Rabbit

Rabbit recurs as a small but telling presence in family life: first as Edwina’s alternative to the dog Ollie Treadaway wants, later among the animals she buys for the twins, and again in the hutches at Glennings. These appearances connect private ideas of domestic life with the practical responsibilities that some family members welcome and others avoid.

A Choice About Family Life

During the Christmas Edwina and Ollie Treadaway spend alone together before their baby is due, they talk about what sort of animal they might have. Ollie Treadaway chooses a lurcher; Edwina prefers Rabbit because she is afraid of dogs. The difference is slight but memorable: for the first time since they met, she senses that he is a little disappointed. The exchange belongs to a conversation about how much they still have to learn about one another, even as they look toward a shared future.

Animals in Edwina’s Fiction and Home

Edwina draws on her own family when creating the picture-book children Betsy and Tom Love. The guinea pigs and pet Rabbit she buys for the twins become part of this imaginative and practical overlap: royalties from the books pay for the animals’ board and lodging. In Edwina’s fictional world, Betsy and Tom remain uncomplicated young children surrounded by loving relatives and pets, unlike her own children as they grow into secretive, awkward teenagers. Rabbit is therefore present both as a real household animal and within the family material that feeds Edwina’s work.

Glennings and the Work of Care

At Glennings, the deputy head points out hutches housing small pets, including Rabbit and guinea pigs, as part of the school’s provision. The animals draw a distinction between the twins: Rowena is interested in animals, whereas Charlie does not want a pet. He understands that keeping one means feeding it, changing its bedding, and dealing with its mess, and decides he does not have the time. Across these scenes, Rabbit is not simply an emblem of affection: its care entails routine work, which different members of the family regard in sharply different ways.