Spies. How does the relationship between Stephen and Keith's mother change throughout the novel

As the plot moves swiftly into chapter 8, Stephen voices the readers’ thoughts, ‘what’s going to happen now?’ Stephens days consist of sitting alone ‘gazing helplessly at the outside of Keith’s house’ looking for his Keith’s mother of which there is ‘no sign’.

In this chapter two things happen simultaneously, Barbara Berrill becomes an object of subtle adolescent lust, Stephen’s ‘lap is full of the weight and softness of her’ and Keith’s mother draws Stephen in to help her out, his mixture of emotions is clearly shown when his ‘heart jumps first with excitement and then…with anxiety’, at seeing who’s ‘two brown eyes’ are watching him through his hide-out. He explains to the reader how he is relieved that ‘Keith’s mother is not a spy after all’ but knows and at the same time doesn’t know that her aiding the ‘German tramp’ is ‘something to do with that bosom she’s taken him to’. Stephen has definite knowledge of adolescent feelings, he feels the ‘disturbing softness’ of Keith’s mother’s bosom when colliding with her in the tunnel and says ‘it mingles with the softness of Barbra Berrill's dress’. Stephen has connected the two women, through his conscious feelings of lust and desire towards them, even if he doesn’t know that that is what his feelings are.

In chapter nine, Frayn shows Stephen crossing the boundaries of childhood even further; the game enters ‘a new phase altogether’. This is when Stephen uncovers what his feelings actually are, why Keith’s mother had ‘changed in someway…as much as Stephen himself, and everything else around him’ he acknowledges his growth and tries to determine what this acknowledgment is- ‘What was the change?’. This is where Frayn strums in definite feelings of sexual desire towards Keith’s mother, ‘even more perfect than before. Her lips were redder, her cheeks smoother, her eyes more lustrous’, all of these qualities are elements of desire.

However as the chapter continues, Frayn presents Mrs Hayward as a pitiable character, and Stephen and the reader both begin to feel sorry for her.  The older Stephen (or Stefan) reflects saying that she ‘sat cross legged on the dust in front of Stephen like a beggar.’ This contrasts extremely to her usual ‘air of regal haughtiness and shows how desperate she has become, made to ask a child for help. Stephen’s respectful of her, looking away when she’s going to cry, and still notices the ‘softness of her voice, her closeness as she leans towards’ him, he is very much aware of her presence, this suggests that he is uncomfortable with his new adolescent feelings.

Throughout these chapters Stephen’s relationship with Keith’s mother changes a lot, certain elements of the novel create this change. Such as, the sudden change in Stephen’s mental age as he is forced to cope with the worries of an adult, the end of a childhood friendship and into a teenage crush. As Stephen is made into Mrs Hayward’s ‘accomplice’ in the helping of the ‘German tramp’, he begins to feel a lot more than mutual respect for Keith’s mother and starts to identify with ‘Lamorna’. With lust.

In conclusion, it is clear that the relationship Stephen holds with Keith’s mother, affects him greatly. He changes in many ways, including maturing dramatically.