Although Hooper’s constant torment of Kingshaw appears a twisted, mature plan it is hard to neglect the fact that Hooper is just a child. He had a unemotional, distant relationship with his father, therefore his childhood responses with anyone are at best, likely to be cold. It is through no fault of his own that he is cold-hearted and corrupt, just the influence of society, and the lack of influence his father’s presence has had on him.
Mrs Kingshaw does not recognise the signs of her son’s pain, she is too rapped up in her own world, building a life for not just herself and Kingshaw, but her alone. She relies on her son for dependency, but also looks for it in Mr Hooper. In an attempt to make Mr Hooper dependant on her, she ‘mothers’ his son and neglects her own. If she can not obtain the dependency her relationship with Mr Hooper, could she not have let her son rely on her, just as she had relied on him so many times.
Warings is Hooper’s territory and straight away Kingshaw is threatened by it. Hooper is the only one who is in a constant residence there aside form Mr Hooper, and even he is away a lot on business. When Mrs Kingshaw and Kingshaw move in, she takes over and makes it hers, therefore making it feel like it is only Kingshaw who doesn’t belong.
Mr Hooper, who again lives at Warrings but doesn’t quite belong, offers a glimmer of hope to Kingshaw, but that is dashed by Mrs Kingshaw’s and Hooper’s control over the weak man. He is another character in this novel that is primarily concerned with himself and everyone around him comes second. Joseph Hooper was Kingshaw’s last salvation, and he was too weak to help Kingshaw when he was in need.
Kingshaw is ultimately responsible for his own death as he was the one who killed himself and although he did try to tell his mother what was going on, he could have tried harder. He was an easy target for Hooper as he had no proverbial defensive walls and therefore Hooper took advantage. He is immature as he runs away from Warings with no destination, just to get away from the place. He tries desperately to be independent from his mother, but fails as she is too dependant on him to let him out of her grasp. He may long to be independent, but essentially that is all he is, he has no one he can depend on, turn to when he felt so distraught that he had to take his own life. When he finds friendship in Fielding, he is searching for a co-depending relationship, but Fielding does not need Kingshaw, he has his own life and is naturally independent, all he sees in Kingshaw is friendship. Kingshaw was weak and susceptible to Hooper’s malevolence, but could have stood up to him, could have tried again to tell his mother or Mr Hooper, could have not resorted to suicide but his own weakness’ and his hatred of his life caused him to take his own life.
