The Goldfish Boy

Matthew Corbin is the protagonist and narrator of The Goldfish Boy. Matthew is a 12-year-old boy living in a suburb outside London with his parents. From the novel’s outset, it is clear that Matthew is not like most boys his age. Rather than playing outside and socializing with other children his age, Matthew stays confined in his home, opting to observe the world around him through his bedroom window. Matthew’s desire to stay inside his home is the direct result of an intense, years-long phobia of germs. Matthew’s fear of germs is so extreme that he spends much of his time excessively washing himself and cleaning the surfaces around him. When Matthew’s mother grows worried about how his exorbitant use of bleach is affecting his skin, Sheila strikes a deal with her son: she will supply him with a box of latex gloves under the condition that he stop burning his hands with bleach. The expulsion of one crutch only leads to obsession with another, as Matthew becomes unhealthily reliant on his gloves, always keeping an exact count of the remaining pairs. Matthew’s dependence on the gloves is a major source of shame, as he keeps them hidden under his bed.