In Rodrick Rules, Jeff Kinney focuses on family dynamics and the relationships between siblings in the Heffley family. Rodrick and Greg are locked in a mental game of chess following the aftermath of the embarrassing incident at Leisure Towers over the summer. Throughout Rodrick Rules, Kinney demonstrates how challenging and frustrating sibling conflicts and hierarchies can be, and how children like Greg can often feel caught in the middle.

Early on in Rodrick Rules, Kinney establishes the power imbalance between Greg and Rodrick. In addition to Rodrick being older and bigger than Greg, Rodrick uses his age and size to intimidate Greg and blackmail him about Greg’s embarrassing summer accident. Greg isn’t just annoyed by Rodrick: He feels completely powerless, and he laments that Rodrick can “pretty much treat [Greg] any way he wants, because he knows there’s nothing [Greg] can do about it” (24). Still, Greg tries to put up a fight by arguing with Rodrick over small things like the TV remote, the dirty dishes they are both supposed to clean, and Rodrick’s terrible driving. Greg even hopes that his parents will find out about Rodrick’s party, and delights in the potential of Rodrick being punished for his actions.