Slob

Caitlin, who goes by Jeremy, is Owen’s sister. Jeremy illustrates the novel’s theme of Identity and Self-Image as Owen views her as a socially empowered champion. She is thin with long, red hair that she wears like a “warrior’s badge” (22). He describes her as a “superhero without superpowers” highlighting her moral compass and how she defends the weak and oppressed (22). In contrast with his understanding of her characteristics, Owen also describes Jeremy as unintelligent. Despite Owen’s opinion of Jeremy’s intelligence, his descriptions negate any real character flaws, seeing her through an exalted lens. Through Owen’s view, Jeremy is a form of Romantic hero.

Owen’s revelations at the end of the novel reveal a different characterization of Jeremy. She gives into GWAB’s peer pressure, stealing Owen’s Oreo cookies in a prank, characterizing her as less heroic than Owen believes. She demonstrates her intelligence by tricking Owen into thinking that Nemesis works. Jeremy’s characterization is dynamic and realistic in juxtaposition with Owen’s initial assessment.

Jeremy symbolizes social acceptance as a moral choice. Her decision to cut her hair at the end of the novel is a rejection of GWAB’s bullying behavior, directly strengthening the novel’s theme of Power, Negligence, and Bullying Behavior. Her altered appearance represents Jeremy’s character growth alongside Owen.

Mason is a character who supports the novel’s motif of The Grotesque. He is large and strong with several scars from an accident he experienced during a seizure. Owen describes his injuries in detail, noting, “The skin is all bumpy and puckered, twisting up the right side of his lips so that he looked like he was always sneering [and his] right eye is a spooky milky blue while his left is brown” (19). Like Owen, Mason’s physical attributes isolate him from his peers. Mason provides Owen with empathy development as he overcomes preconceived notions based on Mason’s physical characteristics.

Because Mason is a new student, rumors about him develop that stereotype him as a criminal with mental health struggles. At times, Mason encourages these misconceptions. For example, he calls attention to the house key storage device that he keeps in his sock to curb the bullying comments through fear of his reaction during gym class. He reveals the key to Owen as a sign of character growth and trust and after Owen protects Mason from further humiliation during a seizure. As Owen gets to know Mason, his humanity becomes clear as another dynamic character.