Lost in the Sun

In Chapters 16-20, Trent begins to change how he handles his interpersonal relationships. This is evident in his attitude adjustment when dealing with characters like Noah, Annie, and Ms. Emerson. His efforts to improve himself and his relationships with others are symbolized through the act of watering Ms. Emerson’s plants, which begins in Chapter 16, when Trent is at his lowest and feeling like a “screw-up” because of all that has transpired. While he initially relies on his old, unhealthy coping mechanisms—attempting to get detention again to get out of “dinner with the dad who [doesn’t] want him” (199)—Ms. Emerson refuses to acknowledge or indulge his misbehavior. Interrupting this negative behavior cycle creates room for Trent to try a new approach. Later, he seeks her help regarding his conflict with Fallon. She instructs Trent to water her many classroom plants, stating that “when people are angry, there’s usually not much to do to alter their emotions. But there are often things you can do to cool them down a bit” (202). By having Trent come in to water her plants and requesting that he continue to repeat this task, Ms. Emerson gives Trent not just a path into her good graces but a place to be after school when he doesn’t want to go home. This creates a healing environment for Trent and a place where he can nurture something, focus on a productive task, and build a positive relationship with a mentor figure.

As Trent returns day after day to water Ms. Emerson’s plants, he also begins to improve his relationships with others, like Noah and Annie. In Chapter 18, Trent is forced to be one-on-one Jared Richards’s little sister, putting him in an uncomfortable position. Trent feels a “fireball of rage mixed with terror mixed with icy panic” when he learns that Annie is his basketball buddy (212). She makes her negative feelings toward Trent clear from the beginning, which ironically puts Trent at ease—he admits, “[T]alking to the person who hated me more than anyone else [was] not so terrible […] there was no way she could hate me more […] So I could just be myself” (215). In this relaxed state, Trent makes Annie laugh, and they have a great dynamic on the basketball court. Although Annie insists that she still hates Trent, they like each other more when they part. Their interactions emphasize that Guilt and Self-Forgiveness are partially contingent on feeling accepted by others, especially those who have been hurt. After a positive interaction with Annie, Trent is able to feel a bit better about himself, putting him on the path to healing.  

Trent also begins to make amends with his former friend Noah. When Noah begins to sit out in PE with Trent, they have the opportunity to get back on good terms. In a shift from the beginning of the book, Trent takes this opportunity, and instead of shunning Noah, he helps him by bringing him a book to read and giving him information about the basketball program so that he doesn’t fail sixth grade. Trent’s choice to help Noah rather than ignore him illustrates his growth and The Healing Nature of Friendship.

A significant moment for Trent comes toward the end of Chapter 16 when he visits Cedar Lake for the first time since Jared’s death. After thinking about Fallon’s nightmares and his own, both of which reflect their traumatic pasts and feelings of helplessness, he throws his Book of Thoughts into the lake. He reflects that now, he “[doesn’t] have too many thoughts” (204), and his “brain [is] empty” (205). Throwing away the book symbolizes his efforts to stop overthinking and relive his trauma every day, marking a turning point. The efforts he makes in the chapters afterward show that he’s realized that his behavior affects others as well, namely Fallon. Overall, these chapters show Trent making efforts to grow as a person to alleviate his guilt and earn forgiveness from himself and others.

As Trent moves outside his head, he begins to acknowledge others, both their struggles and the help they offer. In Chapter 20, he learns that Aaron doesn’t have a secret girlfriend; he’s failing trigonometry and has a secret tutor. Aaron explains that he hasn’t told anyone because their “[m]om worries all the time […] [he’s] not going to give her one more thing to worry about” (233). Trent starts to understand that he’s making things harder for their mom and that she, Aaron, and Fallon all have their own struggles and don’t need to shoulder his. He feels guilty for not acknowledging what’s going on in the lives of others, developing the theme of The Invisible Struggles of Others.