environment begins driving the Runt to run away, a single action by his brothers ignites his departure. October explains that the Runt did not decide to leave until his siblings pinned him down and farted in his face, an act of bullying equal parts rough and humiliating. The Runt views his family situation as so detrimental that he would rather face the wider world’s evils that he read about in the newspaper. This thought deepens throughout the narrative, ending with the Runt’s choosing to become a ghost rather than returning to the trap that is his family. The only other house in the story—the dark, mysterious farmhouse—parallels the fear that the Runt feels in his family home.

In the frame story, Gaiman portrays family as a uniting force, showing that family ties can be positive as well. The anthropomorphized months meet monthly to share a meal and stories with each other. While it is not explicitly said that they are siblings until the very end of the story, it is clear that they are connected in a familial way early on. They care for each other, such as when March offers April a handkerchief to clean some sausage grease from her chin. They gently tease each other (in contrast to the Runt’s brothers’ bullying), and they comfort each other, such as when October assuages November’s anxieties by suggesting that his stories are darker because of his month’s longer nights.

The final scene offers a comforting depiction of familial ties when October and November touch hands before departing. This moment shows the significance of these meetings around the campfires. It is a time for a family to come together, share, and be vulnerable together. Despite having to depart into the darkness, they will come back together for food, stories, and to see each other. Through these dual portrayals of family ties, Gaiman highlights family’s importance in one's life, whether as a positive or a destructive force.