Despite its relative brevity, Seek addresses a number of social issues, with a particular emphasis on the impact of a broken home on a young person's life. It is interesting to note that Rob's perspective on the matter is almost entirely personal. First and foremost, he longs for the father he never knew.

He dreams of encountering Lenny's voice somewhere on the radio band, and fantasizes that his father will return. Initially he does not judge Lenny for abandoning his family, for not providing monetary support, or for never calling or writing. Rob's attitude toward his father does change over the course of the novel, but, for most of his childhood, his desire for a male parent is presented as a raw, primal need.

The circumstances of Rob's birth are described in neutral terms. The fact that he was born to unwed parents does not appear...