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Rick Loski
Robert Baker is Juli, Matt, and Mike’s father and Trina’s husband. He works as a mason and often takes on overtime hours to help his family make ends meet. But in his rare free time, he enjoys painting landscapes in his yard as Juli sits with him and silently watches on. These moments in the yard together bond them throughout the years, and through painting, Robert teaches Juli important lessons about how appearances can be deceiving. After her beloved sycamore tree is cut down, he paints it for her, reassuring her that its spirit lives on in this way. Though the Bakers rent their home from the negligent Mr. Finnegan and often face judgment for their unkempt yard—mostly from people like Rick Loski, who calls them “trash”—Robert models dignity, sacrifice, and empathy for his children. He’s also dedicated to his brother David, who was born with an intellectual disability, and he and Trina spend most of their resources ensuring he’s properly cared for. The Baker family unit is incredibly close, and in many ways, Robert functions as a foil to the kind of husband and father that Rick is.
Robert Baker Quotes in Flipped
The Flipped quotes below are all either spoken by Robert Baker or refer to Robert Baker. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 3: Buddy, Beware! Quotes
Mom and Juli’s mom do talk some. I think my mom feels sorry for Mrs. Baker—she says she married a dreamer, and because of that, one of the two of them will always be unhappy.
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This passage establishes key differences between the Loski and Baker families, offering early insight into the adults’ relationships that the novel explores as Bryce begins to reconsider what it truly means to be a family. At this stage in Bryce’s story, he still absorbs his parents’ judgments without questioning them. He isn’t yet capable—or perhaps isn’t yet willing—to look beyond their words and really interrogate what he’s been told. Patsy recognizes that one partner’s aspirations can leave the other partner bearing the cost of compromise, and that unhappiness inevitably follows. While Bryce doesn’t yet grasp the broader significance of her Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetu
Chapter 4: The Sycamore Tree Quotes
“A painting is more than the sum of its parts,” he would tell me, and then go on to explain how the cow by itself is just a cow, and the meadow by itself is just grass and flowers, and the sun peeking through the trees is just a beam of light, but put them all together and you’ve got magic.
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Juli loves to watch her father paint and respects his words of wisdom, and this passage speaks to how his reflective outlook shapes the way she comes to see the world. Robert’s metaphor teaches her to look beyond individual parts and appreciate how they come together to form something even greater—what he calls “magic.” On one level, he’s talking about art, but on another, it’s a lesson for Juli about understanding people—most obviously Bryce—and, more broadly, life itself. When her sycamore tree is cut down in the seventh grade, Juli faces the first real test of this philosophy, as the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferen
Then a few months ago I found myself talking to the tree. An entire conversation, just me and a tree. And on the climb down I felt like crying. Why didn’t I have someone real to talk to? Why didn’t I have a best friend like everyone else seemed to?
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This passage comes just before Juli’s sycamore tree is cut down in the seventh grade, and it lays bare the profound loneliness she feels. As she grows older, she begins to understand that she’s different from her peers, who don’t have the same interests she does. Girls like Shelly Stalls won’t climb trees because it might mess up their hair, and others, like Bryce, won’t climb because they don’t care. Juli even hides the tree from her parents for nearly two years for fear they’ll stop her from climbing it, which speaks to just how fragile and isolating her internal Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minim
And way up in the tree was a tiny girl looking off into the distance, her cheeks flushed with wind. With joy. With magic.
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After Juli’s sycamore tree is cut down to make way for a new construction project in her neighborhood, she goes through a mourning period. The tree was a safe space for her, one of the rare places she felt understood and free, and losing it feels like losing an extension of herself. Shortly before it was cut down, she had confided in her father about how dearly she loved climbing it and the majestic view from the top of its branches. Robert takes her words to heart, and he dedicates weeks to painting her an artistic rendering of her beloved Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omni
Chapter 8: The Yard Quotes
I felt sorry for my father. I felt sorry for my mother. But most of all I felt lucky for me that they were mine.
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Spurred by Bryce’s comment about the unclean condition of her yard, Juli reflects on her family’s financial status for the first time. Sharing a middle-class, suburban neighborhood with people like the Loskis, Juli had never stopped to think about how her own family was different, but Bryce’s judgment makes her wonder whether her family is, in fact, actually poor. When she brings her concerns to her parents, they explain that most of their energy and money goes toward caring for Uncle David, whose disability requires constant support. Robert and Trina rent their home, work long hours, and often go without Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore i
Chapter 10: The Visit Quotes
“Well, I think you know my heart’s been in the right place, but if you line it up objectively, a man like, say, Mr. Loski adds up to a much better husband and father than a man like me does. He’s around more, he provides more, and he’s probably a lot more fun.”
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On the way home from visiting Uncle David at the Greenhaven facility, Juli’s father shares this sentiment, that he doesn’t think he measures up to a man like Rick Loski because he hasn’t been able to “provide” for his family. Juli is quick to disagree, insisting that she wouldn’t trade him for anyone—and especially not for Mr. Loski. What Robert sees as shortcomings or failures—his long hours, his inability to buy the things other families in the neighborhood enjoy—Juli recognizes as proof of his devotion. The sacrifices her parents make to ensure Uncle David is cared for reveal how deeply Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Q
Chapter 11: The Serious Willies Quotes
Standing next to Mr. Baker, he looked small. Physically small. And compared to the cut of Mr. Baker’s jaw, my dad’s face looked kind of weaselly.
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Bryce watches his father from afar during the dinner party with the Bakers and can’t help but compare him to Mr. Baker. Only a few months earlier, Bryce might never have noticed how “small” his father looked beside Robert, but now it’s all he sees. This is because he’s recently begun to look more closely at his father’s character—something that had always been hiding in plain sight—and he doesn’t like what he’s found. Rick mocks those who are different, makes jokes at others’ expense, and looks down on people who rent their homes or otherwise fail to meet his narrow Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ips
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Robert Baker Character Timeline in Flipped
The timeline below shows where the character Robert Baker appears in Flipped. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3: Buddy, Beware!
...and vines. Unlike Bryce’s dad Rick, who takes pride in his home’s appearance, Juli’s father Robert isn’t much of a landscaper. In fact, he’s a landscape painter.
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Chapter 4: The Sycamore Tree
...including her feelings about Bryce. After gushing once about Bryce’s blue eyes and flushed cheeks, Robert had told her, “proper lighting is everything,” which left her wondering what he really meant....
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...as often as she could, for years. Just a few months ago, she finally told Robert how the tree made her understand what he said about a painting being more than...
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...arrived, ordering her down. She remained in the branches until a crowd gathered below, and Robert had to ride up in a lift to bring her down. For the next two...
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Chapter 6: The Eggs
When Juli was six, Robert brought home a stray dog he’d found injured on the side of the road. After...
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As it happens, Robert had once raised a duck from an egg for his own science fair, so he...
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...fair, Mrs. Brubeck told Juli she could keep the chicks, which horrified Trina. But when Robert pointed out the birds would eat the snails and pests in their garden, she reluctantly...
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Chapter 8: The Yard
...afraid to eat her eggs because of the condition of their yard. Embarrassed, Trina begs Robert to do something about it. The conversation shifts to Uncle David, Juli’s intellectually disabled uncle...
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Chapter 10: The Visit
...to visit Uncle David, whose 40th birthday is today. She insists on joining him, and Robert hesitantly agrees. At the Greenhaven facility, Juli meets her uncle for the very first time....
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...David drops his cone and has a meltdown, crying and screaming on the floor. While Robert tries to calm him, Juli quickly retrieves a replacement cone, which solves the problem. After...
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Chapter 12: The Dinner
...father’s face. Even if the music is loud noise to him and the other adults, Robert is proud because his sons worked hard and achieved this all on their own. After...
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...Matt and Mike joke about how Mr. Loski was “sniffing” them out all night, but Robert insists they handled themselves well, the pride visible on his face. Juli realizes her father...
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Chapter 14: The Basket Boys
...afternoon, she spots him in her yard, digging up a patch of her carefully-planted grass. Robert explains he gave Bryce permission, and that he’s doing something important. When Juli watches more...
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