Love

Love is a major theme in Breakfast on Pluto. It is Patrick's motivation behind many of his bizarre actions. Patrick seeks the love of his parents, specifically his mother, throughout the novel. Unfortunately, because he never experienced any emotional love from his parents, Patrick misconstrues love to be something material.

When he starts dating Mr. Teat, Patrick truly believes that he has found love. Teat provides Patrick with material things, which Patrick believes is a display of love. However, Mr. Teat does not love Patrick. Patrick's second lover, Bert, is similar to Mr. Teat in that he is a caretaker. Patrick, who is looking for a parent-figure, is comfortable accepting a lover who will take care of him. He leaves Bert for Louise, who is more like a mother than Bert could ever be. This is a relationship based on the perversion of the past - Patrick wants...