Josh Raymond Character Analysis

Josh Raymond is Rosemarie’s eight-year-old son and Finch’s dad’s stepson (though Finch and Kate suspect that their dad may actually be Josh Raymond’s biological father. He’s a small boy with glasses and a squeaky voice. Finch’s relationship with Josh Raymond is complicated. Though Finch tells himself it’s silly to be jealous or resentful of an eight-year-old, he also knows that if his dad is Josh Raymond’s father, Josh Raymond is then proof that Finch’s dad was cheating on Finch’s mom long before they got divorced. Finch also sees that Josh Raymond possesses many qualities that he himself does not: Josh Raymond is small, quiet, and neat, and he never seriously pushes back when Finch’s dad reprimands him. This makes Finch feel as though his dad truly prefers his new family (Rosemarie and Josh Raymond) to his dysfunctional old one (Finch, Kate, Decca, and Finch’s mom). Finally, the way Rosemarie and Finch’s dad treat Josh Raymond seems to be proof that Finch’s dad prefers his new family over his old one, as evidenced by Josh Raymond’s numerous battery-operated toys (luxuries that Finch and his sisters never had growing up). Despite Finch’s resentment, though, he finds Josh Raymond to be sweet and unassuming. The last time that Finch sees Josh Raymond, he seems to conclude that Finch’s dad is indeed Josh Raymond’s biological father: Josh Raymond, Finch realizes, looks shockingly like Finch did at eight years old.