The cartoon relates to the story, albeit indirectly. This is “just how she is” — in the cartoon, she’s a vampire and couldn’t greet them until after sunset. In the Hax column, she’s very introverted, maybe on the Asperger’s side.
You wonder with some agony aunt stories such as the one this drawing accompanies – what happens if the subject of the letter & reply finds out it is she – despite the name-changing anonymisation – who is being discussed in this way in a national newspaper? Suppose the “complainant” leaves the paper folded at that story on the coffee table and, in this case, her daughter-in-law (or indeed son) sees it? Would that heal matters or cause a blowup? (Especially with the vampire dressing).
It would be interesting to know how many such advice columns lead to disastrous family breakdowns and other relationship catastrophes! Perhaps almost no one (luckily) has the self-knowledge to recognise themselves in these stories. Few people are the boring, hostile or unfriendly bad guy villains in their own lives (cue Mitchell and Webb – “Are We the Baddies?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn1VxaMEjRU ).
On his advice podcast (I don’t see the written column), Dan Savage will sometimes tell a caller “You need to have a conversation with your partner about this — tell them such-and-such — then see if they agree to this-and-that — or y’know what …, just sit them down and play this podcast for them.”
ianosmond: I think the large box cartoons are always supposed to be related to the advice column, although the connection is often weak. Here, as zbicyclist says, it’s related in that the daughter in the story and the daughter (presumably) in the picture are both stand-offish, although the daughter in the story is (again presumably) not a vampire.
My first take was young city lady waking to find family, complete with younger brother. “Been here since noon, Miss has-her-own-schedule.” says Mom. Significant Other still asleep. (Personal experiences probably influenced this conclusion.)
Comics I Don't Understand 
Vampire.
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teenager
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Cartoon for accompanying story: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/carolyn-hax-daughter-in-law-is-standoffish-dont-make-things-standoff-ish/2017/10/30/95c487c8-bb5b-11e7-a908-a3470754bbb9_story.html
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Although the cartoon is merely a thing on the same page, not anything that is related to the story. She’s a vampire, and wasn’t awake until sunset.
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She looks like Morticia Adams to me.
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Morticia Addams was much thinner, almost gaunt. Dress style is similar, though.
And I don’t find anything funny in the cartoon. Seems more bitter than anything else.
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The cartoon relates to the story, albeit indirectly. This is “just how she is” — in the cartoon, she’s a vampire and couldn’t greet them until after sunset. In the Hax column, she’s very introverted, maybe on the Asperger’s side.
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The cartoons aside Hax’s columns are drawn by her ex-husband and are customized to the content of the column, though the connection is often indirect.
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You wonder with some agony aunt stories such as the one this drawing accompanies – what happens if the subject of the letter & reply finds out it is she – despite the name-changing anonymisation – who is being discussed in this way in a national newspaper? Suppose the “complainant” leaves the paper folded at that story on the coffee table and, in this case, her daughter-in-law (or indeed son) sees it? Would that heal matters or cause a blowup? (Especially with the vampire dressing).
It would be interesting to know how many such advice columns lead to disastrous family breakdowns and other relationship catastrophes! Perhaps almost no one (luckily) has the self-knowledge to recognise themselves in these stories. Few people are the boring, hostile or unfriendly bad guy villains in their own lives (cue Mitchell and Webb – “Are We the Baddies?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn1VxaMEjRU ).
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On his advice podcast (I don’t see the written column), Dan Savage will sometimes tell a caller “You need to have a conversation with your partner about this — tell them such-and-such — then see if they agree to this-and-that — or y’know what …, just sit them down and play this podcast for them.”
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ianosmond: I think the large box cartoons are always supposed to be related to the advice column, although the connection is often weak. Here, as zbicyclist says, it’s related in that the daughter in the story and the daughter (presumably) in the picture are both stand-offish, although the daughter in the story is (again presumably) not a vampire.
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I would agree with Winter’s take on this. But with the emandation that she is a daughter-in-law.
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Mitch4: She’s somebody’s daughter, too. ;)
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Okay, what Mitch4 said makes it make sense to me: husband, wife, husband’s parents.
These comics are, as I understand it, supposed to be able to stand on their own, even if they also accompany articles.
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My first take was young city lady waking to find family, complete with younger brother. “Been here since noon, Miss has-her-own-schedule.” says Mom. Significant Other still asleep. (Personal experiences probably influenced this conclusion.)
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