Who is Frederick Bootie Tubb from The Emperor's Children and what is their importance?

Frederick "Bootie" Tubb is in his mid-twenties. He six feet tall, overweight, and wears glasses. Frederick remains unmarried, lives with his mother, has recently quit college, and doesn't have a job.

Although he did well in high school, and was even his class valedictorian, Frederick is aimless and without focus. This is very disappointing to his mother, who had hopes that he would become a politician.