In addition to the I/you distinction, there is “rather” and “less.” Jacob is trying to figure out just how much is “less.” More precisely, he is figuring out how much “less” is enough to please his mother. “Rather” is not “must,” and again there is the “I” who can decide whether or not he will please his mother. Throughout this process he was learning the art of negotiation, in general as well as across power hierarchies (parent and child). He is also developing an individual sense of agency, his own ability to affect and maneuver the world around him.
