The Nanny Diaries tells that the inharmonious relationship between Mrs.
X and Grayer makes several impacts on Grayer’s attitudes. The first impact is that Grayer becomes a rude boy. The second impact is that Grayer becomes selfish and
arbitrary. The third impact is that Grayer becomes rebellious toward his own parents. For further explanation of those impacts on Grayer’s attitudes, here each
impact will be analyzed.
4.2.1 Rude
The first impact of the inharmonious relationship between Mrs. X and Grayer is Grayer’s rudeness. Post 288 states that one of the negative
characteristics, which may come in children’s development is rudeness. Basically, it is caused by two factors, namely parents’ low control and children’s loneliness.
The first factor comes from parents’ lack of control and attention that they never tell the appropriate manners and behaviors to their children. As a result, children
become rude because they do not know what good manners are. In the novel, Grayer becomes a rude boy because he lacks of control and
attention, so he is never told the appropriate manners and behaviors as a child by his mother. We can see the example from Grayer’s attitudes through Annie.
“Grayer, you remember Nanny? You two are going to have lunch at the playground” his mother prompts him.
He slumps against her leg and glares at me. “Go away.” “Honey, we can have snack together, but Mommy has an appoinment. You
two are going to have such a good time Now hop in your stroller and Nanny will give you snack.”
Kraus McLaughlin 31 It happens when Grayer meets Annie at the courtyard for the first time. Mrs. X
asks Grayer to have lunch at the playground with Annie, but Grayer refuses roughly by driving Annie away from her.
The other example is that Grayer is always saying rude words to Annie when she picks him up at Grayer’s courtyard for a week.
We head toward the park as they chatter away. She propels him forward with ease, though he can’t be a light load with his toys, school stuff, and
backup supplies of snack. “Grayer, who’s your best friend at school?” I ask.
“Shut up, stupidhead I told you to get out of here, you bad woman” Grayer hurls his stroller at
me, screaming at the top of his lungs. Blood rushes to my face as I retort with false confidence,
“You . . . silly”
Kraus McLaughlin 37 Those examples show that as a four year old boy, Grayer’s attitudes toward Annie
is very rude. It happens because Mrs. X does not warn her son at all when he says rude word to Annie. Therefore Grayer becomes a rude boy, because Mrs. X does
never tell her son the appropriate manners and behaviors as a child. Grayer can easily say rude words, even though Mrs. X has seven nannies, before she gets
Annie as the eighth and the last nanny for Grayer. It means that Mrs. X never teaches Grayer how to behave well to others, especially to his nannies Kraus
McLaughlin 200. The other proof is that Grayer considers people around him as people who
must be treated badly. He always hates people who try to get closer to him, because he thinks that they will leave him alone when he has already felt
comfortable with them. Therefore it is very easy for Grayer to behave rudely. He starts to be a rude boy when Mrs. X fires the seventh Grayer’s nanny, named
Caitlin, after she has six nannies in four months before Caitlin Kraus McLaughlin 200. As a very rich woman, it is just a simple matter for Mrs. X to
fire a Grayer’s nanny and then provides a new Grayer’s nanny. Of course, those
bad habits of Mrs. X breaks Grayer’s heart and she does not care about it at all. Actually Grayer’s heart has already broken three times, because he has
been left by three nannies who are able to make him happy and comfortable. The first is Grayer’s baby nurse, named Jackie. She has been worked for two years to
take care Grayer when he is still baby and Jackie was the first nanny who breaks Grayer’s heart Kraus McLaughlin 200.
After that Mrs. X has Caitlin as the seventh Grayer’s nanny and Mrs. X also fires her because of a simple thing that Caitlin asks for a holiday. It breaks
Grayer’s heart again and makes him much more rude than before Kraus McLaughlin 78. The last is the worst that Grayer has to lose his eighth lovely
nanny, who is Annie Braddock Kraus McLaughlin 295. It is very difficult situation for Grayer to feel broken-heart since he is still four years old. Therefore
it is the main cause why Grayer becomes a rude boy.
4.2.2 Selfish and Arbitrary
The second impact of the inharmonious relationship between Mrs. X and Grayer is Grayer’s being selfish. According to Post 288, children who do not
have anyone to share and give tend to be very selfish and arbitrary. Being alone, that children is also inclined to be introspective. In the novel, we can see that
Grayer does not get enough affection and care from his parents. He is just a boy after all. He needs love and care from his parents. However, he cannot get them
because his parents are very busy and show little attention to him. It can be seen from the habits of Mr. X who is vey busy and seldom goes back home. Even Mrs.
X has to call Justine first, a secretary of Mr. X asking when Mr. X is able to go
