Thelma is the queen of manipulation, and she learned from the master… Her mother. I realised this as Ma Baynes and Old Man Baynes have a very unloving relation ship. Old man Baynes tries very hard to get away from her. Mainly through his sport. At one point Harry thinks to himself, “I Know Old Man Baynes and his sport. It’s the one thing Ma Baynes can’t override him on.” He means sport is the only thing Ma Baynes cannot drag him away from. Old man Baynes uses this to his advantage.
Thelma managed to get Harry to the picnic. She asked him for his radio, but what she really wanted was for him to come. So she used it as an excuse. She also tried flattery; by saying, “You must be clever to know all about motor bikes.” She does this to get him to talk to her and it works! He wonders for a second if she is sucking up to him (which she is), but then reckons she is too simple for that. Harry is the on that is too simple! Another example of his stupidity is when she approaches him and begins, “massaging him with her bust.” He does not think she knows what she is doing. Of coarse she does! He is just too simple to realise.
When he finally says he will come, “her face lights up like a Christmas tree.” Harry uses this expression to show how delighted Thelma is when he accepts her invitation.
Then Thelma sees Lottie Sharpe. A tall, thin, pretty girl. Then Thelma looses her happy smile and looks extremely upset. She then quietly and innocently says, “I wish I looked like that,” Harry cannot help feeling sorry for her. She then adds” Lottie’s gettin’ married next month.” Harry once again does not realise that this is a huge hint. He just thinks, “Getting married and spending some poor fellers brass is all they think about.”
When they are on the bus on the way to the picnic Harry sits beside Thelma who keeps rowing backwards so her tight dress goes up even more showing her chubby, pink legs. This just embarrasses Harry and he moves away from her. She is trying to get him to find her attractive.
When they arrive in the country Ma Baynes tries to interfere with Thelma and Harry’s relationship by commenting, “Ma an’ your father used to come courtin’ here,” this fails to get Harry interested. Then she suggests that Thelma and Harry both go to take the jug back. Harry does not want to be rude to he shrugs and goes with Thelma.
Thelma goes for a paddle and ‘conveniently’ trips and Harry runs to her rescue. She then uses the flattery again. She says “I don’t know what I’d’ve done if you hadn’t been here, Arry”
Harry then suddenly finds Thelma attractive. He remembers when he went on a trip to an art gallery, when he was younger and the naked women. They were fat just like Thelma. He then starts to get excited and makes his big mistake. He says, “ I’d like to look after you all along”
Harry then tries to cuddle up to her but she then plays hard to get.
When they get back to the picnic Thelma announces, “ Me an’ Arry’s engaged” Harry is shocked and is almost sick when he sees “the glitter that comes Ma Baynes’s eyes.”
I completely agree that the saying “The female of the species is more deadly than the male.” Is correct in relation to the human element. This is because at Thelma got Harry from thinking she was like a “young hippopotamus” to thinking she was attractive.