Catanzariti Robot Boy

Robot Boy

Pretty much all of Tim Burtons works are stemmed from his childhood experiences. In the poem Robot Boy, the connection between robot boy and Burton’s childhood is evident. Robot boy’s parents ( the Smiths) are introduced as  “normal” people who are excited to have a child. This is though until they find out that robot boy is not normal at all! Upon his birth, his parents disregard him for how he looks and blame their new found “lives- filled
with misery and strife” on robot boys lack of normalcy. Similarly, Burton felt mentally abandoned by his parents whilst living in a white-picket-fence-suburbia. The contrast between the norm and strange is amplified in most of his pieces.

The Smiths, also blame the change in their relationship on the fact that robot boy isn’t a normal boy. He wasn’t “warm and cuddly
 and he didn't have skin”. The way the parents viewed robot boy went from “their little bundle of joy” to a child garbage can. All was well with their relationship.. until they had kids. This is also mirrors a common topic in conversations with adults today. The whole “what if” question or “could have”. It seems like Burton is remarking on the pedestal children are placed on at first, until it becomes a reality. Just like how Carl Jung proposed the idea of a man and women needing each other- seeking the anima- the parents sought further completion in a child,  Also another reoccurring theme in burtons works.

Like most children who appear to be strange or different they are often misunderstood. The Smith’s didn’t really give robot boy a chance, they had already made their judgments and the state of mind they were in was going to be changed. When Robot boy grows up to be an adult “he was often mistaken
for a garbage can.” People who have no idea about who he is just see the physical appearance of him and jump to conclusions that his only purpose is a garbage can. As far as archetypes go, robot boy is a misunderstood hero, and his parents are the monsters.