Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Jeffrey’s diagnosis of ALL, a potentially fatal disease, forces the Alpers to think about what they value most in life. As Steven witnesses Jeffrey’s battle with leukemia, he realizes that his little brother will always be important to him than playing the drums or getting attention from girls. Steven’s dad also learns a lesson about the importance of family over the course of Jeffrey’s illness. At first, he attempts to deal with his emotions surrounding his younger son’s cancer diagnosis by retreating into himself and focusing on his work. He tries to convince himself that he is prioritizing for the good of the family because of their current financial struggles. In the end, however, he realizes that he is coping with the situation in a way that is unhealthy for both himself and his family. In his speech to the band, he says that he now realizes that “[his] family needs a dad more than they need a few extra bucks” and thanks Steven “for watching out for your family, even when your father wasn’t” (259).

One key moment in the novel that highlights the importance of family occurs when Steven meets Samantha, the cancer patient who is around his age. After learning that Sam’s cancer has returned twice in the last four years, Steven asks her how her family is coping with her illness and permanent hospitalization. She tells him that her mother is a single parent and that she rarely hears from her dad. She used to be very close to her older sister, but now her sister is in college and rarely makes time to visit her at the hospital or even talk to her on the phone. Sam’s very different family situation makes Steven realize how lucky he and Jeffrey are to have two parents that do their best to support their children, even in the most difficult of times. Above all, Sam’s sadness about her distant relationship with her sister makes Steven realize that he needs to do everything he can to show Jeffrey that he loves him. He ultimately decides to go with Jeffrey to the ER instead of playing his big solo because he remembers his promise to Sam to stay with his brother. The importance of putting Jeffrey first becomes even more clear when Steven learns that Sam has died during the few weeks since he was last at the hospital. Her death, and the fact that she did not have her sister by her side when she died, reminds Steven that it is important to cherish sibling relationships because it may someday be too late.