THE MANLEYS: A FUNCTIONAL FAMILY
The Manley family is rare, both in the real world and the world of series books. There is sincere affection in the family, far more than in any other series IÕve ever read, and beautifully presented. It is unusual in that its protagonists, the brothers Manley, although just 15 and 16, are given a huge measure of independence without having their parents written out of the books through being dead, kidnapped, in a foreign country, or away on business. Even Belle Ada at age 12 is given a little independence and freedom—at least in the early books. Their father trusts the boys to run the ranch; indeed, they take turns for a week at a time in managing its affairs in every way. Roy and Teddy have a loving and manly relationship with their father, expressed with the kind of affection that most people, even today's teenagers, would really like to have from their parents and rarely get. Throughout the series, we also see the love which the husband and wife share, expressed in tenderness and respect.
No, in this series, "absent parents" are neither needed nor desired. The boys have responsibility, trust, and affection, all in balance. Pages 62-64 of At the Round Up describe a family meal in which the boys discuss the coming rodeo in which they wish to compete. The parents are encouraging, supportive, truly interested, and concerned for the boys' safety while giving them the dignity of making their own decisions.
Much later in the same book, there is this remarkable and moving scene of the father's affection for his sons:
Mr. Manley chuckled and rested a hand on a shoulder of each of his sons.
"I was just thinkin', boys, that soon you'll be wantin' to run this ranch yourselves. You can, too. You've grown up, both of you. Grown up into sons I can be proud of." Abruptly his manner changed, and he pulled them toward him affectionately. "Hit the hay now, buckers! You're not too old for me to spank if you stay up too late!" Laughing, he released them. "Up early to-morrow. Plenty to do. Good-night, boys!"
"Good-night, Dad!"
Halfway up the stairs Teddy paused.
"I think," he said slowly, "that dad is a regular fellow. I'd do anything for him."
Roy replied with a single sentence, but so fervent was it that it seemed almost like a prayer:
"I'll tell a maverick he is!"
And they continued to their room.
(page 113)
The contrast with Fenton Hardy is almost painful, who expresses almost no emotion or affection to his sons whatever, except in a mild professional partnership. It's no mystery why Joe can't get close to Iola, and Frank remains respectful but aloof from Callie. The primary exception to Fenton's lack of expression is in the D-minus book The Disappearing Floor when he thinks the boys have been killed in a crack up, but even this is presented in an artificial and anonymous fashion, and much too late.
"My boys! My boys!" sobbed a voice in the thick woods outside, around a bend in the rutted country lane.
A figure in wrinkled clothing stood with bowed head before the ruins of the Hardy brothers' automobile. Long and sorrowfully the man stared at the wreckage as a slight breeze stirred in the trees towering overhead.
"Gone ... forever." The drawn lips formed the words soundlessly.
At length the figure turned and wet-eyed trudged away.
(The Disappearing Floor, pages 144-145)
One would think that a great detective like Fenton Hardy would notice that there were no signs of any injury or bloodletting in the wreck, and that there is no evidence anywhere that his sons have been injured at all, much less fatally.
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