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The relationship between Quoyle and Agnis Hamm

 
 
When Quoyle and his aunt Agnis meet the aunt shows that she is a strong and dynamic woman who makes quick decisions, while Quoyle seems to be weak, and doesn’t know what to do. “He hadn’t thought about insurance, but it crossed the aunt’s thought at once” ( 29). In a short time the aunt quickly learns more about Quoyle than he learns about her. “What is your work anyway, Aunt? I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know. I mean, I never thought to ask.”(49)  On the other hand, when Quoyle realises he hardly knows anything about his aunt and asks her about her work, she doesn’t seem willing to tell Quoyle very much about herself. And why doesn’t she tell him?
She is probably afraid that Quoyle should start asking her about the relationship she had with another woman recently. She loved this woman deeply, and she even called her dog after the woman when she died. Agnis had wanted to go to Newfoundland with her partner but then she died. She probably thinks a lot about her when she keeps to herself in her room or takes walks by herself. “Weekends came to this: the aunt in her room or stirring something or out for a walk. (186-87)  At this time she most likely sees that Quoyle will manage without her and she makes plans to go to St. John's.
When Quoyle confronts her with what he has learnt about their old cousin she pretends she doesn’t know. The aunt is sure the old man knows about what happened when she was a child, and the fact that she was sexually abused by Quoyle’s father is something she wants to keep to herself.  These experiences have taught her that life must go on no matter what happens.
But Quoyle doesn’t seem very interested in her previous or present life at all. He lets the aunt do all the arrangements while he more or less does what the aunt tells him to do. His worries are that he is not sure if he can manage his job. Quoyle is a simple minded man and his thoughts often take him back to the life he had with his wife, Petal. He only sees her beauty and doesn’t want to admit to himself what a bad life he had with her.  Aunt Agnis is not used to such a thing as looking after children, but she takes care of Quoyle girls and she shows that she really cares by coming home from St. John’s to support Quoyle and Bunny when Bunny gets into trouble at school. 
The aunt has helped Quoyle to live a safe and good life by taking him to Newfoundland. She helps him with planning ahead by telling him what he will need, like when she tells him to buy a boat. “It’s like I said, we need a boat” ( 73). 
During the first months at Newfoundland Quoyle develops both personally and in his job. The aunt encourages him to keep in touch with Wavey when she suggests they go berry picking and she asks if he wants to bring Wavey. The aunt sees that Quoyle enjoys their relationship, and she understands that his contact with Wavey will make him forget Petal. 
When the winter comes and Quoyle finds out that they cannot stay in their house, his plans and decisions shows that he has learnt quite a lot about planning from his aunt. On the other hand the aunt has seen that Quoyle can manage without her and she has been making her own plans for the winter.  She probably also wants to live her own life again. But her way out of this is to wait till Quoyle has settled and then move her work to St. John's for the winter, together with her two employees. 

I think the conclusion about the relationship between Quoyle and Agnis Hamm must be that they are not too close. They don’t want to share their thoughts and feelings with each other, on the other hand none of them are used to consulting other people when necessary.  But the aunt helps Quoyle in his development towards being a respected man who does a good job and who is a person people like to be with. She also helps him to be an independent man who is able to make decisions. On the other hand Quoyle doesn't give  very much back to his aunt. She would not have  gone back to Newfoundland if Quoyle hadn’t been in the condition he was when they met of course. He has given her a family which means she has people around her she cares about. And to live in Killlick-Claw seems to be the best thing that could have happened to both of them. When Quoyle tells his aunt that he knows what his father did to her she still doesn’t want to talk about it, and as usual she starts talking about something else. But in a way it is a relief to her. She starts telling him about her plans, even though she is making some of it up as she went along. (323)