The Burgess Boys

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of substance use, mental illness, and death.

The eldest living member of the Burgess family, Jim is a successful defense attorney who has enjoyed national acclaim for his work on a high-profile case. His reputation as an intelligent, skilled, confident person extends to his family, who have always regarded him this way. His younger siblings, Susan and Bob, were taught at a young age that Jim was much more capable than they were, and they quickly grew to rely on Jim to solve any problems that arose.

Jim is indeed confident and self-assured, but to a fault. He believes himself to be superior in abilities, intelligence, and success to those around him. He regards others, including his family members, as inferior. He thrives on the praise of others, and the national accolades he has received solidify his belief in his own greatness. Bob makes an important observation that Jim is fearless, and it is this extreme confidence that defines Jim. However, as the novel unfolds, Jim grows increasingly frustrated by the way others rely on him. He feels burdened by the expectation that he will always succeed professionally. Similarly, he feels pressure to uphold the guise of perfection in his personal life—an image that demands that he possess a certain home, wife, and the like if he is to remain in the upper echelon of society.