Rebound

Skinny is one of Charlie’s best friends. He is a child of the 1980s, making frequent allusions to Michael Jackson songs, wearing a Michael Jackson glove, and exhibiting an obsession with Air Jordans tennis shoes. Skinny is someone whose ego gets in his way. Charlie describes him as “running a game / and his mouth” while playing basketball (12), and he is often a source of comic relief. Nevertheless, Skinny serves as a loyal sidekick to Charlie, and even when Skinny gets Charlie into trouble, he feels remorse and apologizes. When the boys get arrested, he does not abandon Charlie.

Skinny serves as a negative role model to Charlie; though he is careless rather than mean-spirited, he frequently pressures Charlie to engage in risky behavior, and his decisions drive much of the novel’s conflict. Skinny spends a lot of time with his cousin Ivan, who himself became entangled with a questionable crowd during his time in juvenile detention. It is Skinny and Ivan who first encourage Charlie to steal from Old Lady Wilson, yet Charlie is the only one who faces consequences. Later, when the boys meet in DC, Skinny tells Charlie that he can get him some inexpensive Air Jordans, which sets off the chain of events that culminates in Skinny and Charlie being arrested.

Skinny serves as a foil to Charlie, highlighting key characteristics in the protagonist. Charlie’s and Skinny’s family histories are similar: Both Charlie and Skinny’s fathers served in the Vietnam War, and while Charlie loses his father to illness, Skinny loses contact with own father due to the latter’s post-traumatic stress disorder. The boys’ responses to their grief demonstrate the importance of role models—Skinny does not seem to have the robust family support system that Charlie does—but they also highlight differences in the boys’ characters. Skinny’s flightiness, silliness, and aversion to hard work emphasize Charlie’s thoughtfulness, emotional depth, and openness to working hard.

CJ, or Crystal Jean, is Charlie’s romantic interest and other best friend: They have gone from being “tight as twins” in kindergarten to nervously holding hands (57), and by the Epilogue they have married and had twin boys. CJ is characterized as intelligent, scientific-minded, and supportive. She shows loyalty to Charlie when he hears sirens and throws up in class, assuaging his embarrassment by informing him the role anxiety plays in physical symptoms. As this episode demonstrates, CJ consistently tries to normalize Charlie’s experience of grief to help him feel less alone and more “normal.” She again demonstrates loyalty in helping Charlie walk Old Lady Wilson’s dog; though she disapproves of the choices that resulted in the punishment, she helps Charlie bear the consequences, seeing it as an opportunity to get Charlie to open up about grief. She remains committed to Charlie’s healing as he goes to live with his grandparents, leaving him messages, calling him on the phone, and sending him a journal to write about his feelings. She gives this journal to her twin sons at the end of the text as a graduation gift from their father, remaining committed to Charlie even after his death.

Roxie Bell is Charlie’s cousin. She is athletic, extremely competitive, and committed to basketball in a way that demonstrates the value of hard work. Roxie is both a friend and a mentor figure to Charlie, serving as his “coach” as Charlie regains a sense of purpose in basketball, a game he used to play with his father before his death.

One undercurrent in Roxie’s character arc is her relationship to traditional female gender norms. Roxie is a leader, frequently coaching any players who join her in pickup games at the Boys and Girls Club. Roxie also demonstrates athletic excellence; even at the end of the text, Charlie cannot beat her in one-on-one but rather takes pride merely in coming closer. Roxie does adhere to some feminine conventions, such as putting on makeup before going out with friends, but it’s implied that gender norms stifle her in some ways. In the Epilogue, Charlie recalls that at some point in their adolescence, she was forced to play on the girls’ basketball team simply because of her gender, not her skill level.

Charlie’s mother is a nurturing figure and a hardworking woman who tries to keep her emotions in check for the sake of her adolescent son, who has recently lost his father. In doing so, however, she inadvertently models bottling up her emotions in a way that Charlie mimics. Furthermore, Charlie does not pick up on his mother’s understated attempts to bond with him over their shared grief, causing Charlie to wonder if she even feels sad at the loss of her husband. Charlie’s mother’s suppression of her emotions underscores How Grief Manifests in Different Individuals and contributes to the plot by inciting Charlie’s move to his grandparents’ house, as his mother decides both she and Charlie need some space from one another. Charlie initially interprets this as his mother abandoning him, though it is in fact an example of her “using the backboard” (378)—relying on her support system. Likewise, the steps she takes to discipline her son (e.g., having him walk Old Lady Wilson’s dog) positively impact Charlie in the long run, teaching him to take ownership of his actions and introducing him to the idea that hard work can give life purpose.

Charlie’s grandfather, Percy, is a positive role model and primary mentor figure for Charlie. Percy is hardworking, loyal, and committed to helping others. Even in his retirement, he works part-time at the Boys and Girls Club in Washington, DC, to contribute positively to the community—a commitment Percy’s son, Joshua, shared. Percy’s insistence that Charlie work hard helps Charlie begin to heal, and while Charlie initially finds Percy’s motivational speeches and frequent sports analogies grating, he sees the wisdom in them by the story’s conclusion. Percy also shares Charlie’s playfulness and humor, imparting much of his advice in rhyme and generally providing comedic relief.

Percy Bell has the nickname “Iron Man,” aligning with the superhero motif and suggesting the strength he shows in supporting his family. Percy also shows hidden emotional complexity in his grief over his son’s death, though he struggles to show emotion. Charlie’s grandmother explains that listening to Joshua’s favorite jazz song is Percy’s way of dealing with losing his son. This is a model for how men can show emotion, leading Charlie to finally express his grief to his grandmother. Percy also demonstrates emotional complexity at the end of the text when he retrieves Charlie from jail. Though angry, he uses the incident to teach Charlie, hugging him and reminding him that he will face hardships but that his family will always be there for him.

Charlie’s grandmother is a traditional mother figure archetype. She shows her love via physical affection, food, and reminders to rest. This softer form of care contrasts with the “tough love” parenting style of her husband, Percy. Alice is the connective tissue that holds the family together, frequently reminding Percy and informing Charlie of how each family member is connected. For example, she gives Charlie his father’s comics and shows him the family picture album. In the poise she shows even amid her grief, she embodies the strength that results from a connection with one’s family.

Alice nurtures Charlie with her emotional guidance and support. It is during a conversation with his grandmother that Charlie finally demonstrates sadness at the loss of his father. She encourages Charlie to open up, and it is her safe presence that finally allows Charlie to release his emotions.