Editing Jeeves (section)

== Relationship with Bertie Wooster ==
The premise of the Jeeves stories is that the brilliant [[valet]] is firmly in control of his rich and unworldly young employer's life. Jeeves becomes Bertie Wooster's guardian and all-purpose problem solver, devising subtle plans to help Bertie and his friends with various problems. In particular, Jeeves extricates Bertie Wooster from engagements to formidable women whom Bertie reluctantly becomes engaged to, Bertie being unwilling to hurt a woman's feelings by turning her down. While Jeeves wants to keep Bertie from a fiancée whom he believes will not make Bertie happy, Jeeves also wants to keep his position, which he feels would be threatened by a wife.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 1, p. 36. In "Jeeves Takes Charge", Bertie fires Jeeves after Jeeves causes Florence to end her engagement to Bertie. Jeeves explains his actions: "'As I am no longer in your employment, sir, I can speak freely without appearing to take a liberty. In my opinion you and Lady Florence were quite unsuitably matched... You would not have been happy, sir!'"</ref><ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 10, p. 256. Upset that Bertie appears to be contemplating marriage, Jeeves states that, in his experience, "when the wife comes in at the front door the valet of bachelor days goes out at the back".</ref> Jeeves also provides assistance when Bertie, who refuses to let a pal down, gets drawn into trouble trying to help a friend or a relative he is fond of. Bertie is usually unaware of the extent of Jeeves's machinations until all is revealed at the end of the story. On one occasion, Bertie acknowledges and accepts his role as a pawn in Jeeves's grand plan, though Jeeves objects, saying that he could have accomplished nothing without Bertie's cooperation.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1934], ''Thank You, Jeeves'', chapter 22, pp. 259–260.</ref>

For the most part, Bertie and Jeeves are on good terms. Being fond of Bertie, Jeeves considers their connection "pleasant in every respect".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 10, pp. 256 and 266.</ref> Bertie says that he looks on Jeeves as "a sort of guide, philosopher, and friend".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1923], ''The Inimitable Jeeves'', chapter 1, p. 10. This is a reference to a poem by Alexander Pope.</ref> At times when Bertie is separated from Jeeves, Bertie is miserable. When Bertie must stay by himself in a hotel in "[[The Aunt and the Sluggard]]", he struggles without having Jeeves there to press his clothes and bring him tea, saying "I don't know when I've felt so rotten. Somehow I found myself moving about the room softly, as if there had been a death in the family"; he later cheers himself up by going round the cabarets, though "the frightful loss of Jeeves made any thought of pleasure more or less a mockery".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 5, pp. 125–126 and 130.</ref> In ''[[Thank You, Jeeves]]'', when Jeeves has left Bertie's employment because of their disagreement over a banjolele, Bertie still seeks Jeeves for help and Jeeves comes to his aid.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1934], ''Thank You, Jeeves'', chapter 15, p. 173.</ref> Bertie dislikes when Jeeves goes on his annual holiday, stating, "without this right-hand man at his side Bertram Wooster becomes a mere shadow of his former self".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1954], ''Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit'', chapter 1, p. 8.</ref> Jeeves appreciates the praise that Bertie bestows on him, saying that "Mr. Wooster has always been gratifyingly appreciative of my humble efforts on his behalf".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1953], ''Ring for Jeeves'', chapter 5, p. 61.</ref>

Jeeves has firm ideas about how an English gentleman should dress and behave, and sees it as his duty to ensure that his employer presents himself appropriately. When friction arises between Jeeves and Bertie, it is usually over some new item about which Bertie Wooster is enthusiastic that does not meet with Jeeves's approval, such as bright purple socks, a white mess jacket, or a garish vase. Bertie becomes attached to these less conservative pieces and views Jeeves's opposition to them as "hidebound and reactionary",<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1934], ''Right Ho, Jeeves'', chapter 1, pp. 20–21.</ref> marking him "an enemy to Progress".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1923], ''The Inimitable Jeeves'', chapter 16, p. 210.</ref> This type of disagreement results in a period of coolness between them. The conflict is resolved by the end of the story, typically after Jeeves has helped Bertie with his latest problem. Bertie, grateful, agrees to have it Jeeves's way. He does not object if he learns that Jeeves, foreseeing that Bertie would agree to give up the item, has already disposed of it.

Bertie considers Jeeves to be a marvel, and wonders why Jeeves is content to work for him, stating, "It beats me sometimes why a man with his genius is satisfied to hang around pressing my clothes and what not".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 2, p. 45.</ref> Jeeves has been offered twice the salary Bertie pays him by another gentleman, but still remains with Bertie.<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1925], ''Carry On, Jeeves'', chapter 4, p. 84.</ref> Jeeves views Bertie as being friendly but mentally negligible, though his opinion of Bertie's intelligence seems to improve over time. In an early story, he says that Bertie is "an exceedingly pleasant and amiable young gentleman, but not intelligent. By no means intelligent. Mentally he is negligible – quite negligible."<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1923], ''The Inimitable Jeeves'', chapter 5, p. 55.</ref> Hearing this spurs Bertie to try to solve problems on his own, though he ultimately fails and needs Jeeves's assistance. Nonetheless, Jeeves's view of Bertie's intelligence has apparently softened by the first novel, when Jeeves says that Bertie "is, perhaps, mentally somewhat negligible, but he has a heart of gold".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1934], ''Thank You, Jeeves'', chapter 7, p. 82.</ref> At one point in the ninth novel, Jeeves actually commends Bertie's quick thinking, saying that Bertie's tactic of hiding from an antagonist behind a sofa "showed a resource and swiftness of thought which it would be difficult to overpraise".<ref>Wodehouse (2008) [1963], ''Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves'', chapter 21, p. 178.</ref>