Basement Dweller/Playing With

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Basic Trope: An adult Nerd who still lives with his parents

• Played Straight: Seamus O'Taku still lives with his mother, despite having completed college.
• Exaggerated:
  • Seamus O'Taku is well into his mid-40's and still lives with his mom. Oh, yeah, and he's still a virgin.
  • Seamus O'Taku is actually married and lives with his wife and kids...in his mom's basement.
• Justified:
  • Seamus O'Taku is unable to find a job that pays well enough to allow him to move out.
  • Seamus is an Ill Boy
  • Seamus' mother is an Ill Girl (or simply very elderly), and he is looking after her.
  • It's not that Seamus can't leave the house, he just won't.
  • Seamus' house or apartment burned down, and he had to move back in with his mom...but only until he finds a new place to live.
  • Where Seamus O'Taku lives, living with parents is until marriage is normal.
  • Since he's the last one left (or the oldest) in the family, O'Taku has taken over as head of the household to care for his parents.
• Inverted:
  • Seamus O'Taku moved to an apartment of his own on his 18th birthday.
  • Seamus has his own home, and his mother comes to live with him.
• Gender Inverted: Alice still lives with her parents, despite being an adult.
• Subverted:
  • Seamus is away at college.
  • Seamus is living in a low-rent apartment downtown.
• Double Subverted:
  • But he goes home every weekend.
  • But then finds he can't make it on his own and moves back in with his parents.
• Deconstructed: This is going to be inconvenient for Seamus (who may have a hard time being taken seriously and/or getting a girlfriend) and for his mother (who may still have to provide for him and may not be able to do things she wants to do because he still depends on her.)
• Reconstructed: Seamus is saving money, and he also pays rent and otherwise earns his keep there. He is not a burden on his mother, and eventually leaves the nest. He gains skills he needs to survive Out There.
• Parodied: Seamus finally gets a girl home and is making out with her on the basement couch. His mom comes down with juice and cookies...and his date leaves in disgust.
• Lampshaded: "Be quiet. Mom doesn't like it when I listen to loud music."
• Averted: Seamus does not live with his parents.
• Enforced: "We need to make Seamus O'Taku a Straw Loser."
• Invoked: Seamus loses his job and can no longer afford to pay the rent and bills.
• Defied: Seamus doesn't want to move back with his mom. He instead lives off his emergency fund as long as he can while looking for a job, or crashes at a friend's apartment.
• Discussed: "I hear Seamus still lives with his mom!"
• Conversed: "It's just not right for a man his age to live with his mother..."
• Played For Laughs: Seamus is a stereotypical Hollywood Nerd.
• Played For Drama:
  • Seamus is a Hikikomori
  • Seamus shares an illicit and unhealthy relationship with his mother and/or has Mommy Issues.
  • Seamus has a lot of problems in his life...and is fingered for a crime he didn't commit.

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