Demon Copperhead

by

Barbara Kingsolver

Mr. McCobb Character Analysis

Mr. McCobb is one of Demon’s foster parents. Even though the McCobbs receive money each month for fostering Demon, Mr. McCobb insists that Demon work to pay rent in their house, and he finds Demon a job at the trash pile behind the convenience store. The novel portrays Mr. McCobb and his family as opportunists who try to exploit the foster care system to earn extra money, and it cynically implies that the McCobbs’ behavior is not unique and that such exploitation is common in the foster system.

Mr. McCobb Quotes in Demon Copperhead

The Demon Copperhead quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. McCobb or refer to Mr. McCobb. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Exploitation Theme Icon
).
Chapter 20 Quotes

Mr. McCobb was big on idea for making that little bit extra to turn things around, and had tried most of them: selling Amway, breeding AKC pups with fake papers, human advertisement, sperm donor, etc. Plus buying lotto tickets, obviously. His newest idea was taking in a foster. If I went okay, they might take in two, for twice the cash. It didn’t hurt my feelings. Creaky made no bones about wanting that five hundred a month per head. I knew the score.

Related Characters: Demon Copperhead (speaker), Dr. Watts, Mr. Crickson, Mr. McCobb
Page Number: 140
Explanation and Analysis:

Miss Barks […] stuck with a different theory. I needed to be more pushy with them. Did she give up on her dreams? No, she worked hard for what she wanted. Did I expect anybody to look out for Damon if he wouldn’t look out for himself? Life is what you make it! Here’s where Miss Barks didn’t grow up: foster care. She had no clue how people can be living right on the edge of what’s doable. If you push too hard, you can barrel yourself over a damn cliff.

Related Characters: Demon Copperhead (speaker), Demon’s Mom , Maggot, Emmy, Dori, Hammerhead Kelly, Miss Barks, Mr. McCobb, Mrs. McCobb
Page Number: 144-145
Explanation and Analysis:
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Mr. McCobb Quotes in Demon Copperhead

The Demon Copperhead quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. McCobb or refer to Mr. McCobb. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Exploitation Theme Icon
).
Chapter 20 Quotes

Mr. McCobb was big on idea for making that little bit extra to turn things around, and had tried most of them: selling Amway, breeding AKC pups with fake papers, human advertisement, sperm donor, etc. Plus buying lotto tickets, obviously. His newest idea was taking in a foster. If I went okay, they might take in two, for twice the cash. It didn’t hurt my feelings. Creaky made no bones about wanting that five hundred a month per head. I knew the score.

Related Characters: Demon Copperhead (speaker), Dr. Watts, Mr. Crickson, Mr. McCobb
Page Number: 140
Explanation and Analysis:

Miss Barks […] stuck with a different theory. I needed to be more pushy with them. Did she give up on her dreams? No, she worked hard for what she wanted. Did I expect anybody to look out for Damon if he wouldn’t look out for himself? Life is what you make it! Here’s where Miss Barks didn’t grow up: foster care. She had no clue how people can be living right on the edge of what’s doable. If you push too hard, you can barrel yourself over a damn cliff.

Related Characters: Demon Copperhead (speaker), Demon’s Mom , Maggot, Emmy, Dori, Hammerhead Kelly, Miss Barks, Mr. McCobb, Mrs. McCobb
Page Number: 144-145
Explanation and Analysis: